Issue 6 by Focus Magazine

sEPTEMBER 2014

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STAFF Founded and created by Penelope Martinez Mariana Patino

Things don’t always turn out the way you want them to. You might not be going to the school you liked, you might not have made it to a show you wanted to attend, or maybe they didn’t have your favorite ice cream flavor. As little as it may seem, these things bum you out. These past few weeks have been a roller coaster, sadly it doesn’t only go up. Nevertheless, nothing ruined this summer. The good things are outweighing the bad. After hearing about Robin Williams, so many memories and thoughts ran through my mind. We have to remember to cherish every moment and remind our loved ones how much they mean to us. Stay rad and good luck to those of you going back to school. Remember to have fun and relax every now and then.

Penelope Martinez

Editor-in-Chief | Designer Penelope Martinez Art & Managing Editor Mariana Patino Writers Kelly Fadden Taylor Hancock Mariana Patino Photographers Jenn Curtis Leah Dickerman Lori Gutman Mimi hong Penelope Martinez Priten Vora Connect focuszine.com facebook.com/focuszine focuszine.tumblr.com flickr.com/focuszine @focuszine Contact Us info@focuszine.com THANK YOU Paradise Fears, 3PM, Wray, Palisades, Alive Like Me, Divided Heaven, Set it Off, Air Tight, El Famous, Tara Terra, Vagabonds, Dinosaur Pile Up, Nathan Burlingame, Abby Reutzel, Lindsay Bailey, Mike Cubillos, Stacy Soquet, Natalie Bisignano, Ivana Spadina, Megan Thompson, Joshua Hammond, Anam Merchant, Rey Roldan, Brittany Wenner, our incredible staff and YOU!

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CONTENTS IN EVERY ISSUE

06 16 18

ARTIST OF THE MONTH // MEGAN THOMPSON

BEHIND THE BAND // IVANA SPADINA

LOCAL SPOTLIGHT

REVIEWS

56 60

ALBUM

SHOW

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GALLERIES

FEATURES

38 34 20

20 28

22 36

3PM

El Famous

Set It Off

Watsky

Alive Like Me

A Recording Session

22 24

30 32

Divided Heaven

Palisades

Air Tight

Dinosaur Pile Up

38 with

Tara Terra

Paradise Fears FOCUS MAGAZINE | 5

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WHO: Megan

Thompson WHAT: Photography WHERE: www.meganthompsonphotography.com

Who or what inspired you to pick up a camera?

I bought a Canon FT off of ebay when I was 19 since I knew I would need it for the required photo classes for graphic design. My professor Angela was incredibly supportive and encouraging and really pushed for me to apply to the program. I didn’t get accepted into the design program, but ended up making it into the photo department where I happily stayed for the next three years. I don’t know that I would have actually stuck it out if it hadn't been for Angela, she was an amazing teacher! When was the first time your work was published? How did you react?

I think the first time I was published was my shoot for Alternative Press of The Used in 2009. At least the first time I was commissioned to shoot for a publication. My photos were stolen and published without my permission about a hundred times before that. It was really great to be hired to shoot a band that I respected so much. Having that issue in my hands was very validating after struggling a lot after moving to Los Angeles Do you remember the moment you decided that photography was going to be your career and not just a hobby?

I think when I chose to major in photography that was when I decided it would be my career. I’ve never looked at it as a hobby since I picked up my camera. I’ve always taken it way too seriously, and I decided to move to LA months before I graduated. I was shooting the week I arrived here, and haven’t gone more than a week or two without shooting since. Can you tell us about some struggles you've faced throughout your career? How did you overcome them?

I’ve struggled financially, and creatively. The financial struggles are just something that come with living in a big city and competing with a lot of big fish. I think a lot of photographers struggle with losing their creative spark and feeling uninspired. I deal with it by starting new projects, even just writing down ideas to shoot when I finally have free time. When photography is your full time job, it’s easy to get burned out. I just like to change format and shoot for different personal projects when I can afford to. I learned in a fine art based program which I’m very thankful for. If I had just been exposed to rock photography and learned on my own I would definitely lose inspiration.

What is your role at Hopeless Records?

At Hopeless I work on different creative projects and content. I make a lot of video pieces for our artists, shoot promos, photograph shows, and any other crazy ideas we can come up with to help promote the artists. Do you ever look back and regret posting some of your work?

I don’t ever regret posting work, but there is definitely some work I’m not proud of anymore. I don’t go out and actively dig it up, but it will pop up on Tumblr sometimes and make me laugh. I’ve gotten a lot better, let’s just leave it at that. What would you say has been the biggest lesson you have learned through your photography? Did you learn it the easy way or the hard way?

The biggest lesson I’ve learned the hard way is that loyalty is not something you can depend on. Everyone is just trying to make it in a very competitive market. I would feel weird pitching to a band when I know they have a photographer who shoots with them regularly. I’ve learned most photographers in this scene don’t hold those same values. It’s very cut throat which is hard to get used to when you’re starting out. I’ve had directors who I thought of as friends steal ideas from me for music videos, when we were just chatting about upcoming projects. I’ve learned to be much more guarded, and secretive, which has been difficult, because I’m naturally an open person who likes to have creative conversations! As a photographer, word gets around pretty fast when artists have photo releases or there's bad lighting and what not. What are your thoughts on the releases that try to take a photographers' rights?

I think there are a lot of bad photographers out there that ruin it for the good guys. If a band is trying to take rights away from the photographer there’s usually a good reason. I’ve seen a lot of bands get bummed out because some jerk decides to release an up skirt photo of a female artist, or decides to generally be distasteful just because they think it’s funny. Bands are usually just trying to protect their image. If we all just made a pact to only release flattering photos of bands, the problem would remedy itself, but there are always going to be people out there ruining it for the rest of us. FOCUS MAGAZINE | 9

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Some people get angry when an artist or fan posts an image without crediting the photographer, have you ever had to deal with this? How do you deal with a situation like this?

If you don’t want people to release your images without credit, don’t release your images to the artist. It’s part of paying your dues, and it’s going to happen. You can raise a giant stink about it, and fight the artist, but then the next time they come through town, they won’t want to work with you again. I solved this problem by watermarking the ever loving crap out of all of my photos when I started out. Then I developed a style that people started to recognize and people started respecting me as a photographer, and then I didn’t need to worry about watermarking anymore. If someone releases your photo without paying you, and without credit, email them to let them know you’d appreciate credit. If they don’t fix it, make a note that that artist is a jerk and move on. It’s honestly not worth wasting all of your time tracking down the lame people who don’t respect photographers. If my biggest problem in this industry was some sixteen year old kid removing credit from a photo on Tumblr, I would be thrilled Have you come across anyone’s work that has impacted you greatly?

