Issue 7 by Focus Magazine

OCTOBER 2014

DOWN WITH WEBSTER | TEAM* | MATT LENTZ | BRIGADES + MORE

S T A F F FOUNDERS

Penelope Martinez Mariana Patino

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF + DESIGN Penelope Martinez

MANAGING + COPY EDITOR Lori Gutman

WRITERS

Lindsy Carr Kelly Fadden Taylor Hancock

PHOTOGRAPHERS Grayson Hary Kelly Coyne Jenn Curtis Leah Dickerman Lori Gutman Mimi Hong Penelope Martinez Priten Vora

THANKYOU

The Amity Affliction, Ross Anderson, Roadrunner Records, Down with Webster, Erika Clark, Alyssa Dempsey, Rachel Miller, Shoshie Aborn, Big Picture Media, C.J. Blair, Luke Lautenbach, Matt Lentz, Daniel Ellsworth and the Great Lakes, The Future Laureates, From Indian Lakes, TEAM*, Brigades, Christina Reyner, Pep Talk Media, Austin Griswold, Sound of a Smirk, the wonderful staff and our lovely readers. 2

GETINTOUCH

focuszine.com facebook.com/focuszine focuszine.tumblr.com flickr.com/focuszine @focuszine info@focuszine.com

Do you know what the worst part about going to night school is? The “school” part. I dread going to class everyday simply because I could be sleeping instead of being stuck in a classroom. On the other hand, night school is much more relaxed and easy going, and you meet some pretty cool people. 2014 is slowly coming to an end and, to be honest, it’s pretty exciting. This year has been sooooo amazing. I met awesome people and saw some amazing artists live. It’s just been a pretty great year. I can’t wait for the upcoming holidays and winter.... Oh, winter. ♥ How has 2014 treated you? I hope it’s been grand. Enjoy these last couple of months of the year and make lots of memories. Drive for hours, get lost, wake up at 5 a.m. to see the sunrise. Make the end of 2014 count. xo

Penelope Martinez

content ineveryissue 6 artist of the month 10 local spotlight 36 album reviews 38 show reviews f e a t u r e s 12 The Future Laureates 14 TEAM* 16 Brigades 18 Danielle Ellsworth and the Great Lakes 22 From Indian Lakes 24 Down with Webster 28 The Amity Affliction

on the cover :

the amity affliction pg.

Artist of the Month Matt Lentz

WHO: Matt

Lentz WHAT: Tattoo Artist WHERE: www.mattlentztattoo.tumblr.com

HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN A TATTOO ARTIST? I started tattooing full time in 2003, so it’s been about eleven and a half years. WHEN DID YOU DECIDE THAT YOU WANTED TO PURSUE THIS TYPE OF ART? I have always been into making art. In high school, I mainly focused on studying art. I intended to go to college for art, but I wasn’t sure about what kind of job I could get in the art field. I wasn’t interested in any kind of commercial or graphic art. WHAT OR WHO INTRODUCED YOU TO THE WORLD OF TATTOOS? In high school, I started playing in bands, and, after I graduated, pursuing music became my priority for a while. Some of my friends and I started getting tattooed, and it seemed like something that I might like to do. At that point, I started hanging out at tattoo shops more until I picked up an apprenticeship at a shop. WHAT WAS THE PROCESS LIKE WHEN YOU FIRST ATTEMPTED TO GET A JOB IN THE FIELD? At the time, tattooing was more or less something to do when I wasn’t playing music. I stopped tattooing a few times between ‘99 and ‘03 in order to focus more on music. In 2003, the band I was in broke up, so I started tattooing full time. I had a few friends who were also tattooing, and they helped me get a job at the shop they were working at. WHAT DID YOUR FAMILY AND FRIENDS THINK WHEN YOU TOLD THEM THAT TATTOOING WAS YOUR JOB? I’m very blessed to have a family that has always been very supportive of what I want to do as long as I give it one hundred percent. My friends loved the fact that I was tattooing, and they were very willing to let me practice on them. WHOSE WORK HAS INFLUENCED YOU? I have always been highly influenced by the people I worked around. Fortunately, I have had the opportunity to work around some great tattoo artists. For as long as I’ve been into tattooing, I’ve loved the classic style of tattooing and admired the work of artists like Ben Corday, Bert Grimm, Amund Dietzel, and Norman Keith Collins. 7

THERE ARE MANY FACTORS TO A TATTOO—DESIGN, PLACEMENT, COLOR, MEANING. WHAT DO PEOPLE TEND TO NOT THINK THROUGH FOR THE MOST PART? I would have to say people don’t think about the technical design aspects of a tattoo. People have a tendency to want to overcomplicate a tattoo with too many details, or they try to cram five different tattoo ideas into one design because they think it’ll have more meaning. HAVE YOU EVER HAD TO DECLINE A REQUESTED PIECE? WHY? I decline a certain project if it is something that I think would be better suited for a different style of artist.

WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT THE WAY SOCIETY SEES TATTOOS AND PEOPLE WHO HAVE THEM? I don’t think it really matters how society views tattoos or the people who have them. Tattoos are becoming more socially acceptable, and I wouldn’t be surprised if, years from now, people without tattoos will be the minority.

“I THINK IT WOULD BE BETTER IF TATTOOING CONTINUES TO BE A FORM OF ART AND EXPRESSION AND MOVES AWAY FROM BEING AN INDUSTRY.”