Annie Leibovitz’s photo of the White Stripes made me change my major to photography. I found that photo when I was wasting time in a Barnes and Nobel looking through books, and it changed my life. I looked at it and said, “This is what I want to do!”. I changed my major and transferred schools a week later. In college I was inspired by Loretta Lux, Jill Greenberg, Sam Jones, and Chris Anthony. They all showed me that portrait photography can be inspired and creative. Portraits can be erie, and surreal, and people will hire you to shoot in your own voice as long as you create one that is your own. I was shooting still life, and landscapes until my thesis work and it’s been portraiture ever since. How do you get people comfortable for photo shoots? How do you stay comfortable when trying new techniques?

Ask any band I work with and they’ll tell you that I’m a spaz. I make terrible jokes, and usually spend ten minutes making fun of whoever plays bass, until someone inevitably makes the “I don’t know what to do with my hands!” joke from Talladega Nights, then I make fun of that person for the rest of the shoot. I think my shooting style is probably really similar to a pet photographer. FOCUS MAGAZINE | 11

â&#x20AC;&#x153;stay hungry. Never be satisfied with your work. FOCUS MAGAZINE | 12

You can always do better work tomorrow than you did yesterday.

â&#x20AC;?

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Stay Connected www.meganthompsonphotography.com www.meganpicturetaker.tumblr.com www.facebook.com/MeganPicturetaker @MeganThompson ALL PHOTOS BY mEGAN tHOMPSON

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Lots of “Look at my hand! Look over there! Good boy!” When trying out new techniques I usually experiment on a friend before trying anything professionally. I’m lucky to have a lot of guinea pig humans I call friends. What is something that annoys you within your field?

I’m constantly annoyed by the photographers who are in this field for popularity. It’s not about how many instagram or twitter followers you have. I see so many young photographers in this for entirely the wrong reasons. They get to a certain point and stop growing, their work stops developing, and they stop trying to become better photographers and start to rely on actions and photoshop plug ins to do the work for them. It bums me out. Is there anything you wish to tell those trying to succeed in photography or art in general?

The best piece of advice I can give is to stay hungry. Never be satisfied with your work. You can always do better work tomorrow than you did yesterday. Keep learning, and research new techniques. When you get bored throw yourself a curveball. Challenge yourself every day.

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Behind The Band

Ivana Spadina JOB TITLE - Artist Management & Publicist Resume: Photo Finish Records, Ekonomisk MGMT, The Bamboozle Music Festival, Marina City, Sleep On It, O’Brien, Air Tight NAME -

What are your responsibilities as a publicist? As a publicist, your job is to create and develop campaigns that will give your artist/client the maximum exposure. You have to reach out to proper publications and try to tap into every appropriate market there is for your client. Why did you decide to work in the music industry? Music has always been a passion of mine but when I was younger, I didn’t think it was a viable career. After my first internship within in the industry, I knew it was something I had to do and was the only career option that made the most sense for me. I had a lot of support from my family and friends which helped tremendously, especially on the days that I just wanted to quit. I then decided to transfer to Columbia College Chicago and fully immerse myself in their Music Business program which was the best decision I ever made. What drew you in the PR world? PR was something that just kind of happened organically for me. I guess the idea of helping someone’s career take off and being apart of that process really hits home and gives you that extra special feeling - especially when you see your handwork come into fruition. Take us through a typical day in the PR world. Typical day for me is basically keeping tabs on what’s new within the industry, whether it’s upcoming tours, shows, albums, singles, and/or signings - which could possibly have an effect on any of my clients. Emails, FOCUS MAGAZINE | 16

Emails, Emails! Emailing galore - as I like to call it. Forming press releases, blurbs, media alerts and sending those out to appropriate publications - are a few other things that are apart of my day. I also like to try to keep the networking process very personal and putting personality into it rather than just being another email address - and I believe that is an important thing to keep up, especially within the millennial generation. So you're the Co-Founder of Ruthless Relations, how did that come about? Why did you choose to begin your own PR firm? Ruthless Relations started with a few friends having an idea of doing something bigger and greater within the music industry. My friends Ty, Angie and I started Ruthless in 2011 with the intention of shedding light and giving exposure to the hardworking independent bands out there. So we got out there, started going to as many local shows as possible and started reaching out to bands within the NYC, NJ, and Chicago scenes. It first started off as just interviewing the bands and uploading it to YouTube and Facebook - but then I started branching out and tapping into the PR world. And I love every minute of it. What is most challenging about what you do? The most challenging thing thus far is expecting that “instant gratification” but when it comes to PR and the music industry in general - it takes quite some time and hard work and sometimes sleepless nights in order to accomplish a goal. (But it’s all worth it!) What advice would you offer someone considering this career? For anyone who wants to work in the music industry my advice to you is: start networking as much as possible, intern and volunteer as much as possible, go to shows and meet people, try to be cordial to everyone because you never know if you’ll work with them in the future. And last but certainly not least, there are going to be times where you just want to drop everything and just give up when it starts getting tough - don’t give up! Keep working and remember what drew you to the industry and hold on to that thought because that will help you overcome that hurdle. Also, don’t be afraid of asking for help or reaching out to others!! Collaborations = innovations!

know about your job? There are sleepless nights, many cups of coffee, and countless hours on the computer trying to meet a deadline BUT it’s still absolutely worth it in the end. What's an important lesson you've learned while working in the industry? I think one of the most important lessons I’ve learned while working in the industry is believing in yourself and trusting your gut instinct about everything. You have to be a strong person in order to work in this industry or it will chew you up and spit you out. The music industry is extremely competitive but the way to be a head of that is creating your own posse of people you can trust where the creative juices are constantly flowing and you’re helping each other out. What do you enjoy the most about being a publicist? What do you dislike? I love helping hardworking artists // bands // musicians get attention that they deserve and seeing their work getting published or gaining new fans from all over the world. Hmm, I think the one thing I dislike is all the waiting and anxiety if your press release for your client will get picked up or not. (Whether it does get picked up or not Taco Bell is usually the answer… always) Anything else you'd like to add? I want to say thank you for asking me to do this interview, I hope the advice I gave was helpful enough to encourage others to chase after their dreams! Don’t let fear stand in your way of achieving greatness and most of all stay ruthless! Cheers!

RUTHLESS RELATIONS

What is something that people should FOCUS MAGAZINE | 17

Local spotlight features up and coming bands that may just become your next favorite artist. This monthâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s band, and the first to be featured, is Vagabonds. A DIY band with many talents.

featuring vagabonds

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Q. What is your hometown? Grand Rapids, MI.

Q. Who is in the band? I, Luke, am the only official member as of now. I write the songs, sing, and play various instruments. Robby, who played bass/guitar/keys, was in it from the start, but he recently stopped pursuing the band because of other commitments he had. A friend of mine just started filling in on drums. We’ll see who else comes into the picture along the way.

Q. How did the band start? It started about a year ago. A friend of mine was putting on a show that one of my favorite artists was headlining. I had the option to play it, and I got a few of my friends together to play it as a full band. We played that show within about two weeks or so of our first practice. I had the band name in my head before this project started, and I had wanted to use it for a while. I hadn’t been in a band for a while, and it felt like the right time to start something new.