DO YOU PREFER WHEN PEOPLE HAVE A DESIGN IN MIND, OR WOULD YOU RATHER CREATE A NEW ONE FOR THEM? I do prefer when people come in with a design and they allow me to add something that has my character to it. Still, it’s nice when people have reference images if they have something really specific that they want me to do. That way I know I’m moving in the right direction with the drawing.

WHAT ARE THE BEST AND WORST ASPECTS OF YOUR JOB? THE BEST THING ABOUT TATtooing is getting to make art. The worst part about it is when it stops becoming something you love to do and it just becomes a job.

WHERE DO YOU SEE THE TATTOO INDUSTRY IN FIVE YEARS? I think it would be better if tattooing continues to be a form of art and expression and moves away from being an industry.

WHERE CAN PEOPLE FIND YOU? People can find me at Under The Needle Tattoo in Seattle, WA, or contact me via email at mattlentzart@ gmail.com. STAY CONNECTED: www.mattlentztattoo.tumblr.com @matt_lentz

MAKE SURE TO STOP BY

UNDER THE NEEDLE TATTOO

AND GET SOME ARTWORK DONE BY MATT

SOUND OF A SMIRK

This month’s local band of the month is Sound of a Smirk, a rock band from upstate New York with distinct vocals and more than enough energy.

WHAT IS YOUR HOMETOWN? Currently, we reside in Poughkeepsie, NY.

WHO IS IN THE BAND? Jesse Tepper (guitar/vocals), Chris Evans (drums), Brandon Sizemore (bass) and Mike Behan (touring lead guitar).

HOW DID THE BAND START? Jesse started as a solo artist in Pennsylvania and that continue for a bit when he moved to Poughkeepsie about three years ago. Chris and Jesse met through mutual friends in the beginning of 2013. After that, Chris was supposed to record the next Sound of a Smirk record. Instead, he ended up becoming the permanent drummer, and that’s when SoaS became a full band.

WHO OR WHAT ARE YOUR MAIN INFLUENCES? Jesse’s main influences are a lot of 90s and 00s emo and rock, but Brand New is number one for him. Chris would say his biggest influences range from The Cure to Jimmy Eat World to Alkaline Trio.

COULD YOU BRIEFLY DESCRIBE YOUR MUSIC-MAKING PROCESS? Most of the time, our songs start off as a stripped acoustic version that Jesse records on his phone and sends to Chris via email. Usually, Chris will play to it or come up with ideas separately. Then we get together and practice on a bare-boned idea and try to shape it into something fitting the Sound of a Smirk style. We record a rough version when we feel comfortable with the track.

WHAT ARE YOUR GOALS AS A BAND? We just want to play music that means something to us, and to try and make a connection through our music. Sound of a Smirk has two upcoming shows in October: at Heirloom Arts Theatre in Danbury, CT, on the 18th, and at The Loft in Poughkeepsie, NY, with Transit on the 21st. They currently have a tour in the works that they’ve yet to announce that will take place from late November to early December. Amongst their touring, they have a split coming out with their friends in Bedrock Division later this month.

STAY CONNECTED: www.facebook.com/theSoundofaSmirk SoundofaSmirk.Bandcamp.com Twitter & Instagram: @SoundofaSmirk

INTERVIEW: Lindsy Carr PHOTO: Provided

The Future Laureates got their start just like many other bands. Matthew Daigler, James Hyde, and Danny Surico met while attending Loyola University and performing at the same open mic. They decided that starting a band together would be the best option for entering the student talent contest, and they ended up taking second place. Shortly after, the guys decided that this project was worth pursuing, and the rest is history. Hailing from Chicago, the now quintet—with the additions of Rob Durkee and Andrew Bockelman— has been working hard for the past six years to make dreams become a reality. Though they all have jobs outside of the band, it is clear that music is where their passions lie. "We hope to one day make our living playing music, but that is still a work in progress," they explain.

Being a part of the music industry is no easy task. Still, the guys of TFL enjoy the challenges they are exposed to, and they use them as opportunities to grow as artists. In order to make it in the industry, you have to be able to adapt to the best of your abilities. “You have to be willing to talk with a lot of other musicians, producers, fans, industry folks, etc., and you have to actually listen to what they have to say. Something that was true to your experience five years ago may be completely irrelevant now,” they elaborate.

doing the exact same thing creatively or working with the exact same people in a business context.” The Future Laureates clearly have a lot of passion and drive to accomplish their goals, and they just released an EP titled Here and After that proves it. The band believes that the five-track EP truly showcases who they are as musicians. “It captures the energy and the breadth of who we are and how we perform more so than any previous record.” Undoubtedly, it is their proudest moment so far as a band.

The guys also enjoy that a majority of your growth in the industry is They are extremely pleased with dependent on ambition and work how the EP came out, and they’re ethic. “You're never going to be happy that they had the chance to

THE FUTU 12

work with Chris Grainger on the release. They said that working with him couldn't be better; not only was he incredibly pleasant, but he also really has an ear for making the songs sound as best as they possibly can. Granger also came into hand when discussing certain creativity decisions, which is what they believe to be the hardest part about writing a record. Since there are so many paths that can be taken, there are bound to be some disagreements on what certain things should sound like. The guys add that “having a producer like Chris in the mix, however, can help when certain creative decisions are reaching gridlock. He's like a sixth member of the band, but with more objectivity, which

helps keep the process moving.” we can improve. It's a big reason for our success up until this point.” They had an album release show for Here and After, which was, as Make sure to pick up Here and After they put it, “awesome.” It was yet and catch them out on tour soon. We another reminder of why they are can safely promise that they won’t working so hard on this dream. It disappoint you! also didn't hurt that the crowd was amazing and really lifted them up. STAY CONNECTED The Future Laureates have a lot of www.facebook.com/thefuturelaureates plans for the rest of the year. Pro- www.thefuturelaureates.com/ fessionally, they hope to continue @futurelaureates to improve their team “and build in the realms of licensing/publishing INTERVIEW: Taylor Hancock and booking.” Other goals are to STORY: Kelly Fadden finish strongly on their tour and im- PHOTO: Kaitlyn McQuaid prove on their craft. “Since we've been a band, we've developed an openness to reflection and to ways

URE LAUREATES

TEAM

INTERVIEW+STORY|LINDSY CARR PHOTO|PROVIDED

SINCE ITS FORMATION IN MAY

The guys in Third Eye Blind have become of 2013, indie-rock band TEAM* has been great friends of ours, and they have been hard at work putting out music and tour- nothing short of amazing to us throughout ing. The two-piece consists of singer/gui- our journey as a band in its early stages.” tarist Caleb Turman, and drummer and self-proclaimed “accountant, good vibes, Of course, amazing tours, especially with and hair of the band,” Rico Andradi. friends, often have some interesting and unforgettable moments. The most memoOriginally, Rico and Caleb had worked rable, in Rico’s opinion, was a prank war and toured together in Forever The Sick- that ensued between them and Third Eye est Kids. Eventually, the two started get- Blind. “Stephan Jenkins started it by ruinting together on the side to collaborate on ing my new drum heads. He wrote on them their own music. After some time, they re- with a sharpie. I ended it by grabbing his alized that they were creating something guitar and walking out in the middle of the new and different, and TEAM* was born. stage... Naked... While wearing his beloved guitar... During their biggest song.” After putting out singles “Human War Machine” and “Am I Alive?” in September The two-piece will be touring the U.S. once 2013, the band released a self-titled EP again from October to early November, first in December. “It was a collection of some with Colony House and Knox Hamilton, and of the first songs we wrote as a new band. then with Barcelona. They hope to be the We were testing new waters and devel- best support band they can possibly be and oping a sound for ourselves. It was very to help the tour be a success. As for what grassroots and back to the basics... That in- they have planned for their live shows? “It’s cludes the recording process,” explains Rico. pretty simple,” Rico states. “Try NOT to suck.” Many fans would agree that, so far, the guys have definitely succeeded in not sucking. Caleb and Rico hope that with the continued support, they will be able to keep doing what they love to do. “We want to continue being able to tour with musicians we look up to and continue growing as a band. We’re always trying to better ourselves.” One aspect of bettering themselves is learning to deal with whatever the world throws at them. “I think most musicians face obstacles almost daily. The only way to overcome such a difReleasing new music isn’t the only aspect ficult industry is to never give up. There is of the band’s progression in the industry, always so much to learn and, if you can aphowever. Recently, TEAM* had the chance ply what you’ve learned from your failures, to tour with some very well-known bands, you can often come out above and ahead.” including Third Eye Blind, Jimmy Eat World, and Imagine Dragons. The opportunities, TEAM* has definitely been coming out simply described, were unbelievable. “For above and ahead within a relatively us, being such a new band, it’s been hum- small timespan, and hopefully the band’s bling to see the support from such talent- growth and success will continue into the ed and respectable artists. We would be new year. Rico says that 2015 will inmaking music if nobody was listening to it, volve a lot of touring, writing, a new rebut to have bands that we look up to rec- cord, and maybe he’ll even start working ognize us has been the best experience. out again. Sounds like a pretty solid plan.15 In the following months, TEAM* continued to thrive. The band’s first full-length, Good Morning Bad Day, recently came out, and the band is satisfied with the final product. “We’re growing and finding our sound, and it’s very exciting for us. We’re able to do the things we want to do without feeling like we have any sort of restrictions or boundaries. We’re very proud of the release, and we look forward to seeing how our current and new fans respond to it.”

There is a quote that states: “Friends are family you get to choose.” For the guys in Brigades, this quote is something they can easily relate to. Consisting of Darren Young (vocals), Charlie Jackson (guitar/vocals), Tyler Watson (bass), Frank Bryant (guitar), and Damian Johnson (drums), the band started when a couple of “members from three local bands in South Carolina came together to follow through with a project,” Charlie explains. When they realized that this wasn’t just a shortterm project and that they wanted to continue playing together, they named the band “Brigades.” Darren thought it sounded cool, and “it took so long to form a band of brothers that actually felt like a family.” Many of today’s artists were largely influenced by the fact that they grew up surrounded by music, and the guys in Brigades are no exception. They grew up in musical families. Still, that’s not the only reason they feel so strongly about pursu-