Q. Who or what are your main influences? I really like Mansions, Brand New, and Bright Eyes. A lot of my friends are in hardcore bands, and I go to hardcore punk and DIY shows pretty often. That definitely has an effect on how I play live and how I treat the band on a business level.

Q. Could you briefly describe the music-making process? I usually write lyrics and the music simultaneously, or I’ll take things I’ve written in my journal and write a song using those words. I mainly write when I’m feeling or going through something. It’s a release for me.

Q. What are your goals as a band? Make the music I want to make. Do honest work. Tour. Stay true to my beliefs.

Q Anything you would like share? I’d be honored if anyone who reads this listens to our first EP that just came out. While it’s not a concept album per se, it tells a story. I think one needs to listen to it cover to cover to get the full picture. It’s called “Discontent” and is on our bandcamp for pay-what-you-want. Also, I’ll be posting a few music videos and tour dates in the near future.

Stay Connected: www.vagabondsmichigan.tumblr.com www.facebook.com/vagabondsmichigan www.youtube.com/vagabondsmichigan www.vagabondsmichigan.bandcamp.com VagabondsMI Vagabondsmichigan

Interview|Lindsy Carr Photo|Provided

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q+a with What inspired the formation of 3pm? Brandon: When I was 19, I wanted to form a band so I went to a friend’s younger brother (Scott) who was only 13 at the time. We started jamming and instantly became friends as we shared a taste for music. The two of us then turned to social media to find a singer (Brennan) and once we all got together, it clicked and we have been playing together for about two years now.

How did you like working with Paul Leavitt to produce your latest album, Slow Me Down? Brennan: It was a really great experience. Having Paul’s expertise on the production of the songs made them a lot better and he has a variety of great equipment so we were able to put out an album that we were all very proud of.

What did you learn from this recording process that you can take with you in future recording sessions? Scott: It takes longer than you think to produce and record a professional full length! Each one of us spent days in the studio doing our own parts and perfecting the songs.

How do you go about writing new music? What comes first: the lyrics or the instrumentals? Who in the band works on each piece? Brennan: One of us will either have a music base or some lyrics and then we all get together, sit down and just play. We’ll often just play the progression we have and just see what each one of us does. It’s a great way for us all to put our opinions and ideas in every song.

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What are some of your biggest musical influences? Brandon: My all time favorite band/influence is definitely Blink182 Scott: Blink is my favorite band as well, but I started playing music because of the Beatles and Avenged Sevenfold

What was it like opening up for All Time Low this summer? Brennan: As a band, it was the most incredible experience we’ve ever had. We spent hours before the show going around line and handing out wristbands and just getting to know people, so once we got on stage, people were cheering for us before we even started playing!

What was it like playing on Warped Tour? Scott: It was really, really hot, but also a lot of fun! Whenever we weren’t playing we went around the lines and the venue handing out wristbands so we can get our name out there.

What has been your proudest moment as a band so far? Brennan: Definitely opening for All Time Low. It was such an honor to share the stage with them and we doubled our fanbase from it.

Where do you want to see yourselves as a band in 5 years? Scott: Hopefully still making music together and playing shows full time!

If you weren’t playing music what would else would you be doing with your lives? Brennan: Crying Scott: In school (which would also make me cry) Brandon: Crying

Stay Connected www.3pm-music.com www.facebook.com/3pmofficialmusic www.youtube.com/3pmofficialmusic twitter|@3pm_music Instagram |@3PMofficialmusic

interview|taylor Hancock PHOTO|Provided

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q+a with

WRAY

Q. What are your names and what are your roles in the band? David Brown- bass/vocals David Swatzell- guitar/vocals Blake Wimberly- drums Q. What is the meaning behind the band’s name? Not sure there is a meaning…besides it proving that we could all agree on something. It took a while. Q. How would you describe your sound? The term “power-gaze” has been thrown out there, but I’m not sure if that’s entirely accurate. It’s true there are definitely shoe-gaze elements and they’re presented in drive-y, up-tempo ways, but there are other sounds pushing through—pop hooks, krautrock-ish repetition. It’s an amalgamation of all three of our personal influences, musically and otherwise. Q. How do you come up with a song? It’s usually a process of us sort of riding on a riff until FOCUS MAGAZINE | 22

something sticks. We’ll do a quick iPhone recording for safe measure and begin breaking it down, adding/removing things until we have something solid. Sometimes those riffs/recordings get put to the side…sometimes to return in different form and added to an entirely different piece. Q. Who does what in the writing process? Songs are for the most part written together, during practice. The Davids will work on melodies, guitar parts, etc. while Blake will throw in the beat. David Brown will usually take a simple recording home and throw vocals in to get an idea of what we have. We all throw in our own 2 cents as far as dynamics, structure, etc. It’s a collaborative effort. Q. What do you like to do in your downtime? Go outside, walk, explore…answer interview questions. :) Q. Tell us about your latest release. Where

did the inspiration come from? Part of it was just getting our stuff recorded and out there available to people. It’s an introduction to us, as individuals and as a group. Our influences melded together to hopefully create a sound of our own, but I still think you can hear our individual influences pushing through. Also, we wanted to get these songs recorded so we could continue to write and move forward with our process, hopefully expand towards a new direction. Q. What are your goals as a band? I think we all want to get to a point where we’re doing this full time. Whether it’s on the road, in the studio, or just creating in general.

own hotel next door. It’s definitely a perk when you know there’s a bed waiting for you a few feet from the stage. Q. Is there any place you haven't toured yet that you would love to go to? As a band we haven’t been to Chicago…yet. Fortunately we are getting to do a two-day stint (a Friday and Saturday, no less) at The Empty Bottle with Man or Astro Man?, as you may know. That’s exciting on its own, but it also means we get two full days to enjoy the city. We’re pretty pumped. Also, Machu Pichu. Q. Why should readers come out to see your shows? Come to get lost.

Q. What is your favorite place to go on tour? Stay Connected: Well, we just finished up the West Coast portion… www.facebook.com/wraymusic it’s hard to beat many of those cities. Portland was exceptionally nice—crowd response, accommodations, @WrayOfficial interview|Kelly Fadden etc. The Doug Fir Lounge was fantastic…the sound was PHOTO|Provided great, the crowd was into it, aaand they have their FOCUS MAGAZINE | 23

Divided Heaven

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Divided Heaven is singer/songwriter, Jeff Berman, who has been involved in a variety of projects including time with Protagonist, The Boils and VPR. The name comes from a novel he read in 2003 while in Berlin for a semester abroad. “The book, Divided Heaven, was a love story and used the word heaven in a secular context to describe the city of Berlin. I liked that notion, took the name for my solo project and in 2007 (re-started in 2009) began playing solo under that name.” Known for constant touring, Berman started off the summer supporting his new album, Youngblood. He kicked off the year with a European tour and played the Acoustic Basement tent during the last week of the Vans Warped Tour. Constantly touring makes every day vastly diverse with being in any type of transportation from cars to vans, trains, tour buses and airplanes. Since Warped Tour is so different from any indoor shows, the easiest things are usually hard to find. “My daily staples are coffee, hot food, search for Wi-Fi to read up on pro wrestling news, stretch, warm up my voice, do press/interviews, watch as much music as possible and play my very best” he states. “Afterwards, I enjoy laying-low and hanging with friends.” Divided Heaven is no newcomer to Warped however, having played in 2012 and attending plenty of shows in the past. Now being able to share the stage with others and knowing how being part of the tour works, it’s more fun than it is overwhelming. One of his favorite memories from the festival is when he attended it in 1997. “Philadelphia Spectrum parking lot, the Bouncing Souls opened with 'Neurotic' and the place exploded and Greg (Souls lead singer) dove off the tallest PA speakers into the crowd. It was insane. After the Souls finished, Snapcase closed out the day and absolutely killed it.” This year, he got to play before Front Porch Step, closing out the show in Denver with a friend. He’ll be closing out this year with, of course, more touring. He explains how he keeps his live shows new; “I change my set every day, and I change my jokes, stories and approach depending on my feeling and the vibe of the day. Most of my touring is solo while the rest is full-band and each is a unique experience and insight into Divided Heaven songs.” From upcoming tours in Japan, the West coast, the FEST, and all of these other tours from these past months, an artist sure does progress. However, his hopes remain simple, “do my best, work hard to reach as many eyes and ears as possible and learn from my mistakes.” Being a musician, one must be open to the struggles and lessons that come with it. “I had a few falsestarts with Divided Heaven. I started it while I was living in New York City and put it on hold while I moved to Los Angeles and established a different career. It was a long time before I made the decision to be a full-time musician and I wish I had come to that decision sooner.” Something he’s learned of the music industry is that sadly, people are afraid to work hard. As a message to fans, “Thank you for all the wonderful opportunities. My new record, Youngblood, is out and can be found all over the world.” With extensive touring, make sure to check out tour dates as Divided Heaven is bound to play near you at some point in the year. Stay Connected: Dividedheaven.com Instagram: @Dividedheaven Twitter: @DividedHeaven

STORY + INTERVIEW|Lindsy Carr PHOTO| DH Website

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i g T h t r i A What are each of your names and what is your role in the band? Our names are Alex Katsaropoulos (guitar and vocals), Kim Hoffa (synthesizer and vocals), and Jack Ramsey (lead guitar and backing vocals).

ing in the band so far? My fondest memory so far in the band was playing at a house show in Jack’s basement that was filled with people. It was just so intimate, full of energy, and sweaty as hell.

How did you all get together? Kim and I met in high school and started playing together and writing new music around our senior year. It didn’t really get going until we came to Columbia College Chicago and met Jack while playing soccer our first semester.

What do you hope people will take from your EP, Warmth? I hope people will find a little bit of wonder in it. Maybe it will take them to another place, back to the summers of their childhood. Who knows, hopefully they can just be a little bit happier afterwards.

What is the meaning behind the bands name? The name Air Tight started out as a phrase that would resonate with the type of music we played. But if you break it down, it’s kind of contradictory. When something is airtight, then you can’t do much with it, it’s inflexible. And we are the opposite; our music is super flexible and can be taken in whatever direction we want.

What is your favorite track? Why? AK: My favorite track is Sacred Trends because the meaning behind it is something I thought about for a long time and I finally got a chance to put it into a song. Plus the beat is groovy. KH: My favorite track is Millennium City because it clears my mind and puts me in a place where I can just sit and appreciate everything. JR: Ballos is my favorite song because it’s super upbeat, dancey, and it has a catchy melody

What has been your fondest moment of be-

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What is your writing process like? AK: Usually our writing process starts with me writing the lyrics and the chord structure and getting that down. Then, I’ll take it to Kim and Jack and we’ll all collaborate with more of how the song should feel, how fast or slow it should be or any parts that need to be added or taken out. How did you decide on these songs? Were there a lot of songs or just a few to choose from for this EP? Initially for the EP, we had 6 songs picked out. We kind of had a good idea for what we wanted the theme to be before we even started writing the second song. So we just formed the rest of them to that theme and so we didn’t really have much else to decide on. But the sixth one was our least favorite out of all of them and it didn’t really fit into our time frame, and that’s how we decided to leave it out. What do you hope to accomplish as a band? Our goal is to do as much as we can with Air Tight. We really like the music and we love playing it for people. Hopefully we can continue to show more and more people our music and meet new people. What are your plans for the rest of the year? Any touring?

We’re planning on going on tour sometime at the end of the year but the location and date are still undecided. We’d like to do more stuff around Chicago and maybe northern Midwest before then. Why should readers buy Warmth? Or come out to see you, or both? Readers should buy the EP because it’s a fresh and an original sound and they should come out to see us because whenever we play a show we make sure the crowd gets the full experience and has fun. What is one of the biggest lessons you’ve learnedwhile being in the music industry? AK: We’ve learned that having a good product and knowing the right people are both equally essential. Without one of those things, it’s almost impossible to do what you want with your music. KH: I've learned that you really have to invest as much time and hard work as possible to come out with a product that you believe in. You also have to be very patient and let the music speak for itself sometimes. INTERVIEW|Kelly Fadden PHOTO|Provided

Stay Connected: www.facebook.com/AirTightChicago www.airtightchicago.com @AirTightChicago

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1. What are each of your names and what do you do in the band? Kevin Bryan - singer Kevin Andrew - bassist/singer Eric Holada - guitar Jay Lovell - guitar Brandon Minor - drums *Lucas Mountain - singer/guitar How did you all come together? This is the most interesting question. So we all come from other (not to be named) bands and one day out on tour I was just looking to do something different. I called my best friend and asked him to sing on a song I wrote (stand together) and I asked some current band mates (Eric and Brandon) to jump in and be a part of this as well. Originally it was supposed to be a side project where I would play all the string instruments and brandon would play drums. The funniest part was that for our first few shows we wore lucha libre masks because we wanted to remain anonymous. That all slowly ended and once people realized who we were it seemed pointless to hide it and just figured "eh, whatever." Currently the band had a different line up because Lucas had to move to California for a job. He still sings on the recorded stuff though. We enlisted Eric and Jay as full time guitar players and Kevin joined on as our bassist/singer. I still play guitar and such in the studio and write some material on my own at home, but now that the line up is solidified we can start to grow as a unit and other guys can really start adding to the mix. What are your goals as a band? To create music that people can relate with and just have a good time. If you could create a dream tour who FOCUS MAGAZINE | 28

would be on it? Deftones, Periphery, Slipknot, Thrice, Architects, Every Time I Die, Chiodos, Poison the Well, Depeche Mode, and Glassjaw. What are some artists/ bands that you look up to? All touring bands. We respect anyone that is out there grinding and putting the work in. It's a hard lifestyle and we can appreciate that. You have opened up for a lot of great artists such as northlane and recently, Asking Alexandria. Can you tell us how that came about? And how excited were you? We got approached by Livenation for both shows. It's surreal to be able to play with such amazing bands at such amazing venues. We are so grateful. What are your plans for the rest of the year? Currently it's to just keep playing, get better, release an album, and see where it goes. Why should readers listen to you? Why should they come out to see you? We like to have a good time. So if you're into a heavyish band that doesn't take itself too seriously, come hang. What has been the greatest moment for you as a band so far? The circle pit we had at the Northlane show. It was massive and that crowd just got down. We fed off of that so much. What has been the biggest obstacle so far?