Although they’ve been away on tour for quite some time this year, the guys have also made time to write more music for future releases. “We’re hoping to stay busy This past May, the band reissued out on the road next year, but their EP, Crocodile Tears, through we’re also recording. We’re exPure Noise Records, and it gained cited to work on some new music!” the attention of many new fans and other artists. In support of the EP, the If the Pure Noise Records Tour hasn’t band toured with Hit the Lights on the hit your city yet, make sure to check it Skip School, Start Fights Tour. Now, out and get there early to catch Brithe band is supporting the record gades’ set! While you’re there, don’t via the Pure Noise Records tour, and forget to pick up a copy of Crocodile the guys are ecstatic that they’re still Tears. Brigades has a lot of things in getting very positive responses from the works for us, and it would be wise the fans attending the shows. “The to keep an eye out for them in 2015. responses to the EP have been awesome! People know the songs even STAY CONNECTED when we play out of town, and that www.facebook.com/brigadesband makes us happy,” comments Char- @brigadesband lie. As far as being a part of Pure Noise Records, they’re very grateful INTERVIEW: Kelly Fadden for all that PNR has done for them. STORY: Penelope Martinez Despite their crazy ride so far, they PHOTO: Provided guys say that the people working at Pure Noise “have put a lot of good faith and hard work in for [us].” 17 ing careers in the industry. Charlie mentions that music was “also a major form of expression that kept us out of trouble, in a way.”

Catching up with

DANIEL ELLSWORTH AND THE GREAT LAKES

Daniel Ellsworth and the Great Lakes are an up and coming indie rock/ pop band from Nashville Tennessee. The band consists of Daniel Ellsworth on Vocals/guitar/ keyboards, Timon Lance on guitar, Joel Wren on drums and Marshall Skinner on bass. Originally a solo project with only Daniel in 2010, he soon decided it was best to bring more members in. Growing up in Minnesota, Daniel never forgot about the great lakes surrounding it. It was this that sparked up the name of the band-something unforgettable for him.

FOR THOSE WHO DON’T KNOW, CAN YOU STATE YOUR NAMES AND ROLES IN THE BAND? Daniel Ellsworth (vocals and piano), Timon Lance (guitar), Joel Wren (drums), Marshall Skinner (bass)

WHAT WAS THE FIRST ALBUM YOU GUYS EVER BOUGHT? Daniel: Hootie and the Blowfish Marshall: Smashing Pumpkins Joel: Green Day Timon: Pat Sounds

WHAT IS THE MEANING BEHIND THE BAND’S NAME? I, Daniel Ellsworth, started off as a solo act. When I wanted to put together a band, I needed a new name. Since I grew up in Minnesota near the great lakes, I just picked that and tacked it on.

WHO ARE YOUR BIGGEST NON-MUSICAL INSPIRATIONS? Daniel: My dad. Marshall: My high school music teacher. Joel: My brother. Timon: Kenny Werner. We have a love/hate relationship.

INTERVIEW: Kelly Fadden PHOTO: Provided 20

IF YOU COULD PLAY ANOTHER INSTRUMENT BE- We wrote the bones of the album in Minnesota. We SIDES YOUR OWN, WHAT WOULD IT BE? listened to it there and thought it was good, and we Daniel: Drums. finished it up a bit later. The lyrics were written after Marshall: I second that. Drums. watching many episodes of Mad Men. Joel: Electric bass. Timon: Upright bass. YOU RECENTLY PLAYED LIVE ON THE GREEN. HOW WAS THAT EXPERIENCE? WHEN DID YOU KNOW THIS WAS SOMETHING SPE- It was great. The load-in process was rough, but the CIAL? crowd was amazing. Initially, wee didn’t know what to I realized that this band was something special when expect, but it was great. Marshall joined. HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE YOUR STAGE PRESYOUR FIRST ALBUM, CIVILIZED MAN, WENT TO ENCE? NUMBER 18 ON BILLBOARD HEATSEEKERS. WERE I think we have pretty high energy on stage. YOU SURPRISED BY THIS? Yes, we were incredibly surprised but really happy. We WHY SHOULD READERS COME OUT AND SEE YOU had all been working so hard, so it was nice to see it ON TOUR? pay off. The tickets for our shows are cheap, and we rule. We want people to have a good time. HOW HAS THE RESPONSE BEEN FOR YOUR NEEWEST ALBUM, KID TIGER? YOU WERE FEATURED AS ONE OF ESQUIRE’S ARTThe response has been really good. We’re really ISTS TO WATCH. HOW DID THAT HAPPEN, AND HOW pleased with it. EXCITED WERE YOU? It’s been really exciting and just really awesome overall. CONAN JUST PREMIERED THE MUSIC VIDEO FOR The publication is so supportive, and we are so thankful. “PHANTOMS” MUSIC VIDEO. HOW DID THAT COME We’ve stayed in touch with Esquire, and I think it just ABOUT? speaks volumes about their character. There was a lot of hard and long work involved. We also had to decide between outlets, because it’s good WHAT DO YOU PREFER: TOURING OR RECORDING? to keep things diverse. Daniel: I like them equally. Marshall: I prefer recording because it’s painless. WHAT WAS THE IDEA BEHIND THE VIDEO? Joel: Touring. It was a mix between what the director suggested and Timon: Yeah, I prefer touring. a band brainstorming session. We didn’t just want to be playing our instruments. We wanted something eye WHERE WOULD YOU LIKE TO TOUR THAT YOU HAVcatching, so we went with this concept instead. It’s ab- EN’T BEEN TO YET? stract and doesn’t have a real meaning, but it was cool Daniel: I would love to tour the rest of the world outside and fun to watch. of North America. Marshall: Hawaii. WHAT IS ONE SONG ON YOUR NEW ALBUM THAT Joel: Miami. PEOPLE SHOULD LISTEN TO? Timon: Japan. Daniel: Phantoms. Marshall: Backfire! WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE PLACE TO PLAY? Joel: Ready/Set. We love playing in Seattle and NYC. Timon: Waves. ANY LAST WORDS? DO YOU WRITE MELODY OR LYRICS FIRST? Don’t drink and drive. We are very appreciative of the Most of the time, the melody is written first. support you have given us, so thank you. Come see us! We’re like your girlfriend’s brother’s band, and we’re DESCRIBE THE WRITING PROCESS FOR THIS ALBUM. good. 21