Just finding ways to make this work. Personally it was hard to start this and to keep it going. It started as a hobby but slowly it's growing and blossoming into something really rad. We all have lives, families, jobs, and other hobbies so being able to find the time to commit to this hasn't been easy. In situations like this, you just have to respect and appreciate everyoneâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s lives outside the band. Once you can do that and find a common ground with everyone goal-wise, you'll be all good. Another obstacle for me is just finding a way to be happy and content with what I'm doing and just live in the moment. I am not used to being a front man. I was a guitar player in bands for 10 years. So trying to grow in a different setting has been a challenge. I am humbled by the whole experience and enjoy the challenge so much.

What is one thing you would like to say to your fans? Thank you. We seriously do this because it's fun. There is no monetary drive or any material bullshit that stems from this. Everything we sing about is 100% genuine and from the heart, we hope you enjoy the music and can relate to the songs. And a message to my bros. Jordon, Dustin, and all people that support this and helped it blossom. Thank you. INTERVIEW|Kelly Fadden PHOTO|Penelope Martinez Stay Connected: Twitter|@elfamousband www.facebook.com/elfamousband

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For such a young band, Alive Like Me has already accomplished such a great deal. Since their formation in 2013, they have signed to Rise Records and played on this yearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Vans Warped Tour. Alive Like Me consists of Jairus Kersey (singer), David Knox (bass), Joel Riley (drums), Brandon Banton (guitar), and Dakota Dufloth (guitar). Jairus tells us that he, David, and Brandon have known each other since their freshman year of high school. He laughs as he shares they met Dakota and Joel on Craigslist. FOCUS MAGAZINE | 30

In October, ALM will release their debut album on Rise Records. When asked to describe “Only Forever” in one word, Jairus chose “ROCK.” He goes on to say that the title track is his favorite based on his lyrical connection with the song. “I think it’s all very cohesive and I think people will appreciate that” he adds. Before starting this band, they were all in numerous projects that didn’t quite make it. Now, Jairus feels that they have met the right people and things have just fallen into place. “You can’t really put the feeling into words,” Jairus tells us in regards to being signed to RR, “but if I had to try, I would say that it was magical.” Needless to say, Alive Like Me’s greatest accomplishments so far have been signing their record deal and playing the Vans Warped Tour so early in their career. “Warped Tour was the most rewarding experience,” explains Jairus. “We all worked very hard to get where we are and to see our dreams come true was a blessing. We worked our asses off every day; it was very hard, but it was the best.” That being said, touring comes with its share of difficulties. So far, getting along and staying close with the other bands members has been the biggest obstacle that they have had to overcome. “Everyone needs space, but you don’t have much of it. When arguments break out, it’s very hard to get away. We have since been working on being more chill and accepting,” elaborates Jairus. He shares with us that collectively as a band they were most excited to see The Devil Wears Prada on Warped. “We sat side stage a few days just to appreciate the fact that we were on the same tour as one of our favorite bands.” Jairus would like to say to the fans that “We love you to death. When we hear you singing back to us... We get the most amazing feeling.” For the rest of the year, Alive Like Me will be touring in Japan with Issues and then head out across the US in October with Beartooth. If you like what read, be sure to check out their new single “Slip Away” and pick up “Only Forever” when it drops October 7th! Stay Connected: www.alivelikeme.com www.facebook.com/AliveLikeMe Twitter: @AliveLikeMeBand

INTERVIEW|Kelly Fadden STORY|Leah Dickerman PHOTO|Provided

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What inspired the formation of Palisades? Palisades was under a different name (Marilyn is dead) and when their previous vocalist left, I (Lou) joined the band because we had mutual friends! How has it been working with Rise Records? It’s been great! Rise is a very hands-on label and we’re very excited to release our 3rd release with them (our EP, first album and upcoming sophomore release). How was working with producer Cameron Mizell as well as Andrew Velasquez of Crown the Empire, Chris Roetter of Like Moths To Flames, and Tyler Carter of Issues to produce your new album, Outcasts? The great thing about working with Cameron was that he was one of the first people to really believe in us and it was a pleasure to work with someone who ultimately became a close friend. For the features, we really wanted to have our close friends on the album so it was great that we could make that happen! What was the most challenging part about creating the new album? Going in with a new producer (Erik Ron) is always an interesting experience, you never know what to expect but I truly feel like we made something different. I think the most challenging part of writing the new album was really just diving into this new sound that really defines us. I wouldn’t use the word challenging though, I would say it was the most exciting part. Taking something and truly just creating a new sound. What was the inspiration or the theme behind Outcasts? The inspiration came from just showing kids that we can relate to them. That we’ve all gone through those hardships and they connect with us on that album. FOCUS MAGAZINE | 32

Where do you get your biggest musical inspiration? My favorite band of all time is Brand New but the thing about Palisades is we all listen to so many different genres of music. I feel like when you take down the barriers of genre specific music, that's when you goes as a musician. What has been your favorite tour that you've been on so far? The "Started From The Bottom Now We're Here" tour hands down was my favorite tour. What is the hardest part of being away from home when you are on tour? This year we've toured more than we ever have before, I think about 9 or 10 months. It's hard because you miss your family and some of us have girlfriends. Just never being home can be draining on your emotions. If you could design your dream tour, what would it be? Nsync reunion tour. What can fans expect in the near future from Palisades? New music, new videos, rad tours and sick merch. Oh and shows that make you wanna shake your ass. INTERVIEW|Taylor Hancock PHOTO|Provided FOCUS MAGAZINE | 33