INTERVIEW: Kelly Fadden STORY: Leah Dickerman PHOTO: John O’ Connor

From Indian Lakes From Indian Lakes is an indie/alternative band based out them exciting but also exhausting. “Our slot went realof Southern Yosemite Valley, California. They formed in ly well and our crowd was insane, but, the next day, I 2009 and, as Joey Vannucchi tells us, the band “is a sort had over four hours of press. It was intense,” he details. of side project that is whatever anyone wants it to be.” If you recently missed For Indian Lakes on tour or at Riot Vannucchi, the lead singer and lyricist, along with the Fest, there’s no need to worry because the band will rest of the guys, uses From Indian Lakes as an outlet be on the road again soon. Although it can be tough for creativity. The writing process is always different being away from family and friends for long perifor him, depending on where he is and what he’s do- ods of time, getting the chance to see the world is one ing. “I write whatever comes to my brain, which leads of the many perks. Joey informs us that, in 2015, the to many different types of songs. I think people latch band will be playing their first shows overseas in the onto whichever ones speak to them the most,” he shares. UK and Australia, and everyone in the band is stoked. For Joey, being on the road means that he can discovLately, Joey has been listening to a lot of M83 and er different kinds of beer and coffee from around the is influenced by artists along the likes of Radiohead, country—and soon from around the world. Joey also Bombay Bicycle Club, and Feist. Death Cab For Cutie shares that he’s looking forward to “playing new mais also a band that greatly influences him, and he be- terial and seeing how the live vibes affect people aflieves that one of his favorite songs that the band re- ter they have had some time to digest Absent Sounds.” corded, called “Awful Things,” has a Death Cab vibe. The song is “raw, but it’s also very produced.” The vibe Of course, being on the road isn’t all fun and exciteof the song has elements of The Shins and The National ment—there are certainly difficulties that come with as well as DCFC, which according to Vannucchi is “very the life of a touring musician. In order to make tours difficult to reach as a songwriter and recording artist.” feel a bit more like home, Joey’s wife often flies out to catch the band’s shows in New York City and Chi“Awful Things” is one of many great tracks off of FIL’s lat- cago. “We take advantage of our artist’s lifestyle and est release, Absent Sounds. The overall response to the make little trips out of it when we can,” he mentions. record has been overwhelmingly positive, and the band is grateful for how supportive new and old-time listeners If you’re intrigued by From Indian Lakes and are left have been. “Having a creative and artistic fan base is wanting to know more, you should definitely considgreat because they evolve with you over time,” he adds. er attending one of FIL’s shows, especially if you enjoy ambient, folk-rock type music and an emotional live This September, the guys of From Indian Lakes had the show. If you want to familiarize yourself with the music opportunity to play Riot Fest, a series of music festivals beforehand, you should definitely give their latest reheld in Denver, Chicago, and Toronto. Vannucchi elab- cord a listen. Absent Sounds is out now and can be purorates on his experience playing those shows, calling chased via iTunes, their website, or streamed on Spotify. 23

D o w n W i t h Webster When Martin Seja walked in to audition for Down With Webster, he thought he would just be playing drums. “We heard he could rap, but he thought he was auditioning for a part as a percussionist drummer. We just saw a kid with two bongos and a bunch of dreadlocks walk in and start playing drums,” mentions Patrick. “It was awesome. Afterwards, we asked, ‘Uh, can you rap too?’” adds Cameron. “He rapped and we told him to put the bongos away.” Martin, also known as “Bucky,” went on to become one of the two MCs of Down With Webster. The rest of the band is comprised of Cameron Hunter (vocals), Patrick Gillet (guitar, vocals), Tyler Armes (bass/keys), Andrew Martino (drums), and Dave Ferris (turntables). What was originally a talent show project turned into a full career for the guys in DWW. “You do a lot of things when you’re a kid, and you don’t always remember your motives,” comments Cam. Tyler and Patrick had to start a band as a school project and they ultimately decided to enter the school’s talent show—which they ended up winning. “That gave us good vibes all around, and we thought we should continue doing this,” mentions Pat. Since then, the band has gained the attention of crowds everywhere due to its catchy and unique sound. Down With Webster doesn’t fall into one genre of music. Instead, the guys incorporate any sound they like into their songs. With six members in the group, they try to add everyone’s style into the mix. “We all like different stuff, and we were all friends since the beginning. What we had in common was our love for music,” the band explains.

music back in the day, though, when they were experimenting and trying to find their niche. “There are reggae songs, instrumental jazz songs... Just weird stuff.” It took time for them to figure out what direction they wanted to go in with regards to their music, and it’s clear now that they made the right choice.