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Hailing from England,

Covered in Chrome, but he grew up listening to what his mother listened Dinosaur Pile Up has been making to. Classics like ABBA and The Beata name for themselves since their les and a 80's metal band called formation in late 2007 for their fantastic live performances, as well "Rainbow" filled his childhood. When he was around eight years as their catchy songs. Starting out as a solo artist, Matt Bigland (lead old, he went into his brother's room and discover a stack of CD's with vocals + guitar) would play all the bands like Nirvana, Rage Against instruments in the early years of DPU. When he was getting ready to the Machine, and Foo Fighters. This really opened his eyes to this whole go out on tour, he recruited friends other side of music. A memorable to join him, thus creating what moment for him, was being able to would be Dinosaur Pile Up. The band is now comprised of drummer see Foo Fighters live at T in the Park in Scotland one year, " it blew my Michael Sheils, and newly added bass player, Jim Cratchley. Jim was mind" he comments. It was the best festival he had ever been to. asked to join after his previous band disbanded and they couldn't Dinosaur Pile Up have also been be happier to have him along. able to play their share amount of festivals. Reading and Leeds was The name 'Dinosaur Pile Up' is a an amazing experience for them; unique one, but it actually started being able to play for thousands off as a joke. While watching the of people was something they will 2005 version 'King Kong,' Matt came up with the name after seeing never forget. When asked what is his favorite place to tour was, he a scene that had a bunch of dinocouldn't decide like many others. He saurs trip on one another, causing essentially, a "dinosaur pile up". He loved going everywhere, though he admits that America is a top choice. said that he would name his future Narrowing it down to a single state band Dinosaur Pile Up. When he went to post songs on myspace and or city was hard because he truly loves everywhere he goes. One realized he needed a name, it all place he is excited to travel to is came together. Japan, which they will be heading Though it may seem that a perform- out to play some shows later this er's stage presence comes naturally year! to them, many get very nervous Recently the band just wrapped up before a show. Matt is no exception to this. He says that he tends to a tour with the band Brand New. He says it was such an amazing drink whiskey before he performs experience. They immediately to lessen his nerves. The band also welcomed them into the family, and does a big group hug right before being able to watch them every they go on. After the show, you will night was not only enjoyable, but a most likely find them at the merch table as they love talking with fans, great learning experience for the guys. He was even able to join them old and new, who come out to see on stage, as well as Brand New them. joining them some nights. "Being Right now Matt is currently obsessed able to tour with people so humble and talented was such a great exwith the song "Violent Soho" by

perience as well as just an amazing time," they add. Though they are not getting a lot of down time these days, when they do, Matt enjoys sleeping, even though his fellow bandmates tend to videotape him and post it on the internet for everyone, but him, to enjoy. He also writes a blog to document his experiences on the road. He loves being on tour with some of his best friends who enjoy doing the same "weird" things as him that no one else would laugh at but they. They have a lot of plans for the rest of the year, they barely have time to catch their breath. In the next few weeks, Matt will be producing an album and then Dinosaur Pile Up will be flying to Japan for a few festivals and back to Europe to tour and then India! As a band, they get "restless" so they like to tour a lot and connect with their fans. They like to remind fans to keep up with them while on the road. When they are on the road for a long period of time, they feel so cut off from everything around them so they love connecting with fans on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram. So make sure to keep in touch! If you have not bought their album, "Nature, Nurture" yet, make sure to do so! Catch them next time they are in a city near you, you won't be disappointed. INTERVIEW|Kelly Fadden PHOTO|DPU Facebook

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or every new record that a band releases, a new era in their career begins. For Set It Off, the era of Duality is only just getting started. They formed in 2008 and in this short amount of time they are already releasing their sophomore album. The band consists of Cody Carson (vocals), Dan Clermont (guitar and vocals), Zach DeWall (guitar), Austin Kerr (bass), and Maxx Danziger (drums). Dan Clermont tells us that they refer to their sound as “Dark Pop.” He believes that “sonically, we nailed that one the head to strongly convey that.” Set It Off’s second full length record discusses chasing your dreams, being youthful, accepting your mistakes, and mainly how you move on from them. Dan feels that the broad and varying subjects of each song are what makes this record so special for them. Dan muses, “Life is the driving force behind the album. We've always been a band who has written about personal experiences that we may have had or someone close to us has been through.” FOCUS MAGAZINE | 36

The making of Duality did not come without its fair share of challenges. Dan informs us that the largest challenge they had in making this record was an emergency in their camp which had prevented them from recording with their production team. After spending close to a year finalizing all the details to make recording with this team happen, they found out about the emergency the day before they were to begin recording. Despite the setback, everyone banded together. “We were blessed enough to have Brandon Paddock, Tommy English, and Matt Appleton come together and make this album what it is,” Dan comments. Even during the difficult times, Dan is able to stay focused on the goals of the band. “I remember that there are so many people who would give up a lot to be in my position so I have no room to complain and should feel blessed.” Set It Off is the type of band that is always working. Whether they are touring or making a new album, they always have something going on. Very recently they finished the Come Alive Tour where they co-headlined with Our Last Night. Dan shares with us that it will most likely be one his favorite tours that they

that it will most likely be one his favorite tours that they have ever done. Set It Off and Our Last Night have been close for the past three years now. Finally, they have had the opportunity to tour together. “The shows have been stellar and we all get along so well. All these bands have a very bright future. It'll be cool to see where everyone is at in a year's time,” he adds. The band’s next adventure will start in October as they support Black Veil Brides and Falling In Reverse. Yet even with a packed schedule, Dan is setting even bigger goals for the future. “We just want continue this momentum of growing as a band and someday our names being in the same light as artist like Fall Out Boy, Paramore or 5 Seconds of Summer. All those bands are so crucial to our ‘scene’ because they, at this given moment, are what is keep pop rock on the radio,” reflects Dan. Some of the band’s favorite things about playing live shows are the fan interactions and being able to live in the moment of the show without worrying about other responsibilities, no matter how short their set may be. “Fans can expect a really high energy, in your face show surrounded by people who are right

there with you to just have the night of their life”, they enlighten. “I am forever inspired by our fans. Some of the things that they go through just to even pay $15, drive eight hours to say hi to us, and listen to our music for a half hour astonishes me. They are some of the most strong willed and powerful group of people I've had the pleasure of being a part of. Without their strength in numbers we'd be nonexistent.” Fans are the driving force to any band. For SIO, they have been nicknamed Dream Catchers. “Thank you guys for the love through our time touring off Cinematics. I'm beyond excited to start this new chapter with you guys right by our side,” adds Dan. Be sure to follow Set It Off on their journey to becoming the next big name in pop-rock. Duality hits stores October 14 and a week later, SIO will hit the road again on the Black Mass 2014 tour. INTERVIEW + STORY|Leah Dickerman POSED PHOTO|Provided LIVE PHOTO|Jenn Curtis

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A Recording Session with Tara Terra

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Ever wondered what it’s like inside the creative mind of a musician? What it’s like to be in the recording room with your favorite band and see how they think, how they work, how they talk about music and collaborate with each other? Last month, I had the incredible privilege of getting to hang out with my good friends in Tara Terra for a whole day as they worked on recording their first full-length album... and it was one of the best days I’ve ever had. To give you a little insight about this band, they’re a local band based out of Champaign / Urbana, IL made up of few friends - Emily Otnes, Colin Althaus, Joey Buttlar, Celine Broussard, Alleya Weibel, and Nick Soria. They’ve speant the majority of 2014 playing shows on occasion, refining their lineup and sound, and working on their first full-length record, to be released on August 30th. I live life at a very breakneck pace. I’m a computer science major - a field which is booming right now and in which if you did something 3 days ago, it’s already obsolete. But when at the recording studio with Emily, Nick, Colin and Joey, for one day, I let all of it go. I had exams coming up for my summer class and plenty of other things to take care of, but just being in their company, I was relaxing fully for the first time in months without even thinking about it. Don’t get me wrong - they were working. They recorded all day and finished tracking a certain song, and were constantly revising and doing take after take. But the amazing thing was that even while they were putting everything they had into it, they still had a very relaxed air about them. Throughout the day, even while hard at work, they never stopped finding ways to keep things fresh, joke around, and have fun. I was amazed at how they could be so professional and so relaxed at the same time, and it was inspirational to see people who clearly just had such a good time being around each other that they could motivate themselves and each other to keep working. FOCUS MAGAZINE | 41

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The process itself was fascinating. They would often know what they needed to change or fix between takes without even coming back to listen to the last one. Colin, who was often the one manning the console, would give whoever was recording their parts short, concise feedback each time, or they would all make short jokes and quips back and forth. They were very generous with their praise for each other if it was warranted, but also perfectly honest and open about things they wanted done differently or if they felt like something could be done better. That kind of open communication was key - they could constantly focus on improving the track itself without anyone being a yes-man or constantly putting themselves or others down, and they would constantly give each other little tips and words of encouragement in between takes. Colin would constantly note down the timestamps during each take of when something of interest had happened. Maybe Nick had a really good take even if the rest of the band had been relatively so-so. Maybe Emily had done some small but interesting vocal alteration that they might use or explore further. All of them were always alert and always aware of how they were performing as well as the rest of the group. Even after successful takes, they never had any problems with going back and doing more, just to see if they could top themselves or do something a bit different. Several pizzas, an impromptu promotional photoshoot, and hours upon hours of recording later, we closed up shop. A lot of what resulted from that day will be available for everyone to experience when the bandâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s album releases, but the memories of that day are only for those of us who were there. It was a look into a bandâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s creative process and a day out with friends all rolled into one, and Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll never forget it.

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by Priten Vora

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ince their formation in 2007, Paradise Fears have been catching the attention of many – artists and fans. Based out of South Dakota, the band is made up of five friends who met in high school (Sam, Cole, Michael, Jordan and Marcus) and played talent shows together. Their first EP, “The Secret to Dropping Out” was released in 2009 after deciding to put all their attention and energy into their music. They have been hard at work since then. Within six months of the release of their debut full length “Yours Truly” in 2011, the band peaked at #9 on Billboard’s Uncharted Chart, selling 24,000 records. After this, tour offers began and the band’s career took off. In 2013, the band released their EP

“Battle Scars” which debuted at #2 on the iTunes Alternative Chart and #19 Overall. With putting out new material every year since the band started, it’s easy to see that they’re definitely a band with a strong message. “I think we’ve always wanted to write songs that spoke to the human experience -that mattered emotionally- and that helped people ask the right questions.” This is easy to see with songs like my personal favorite, “Sanctuary”, and their most recent single, “You To Believe In”. These songs also help create comfort and understanding for fans. Some advice that Sam shares for those going through a problem is “if you think things are headed in the wrong direction, you’re just not looking at a big enough picture.” Despite all of their success, they’ve had their own set of challenges.” I think our lack of music industry

knowledge has always been a curse and also a blessing, but it’s definitely the biggest obstacle. Just figuring out what to do next and how to do it.” Even with this however, the guys have been able to make the right choices and continue to persevere in the industry. One of the biggest lessons they have learned is to aim for something that will last, “that long term, songs that mean something and connect to people are the ones that last.” Their songs are surely to impact fans as well as those attending their shows who may not be familiar with them. The advice he gives to fellow bands is simple, “love what you’re doing. If you can’t love it, you’re not going to be able to get anybody else to love it.” Sam shares that his own passion for music came from his parents introduced him to musical theater at a young age, “that’s an easy kind of music to fall in love with.”

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â&#x20AC;&#x153;if you think things are headed in the wrong direction,

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you’re just not looking at a big enough picture”.

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Being a musician also comes with misconceptions that others may have -money being the biggest one. “Well, the money one is always fun. People assume us to be very wealthy but that is pretty far from the truth! There’s also a pretty interesting idea about touring & the work load involved with being an artist-- it’s a lot of weird work & uncomfortable situations.” Luckily, the boys surround themselves with a good team and good friends that make the worst situations worth it. A memory that sticks with Sam is one that took place four years ago, “we ended up sleeping on the side of a highway in Ohio to last night when we had an enormous EDM jam session in the back of our sprinter.” As for 2015? They’ll be putting out a new record. As Sam says, “Always onward, always upward.” PHOTOS|Mimi Hong INTERVIEW+STORY|Lindsy Carr

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Crown the Empire The Resistance: Rise of the Runaways

The Dallas Texas born group, Crown The Empire, have been taking the world by storm since their formation in 2011. Traveling both nationally and abroad, the band has performed with numerous artists including Pierce the Veil, The Used, Our Last Night, and Falling in Reverse. This year alone the band has had quite the extensive tour itinerary including a headlining run in the spring, the Rise Records Tour (alongside label mates Like Moths To Flames), as well as a spot on the 2014 Vans Warped Tour. The band was also recently recognized by Alternative Press for ‘Breakthrough Band’. Crown The Empire released their sophomore album, ‘The Resistance: Rise of the Runaways’ on July 22, and they have definitely stepped up their game. This album features a unique concept that is coherently incorporated throughout its entirety, which is one of the reasons why this album is a stand out piece. The album opens up with “A Call To Arms” which utilizes haunting robotic vocals and intense lyrics to bring forth its captivating concept. “This is the resistance! It’s a call to arms! The anthem for all those who don’t belong // We’re here to take our stand.” The concept of the album is based around the idea that the government decides that society is unstable when given personal preferences, and so they strip the citizens of their identity, leaving them only a number to claim as their individuality. The runaways, or the resistance, fight against the patriarchy in order to obtain freedom and bring back individuality. This theme is highly relatable to fans because everyone has felt as if someone has put them down for trying to express themselves and it will certainly bring out the rebel in us all.