The band’s most recent album, Party For Your Life, was officially released in the U.S. on September 30th, but has been out in Canada since January. “It was weird to think that the album just got released here, but the overall response has been great. I’m sure a lot of people already bootlegged or heard it online. People like the songs and, when we play them live, the reaction is nuts… Cameron shares that they did release some weird so there are no complaints,” explains Cameron. 24

Their accomplishments don’t end there. While they were at home in Toronto, Ontario, Down With Webster received a video conference call where they learned that one of their hit songs, “One In a Million,” was going to be used in promos for the sixth season of The Voice. “It was pretty surreal. I don’t watch that much TV, to be honest, but we thought it was pretty sweet,” Pat tells us.

Cam. “It’s just about being in it for the right reasons. At the end of the day, you have to be in it to make music and not to become rich and famous. If that’s why you’re in the industry, you’re fucked,” he adds. The band is currently out on tour with Timeflies and Kap Slap. They will be jumping off the tour for a couple of days to record an EP, which they hope to release in early 2015. If you want to keep up with their new music and tours, make sure to follow them on their social media! The guys also encourage you, the fans, to ask them questions you may have via twitter, because, as they put it, they’re “stuck in a moving vehicle for many hours of the day just staring out the window.”

Down With Webster isn’t stopping there, though. The band has been hard at work and is planning a lot of things for the end of the year and for 2015. After opening for artists such as 3OH!3, Hoodie Allen and, currently, Timeflies, the guys tell us that “being able to do a headlining tour here in the states would be a huge accomplishment.” If all goes according to plan, they’ll have their own U.S. headliner within the following year. STAY CONNECTED www.facebook.com/downwithwebster With all these future plans and goals in mind, DWW www.downwithwebster.com knows better than to get their hopes up whenever they @DOWNWITHWEBSTER accomplish anything. “Success doesn’t happen overnight. Even if something crazy exciting happens and PHOTOS, INTERVIEW + STORY: Penelope Martinez you think, ‘Oh my god, we made it,’ it’s never actually like that. A bunch of things will happen, and, even then, more things have to continuously go right,” comments

PHOTOS: Lori Gutman INTERVIEW: Penelope Martinez STORY: Leah Dickerman

Being in a band is not as glamorous anxiety, depression, and suicide. Many fans are able as fans and media can make it out to be. Bands— as well as their individual members—constantly go through hardships, and the guys of The Amity Affliction are no strangers to this notion. While releasing four albums and touring the world, this metalcore group from Brisbane, Australia, has persevered time and time again, despite the numerous challenges it faced within a demanding, ever-changing industry.

to relate to these lyrics and become impacted in positive ways, and they feel they owe it to the band to share that with them. “When people say that to us, it’s crazy. It strikes a chord with us. These kids have real issues,” muses Stringer. Birch attributes this newfound ability for artists and fans to connect to the presence of social media. “Growing up, you would never, ever meet a band. Ever. It was like a big cloak of mystery. You would take whatever you wanted from their lyrThe band first formed eleven years ago, when clean ics,” he remembers. “Music has saved people for a long vocalist and bassist Ahren Stringer and guitarist Troy time, but now it’s just easier to connect and speak up. Brady were still in high school. A year later, Joel Birch People just get to tell you… It’s very intense,” he adds. joined the duo so that he could incorporate the screaming while Ahren focused on the singing. The choice for Sometimes, brutal honesty and openness in song lyrthem to utilize both clean and unclean vocals was an ics can cause a mix of emotions in fans. One song in easy one. The formula behind their decision consisted particular is “Don’t Lean On Me” from their latest reof their love of heavy music and their desire to create cord. The song details Birch’s feelings about the pain he catchy songs. At the time, “lots of bands were doing feels when he reads letters detailing fans’ experiencit, and we enjoyed the sound of it,” Stringer tells us. es with depression and anxiety. By posting a scanned copy of a handwritten letter clarifying the meaning beMusically, they are influenced by “old school bands,” hind the song, he made it clear that he and the rest such as Poison the Well, Alexisonfire, and Trivium. Typ- of the band members care deeply about their fans. ically, Birch pens the lyrics of the songs before sending them to the rest of the guys so that they can compose To echo this sentiment, Joel explains in the letter that he the music. Joel says that the lyrics are almost completely is just a regular person who wants to help in any way independent from the music. “I might write five songs, he knows how, namely by baring his soul in his lyrics. and they might not have one song. Then they’ll write Through his words, Joel shares the pain he feels from bea song and Ahren will immediately remember one of ing physically unable to help each fan and to offer the the lyrics I sent and they’ll fit together. It’s rare that lyr- advice they all seek after they write to him about their ics get written to the music, to be honest,” he admits. struggles. Although they affect him and sometimes bring Stringer agrees and adds, “unless I have a certain him down, he wants the fans to know that he doesn’t pattern in my head that I can’t shake and I need it to put all those letters and feelings aside. Instead, he rebe exactly like that. In that case, I’ll send it to Joel.” members them, and he hopes that fans can eventually find the strength to take those words and feelings During their time as a band, the music industry has to someone who is qualified to help them. Still, despite changed in drastic ways. One major change is the level the touchy subject, this letter is not meant to be takof interaction between the fans and the artists; it used en negatively; it should instead be seen as an outlet to be unheard of to meet a band member casually be- for his thoughts and feelings about recurring situations. fore or after a concert. Now, it is almost a custom for fans to wait outside the venue after a show to talk with Another emotional song, “Open Letter,” is about Joel the band members and share their stories. In the past, struggling with his own issues and finding hope even fans would generally compliment the artists on their per- in the worst times. He stresses that fans who are strugformance, whereas now it is more common for them to gling should find something that they love and can turn begin with the conversation with “You saved my life.” to when times get rough. Joel makes it clear that he found that through making music when he sings, “I’m The guys in The Amity Affliction are no strangers to be- not searching the sky for a reason to live/ ‘Cause I ing open about sensitive topics. Their most recent re- found beauty right here and the passion to give/ So lease, Let The Ocean Take Me, holds some of Birch’s let me give you my heart, let me give you my tears/ more personal lyrics to date—about his struggles with Let me give you my life, let me give you my fears.” 30

Music has saved “ people for a long time, but now it’s just easier to C O N N E C T &

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Overall, the song itself has yielded many positive reviews. Its video counterpart, however, has not been as widely accepted. Even today, many comments point out that the video doesn’t fit with the song’s message about how Birch finds the band to be a cathartic experience and how he hopes their fans understand that the songs affect them the same way. The reason for this incongruity stems from problems that arose amidst the production company. “I had a complete script written for it. The people who produced it fucked it up. It was meant to be lighthearted. People always say, ‘It’s such a meaningful song, why does [the video] only have partying?’ Well, that wasn’t really the point,” informs Stringer. The message of the song was lost in translation between the ideas of the video’s producers—who have a final say in the direction of the video—and the ideas and intentions of the band. Birch stresses how “we were acting and doing things similarly to our real life portrayals, in a lighthearted way. [The producers] took that idea and shadowed it. All of a sudden, we were having pillow fights with chicks with blue hair. They had a problem with Ahren and I because we kept saying no to their ideas.”

tion as the label saying, “You can have this if you release this.” They left the band with no choice but to release the video. Even amongst the bad reviews and confused fans, Ahren and Joel are able to positively look back on the experience. They understand that they have to learn and grow from the experience. Dealing with producers and negative critiques is not the only difficulty of being part of the music scene. One of the greatest lessons they have learned in this industry is to “not trust anyone outside of the band.” The Amity Affliction unfortunately had to learn this the hard way. Birch elaborates by explaining that they had a situation in which their manager at the time was paying another band. They ended up firing the manager, but the guys spent four years recovering from the turmoil. The band has only recently sorted all the issues out.

Still, no matter the challenge, the guys of The Amity Affliction have thus far proved their resilience and ability to overcome obstacles in order to continue making music adored by thousands of fans. Recently, co-founding member Troy Brady announced his departure from the band for undisclosed reasons, but, despite the loss, the rest of the band has no plans of slowing down. Already, they are working on new material for their fifth album, and their Ultimately, the guys didn’t want to release the vid- touring schedule for the upcoming year will be their buseo, but it was used as a bargaining chip between iest yet. The Amity Affliction affirms that 2015 will holdthe label and the band. Birch describes the situa- er bigger and better things, and that “the boat sails on.”

Varsity, a five-piece out of Orlando, Florida, has just released its debut EP, Lights. The post-hardcore band’s six song extended play is full of catchy songs with lyrics that contain substance.

Varsity Lights

The EP opens with “Enemy Of The State,” which starts with spoken word that serves as the introduction. It is followed by “Monster,” which asks for love, while “Alien” follows that theme and centers around a secret love. The song features Yasmin Colon, whose voice provides contrast and a conversation with vocalist Joey Varela. Before the release, the band put out their single, “Happy (ft. Kyle Ritch),” which is the second to last track on the EP. The song discusses the importance of being fine with who you are and understanding where you’re from. Joey sings, “When nothing feels alright/ You deserve to be happy/ Get up, when you feel down on your luck, there is love.” Overall, it is upbeat and relatable, and its catchy sound adds to the soothing lyrics. It is a definite go-to song for a day when you find yourself questioning what you are doing with your life. “Sentimental,” the EP’s closer, deals with the theme of not letting others change yourself and your ideas and beliefs. It is a good coda to an album that almost preaches about simple, yet important, life lessons that a lot of people have trouble coming to terms with. The lyrics are well written, but the sounds on each track are very similar. Is this cohesive, or is it boring? Potentially a bit of both. But overall, Varsity’s first attempt is a solid one, and we can’t wait to hear more. by Lindsy Carr

Gerard Way Hesitant Alien

Best known for being the front man of My Chemical Romance, Gerard Way has now released his first solo record. Although his previous band was known for clever hooks and being the soundtrack of teen rebellion, with this album, Gerard takes a new turn with his take on Britpop. The album starts off with a distorted and guitar-riff-centered song titled “The Bureau,” followed by the singles “Action Cat” and “No Shows.” The latter two both deal with relationships but at different stages. “Action Cat” deals with the aftermath of a relationship that’s ended, while “No Shows” compares Gerard’s love for someone with his love of music. The next track, “Brother,” is as close as Gerard gets to his previous work with MCR. It is a slower, piano driven song that sits on the edge of being a rock power ballad. It almost seems to encompass some sort of nostalgia. Its chorus of “The lights we chase/ The nights we steal/ The things that we take to make us feel this,” explains what it’s like to feel alone, and the emotion in Gerard’s voice is what makes this song relatable and comforting. Throughout the album, you can hear his many influences, consisting of Pixies and The Smiths, within songs that were inspired by various parts of his life. The album holds the style and energy of Britpop, but the well-written lyrics seem to lose their strength and meaning at certain points due to purposefully distorted vocals. by Lindsy Carr

Parks & Devastation Tour Words and Photos: Leah Dickerman One of the most anticipated tours this fall was A Day To Remember’s Parks and Devastation. With an incredible lineup consisting of ADTR, Bring Me The Horizon, Chiodos, and Motionless In White on certain dates, it was bound to be an incredible show. I think it’s safe to say that it didn’t disappoint. Chiodos opened up the show and the energy in the room quickly soared. Vocalist Craig Owens interacted with the crowd, as he usually does, which only added to the excitement. Although they didn’t get to play a long set, it was definitely the perfect start to the night. Motionless In White was up next. I’ve heard a lot of good things about this metalcore band, but I still wasn’t sure about what to expect. Overall, they are great performers, and fans reacted positively to their performance, with many fans along the barricade screaming the lyrics. Still, when I joined the crowd, the people around me seemed less enthused by MIW than by Chiodos, and the reactions were mixed overall. As Chris Motionless announced a new song, “Reincarnate,” the crowd gave a collective cheer as many were thrilled to hear some new material.

crowd surfers, and even more fans waving their arms and screaming the lyrics with as much emotion as Sykes. As he sang through the set, the crowd yelled. Each member of the band seemed to be having the time of their lives as they fed off the energy of the crowd. With their incredible performance, Bring Me The Horizon was able to get the crowd more than ready for A Day To Remember. The theme for ADTR’s 2014 fall tour was, evidently, ‘parks and recreation.’ The stage was lined with “grass,” and “boulders” replaced the small speakers that are usually at the front of the stage. As usual, the band went above and beyond with the production of their backdrop—this time imitating the famous Mount Rushmore but with the members’ faces replacing the presidents.

Their set started with a burst of confetti as soon as lead singer Jeremy McKinnon yelled the lines “Let’s go!” It seemed like everyone in attendance was having the time of their lives. Between the band’s onstage antics, T-Shirt guns, confetti, and the backdrop shooting lazer beams from the bands eyes, there was never a dull moment throughout the nineteen-song set. Even during the first song of the encore, as the As Bring Me The Horizon took the stage, the energy end of the show drew nearer, everyone in the crowd amidst the crowd grew exponentially. The opening num- sang their hearts out to “If It Means A Lot To You.” ber, “Shadow Moses,” along with more than half of the set, came from Sempiternal. It makes sense, because the Evidently, all the bands went above and beyond expecreactions of fans and critics have been incredibly posi- tations for this tour to bring their fans the best show they tive. They also included older songs in their set, including possibly could. If you somehow missed Parks and Devas“Alligator Blood” and “Chelsea Smile,” and the crowd tations, I wouldn’t worry too much, as I’m sure these bands went wild. When lead singer Oli Sykes asked for more will be touring again soon. No matter what, be sure to crowd surfing and moshing, they responded and gave him keep an eye out, because these are some of bands what he asked for. There were massive circle pits, tons of that you definitely needed to catch live at least once!

BOSTON CALLING Words and Photos: Leah Dickerman

Music might not be the first thing that comes to mind when you think of Boston, but, with each passing year, music is becoming a bigger and bigger part of this city. Since the festival’s inception in 2013, Boston has been hosting a three-day music festival during Memorial and Labor Day weekends. Boston Calling typically consists of two stages and many vendors lining the outskirts of the venue. There are a variety of well-known bands and artists ranging from the newer, lesser-known acts to big names like Lorde, Childish Gambino, Nas, and The National, who headlined this fall’s Boston Calling.

Green Muenster, which consisted of Muenster cheese, avocado, and bacon. It was completely worth the seven dollars, as it was probably the best grilled cheese I’ve ever had. And, trust me, it looked as good as it tasted.

Because it is a rain or shine event, the show goes on no matter what. There is almost always an exception to the rule; in Saturday’s case, it was lighting. The weather was hot and humid and, on my way to the fest, there were severe thunderstorms that had me periodically checking the weather on my phone. I wondered if it was going to fizzle out by the time it reached us. To be safe rather than sorry, one of the announcers came on stage after The Hold Steady’s set to tell everyone that they needed to evacuate the festival. Calmly, everyone either escaped to City Hall or to a restaurant or store on one of the neighboring streets. There was little chaos and everyone was able to evacuate in an orderly fashion. The storms passed, but there was some minor damage to the stages that needed to be fixed. Many of us waited for almost two and a half hours, until the festival crew decided it was safe to return. The festival staff did an amazing job making sure that everyone was fine and that the festival was secure.

This was only the second year for Boston Calling, and I think it’s safe to say that there will be many more. If you’re in the New England area or you’re looking to go on a trip to Boston, definitely don’t miss out on Boston Calling!

Two of the most popular vendors throughout the weekend were Tasty Burger and Roxy’s Gourmet Grilled Cheese. I opted for trying a grilled cheese called the 40

Some of my favorite acts this time around were Lorde, The Hold Steady, twenty one pilots, and The 1975. What I love about this festival is that it brings together an array of music genres for all of Boston to hear. By the end of each night, City Hall was packed with people enjoying themselves and the music.

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P E N E L O P E M A R T I N E Z

TIMEFLIES PHOTOS BY

P E N E L O P E M A R T I N E Z45

F R O N T PORCH S T E P BY LEAH DICKERMAN

The

Amity Affliction BY PENELOPE MARTINEZ

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HEART TO HEART BY PENELOPE MARTINEZ

K A P S L A P BY PENELOPE MARTINEZ

BY LEAH DICKERMAN

DOWN WITH WEBSTER BY PENELOPE MARTINEZ