Some highlights of the album in addition to the invigorating concept are the captivating lyrics. The lyrics, “I’ve grown so sick of hiding, it’s time we reclaim what’s ours. They try to say what we’ll become and rearrange the stars” from the second track on the album, Initiation, are ones that fans can really connect to because everyone has felt a hurt deep inside of someone pressing down on them telling them who they think they should be. The song machines is also one that fans can connect to in this way. It talks about how we must be more than just machines we must follow our hearts and not be afraid to show who we really are and that’s something many people struggle with so this uplifting song will definitely touch fans and hopefully bring about more self confidence. The album also features the band’s signature theatrical twist by incorporating sound effects such as those in “The Phoenix Rebellion” which include, explosions, heavy panting and gunshots that make the listener feel as if they are actually in the rebellion. Overall the album has the perfect blend of dark theatrical music with powerful uplifting lyrics, and well rounded harmonies. by Taylor Hancock

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Tinnarose Tinnarose

Indie pop band, Tinnarose, from Austin Texas, recently released their self titled debut album. The band was initially formed as a backing band to assist in the creation of artist Seth Sherman’s solo album, “When The Moment Is True”, however when they started working together they realized how much they like the sound and hence Tinnarose was born. The band consists of members, Seth Sherman, Devon McDermott, Morris Ramos, Drew Schlegel, and Mark Henne. Although set in the genre of an indie pop band, Tinnarose brings many different styles into their album. The opening track, “When You’re Gone”, starts the album off with a folk rock vibe. Where as the second track, “Hard Loving You” as well as the track “Monster”, have more of a funk vibe with the way they incorporate the instrumentals. The album then transitions into a song that gives you the vibe of being on the beach in Miami with the track, “She Is My Maker”, by incorporating bongos, shakers, and the plucking of guitar strings rather than the electric rock sound they use in most of their other songs. One would think that the band doesn’t know what direction it’s going, having all different genres mixed into a single album, however the blend of different sounds is unique and refreshing.

One key feature to this album is that the band really seems to blend vocal parts well with their instrumentals. In addition, they feature numerous instrumental breakdowns that highlight their talents in blending the different genres well. Artists nowa-days don’t take the time to have lengthy instrumental solos but Tinnarose makes sure to showcase their many talents with these. Seth Sherman and Devon McDermott create amazing harmonies on the album as well and they always seem to match perfectly with the music. However, the highlight of the album would definitely be McDermott’s very unique incredible voice range and beautiful harmonies. The album showcases a wide variety of talents and musical styles, as well as a good sense of how different things can blend together to create harmonizing sounds. The fact that they can incorporate so many genres into one sound just leaves you wondering what will they come up with next? Tinnarose is definitely a band to watch out for they will keep you on your toes. By Taylor Hancock

Vagabonds Discontent

Vagabonds’ first EP, Discontent, is simply summed on their bandcamp page as “Songs I wrote in high school. They speak for themselves.” All songs are written by vocalist, Luke Dean -who also plays several instruments, designed the cover art, and books all of their shows. The EP deals with the themes of change and finding where you want to be in life, something that many, if not everyone, can relate to. Vagabond is defined as a person who wanders from place to place without a home or job. The significance of their name can be found starting with the first song, Anywhere (But Here). The song states “I don’t want to waste my life wishing that I could be somewhere else/wishing that I could be someone else” with gang vocals to back it up. The five song EP closes with my personal favorite, Belong. The song has a slower pace and really highlights Luke’s voice. The acoustic driven songs are raw and emotional with vocals that put meaning behind every word. From house shows to local venues, make sure you sure keep up to date with upcoming shows. The band has been together for a little over a year and will only continue to grow from here. by Lindsy Carr

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Arkells

High Noon

After their release in 2011, Michigan Left, the Canadian rock band Arkells is back with their third full length album: High Noon. The band does a great job of putting a different sound into their new album with catchy pop choruses that still showcase the infectious sound produced by their instruments which is the foundation to any Arkells song. The album dives into their personal and political side, starting with the song Fake Money. The song talks of the empowerment one can feel with money and the game that’s played along with it. The last song, Systematic, carries on this story which provides a fitting end. The song, 11:11, is just what the title seems. With the cheerful chorus stating “You made a wish at 11:11/I held your hips at 12:34.” A true love song that’s happy and shows the uncertainty that comes with falling in love. This is personally one of the best love songs that I’ve heard and a definite standout on the album while the song, Crawling Through the Window, shows love in another light. High Noon is the perfect album to have as a soundtrack to a long drive, songs you can sing along to that maintain substance through the lyrics and point of view. by Lindsy Carr

Whether you’re a fan of hip hop or not, “All You Can Do” is one album that deserves your attention. This is George Watsky’s third full length studio album. Watsky’s follow up to “Cardboard Castles” could not have been any better; it’s pure gold.

Watsky

All You Can Do

Not only is this arguably one of the best albums of the year, but it truly is a piece of art. Watsky’s lyrical ability is best showcased throughout the whole album. Some stand outs for me is the lead single off this record, Whoa Whoa Whoa. It features his amazing ability to rap faster than most of us thought were possible. This song also features one of my favorite lyrics “I thought I was an atheist until I realized I’m a God.” His lyrics will make you think and will make you feel. The second “Ink Don’t Bleed” verse of details Watsky’s feelings behind a stage diving incident that happened while he was touring in Europe. You can hear his regret and reflectiveness behind the words. “The rule of thumb is that ‘all publicity is your advantage.’ But human lives are not collateral damage” he raps. The rest of the song details the fakeness some experience in the music industry. “All You Can Do” is a raw, real, and genuine album. Every song is different from one another. Whether it deals with a lost relationship, self-reflection, or the drive to stay focused on your dreams, this album tells the stories that sometimes “all you can do is all you can do.” I don’t think I can name another album that as solid from beginning to end as this one is. Watsky is a lyrical master. The flow from one song to next enraptures the listener so that they want to keep listening to the record… over and over again. Checking out this album is one thing that I highly recommend you do. If you like what you hear, be sure catch Watsky on his world tour this fall. Trust me; he’s just as amazing live as he is in the studio, if not better! by Leah Dickerman

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Runaway Dorothy The Wait

The Wait is the debut album from the four piece Country alt rock group Runaway Dorothy. The band originally hails from New York and lead Vocalist, Dave Parnell (who also plays guitar and harmonica) started off as a singer songwriter, then played guitar in a rock band, and finally has found his place in Runaway Dorothy. The final line up consists of Dave, his brother Brett on guitar, Warren Robbins on bass and Evan Mitchell on drums. The quintet have a put together a group of songs that are sure to impress. “Want it all” is one of the final tracks on the album, but it is beautiful in it’s simplicity. Every element in the song works together to create something incredible. Giving every element of the song a time to shine, while the remaining instruments take a backseat to help lift it up. The band seems to know when to build on a songs structure and when to leave it be.

Many artists seem to just add as many different features into their songs to give it that something special, but Runaway Dorothy have been able to achieve this by doing the opposite. They take away all the “necessities” that really aren’t actually needed to make the song as beautiful as it is. The song “ Give Me A Reason” showcases the groups amazing harmonies. Bringing the harmonies into the song gives it the fuller sound it needs, but it gives clarity to the sound. The song talks about love, but it does so with with such honesty that, along with the music, could bring anyone to tears. Runaway Dorothy is a group that is able to bring a song to life. They don’t try to add anything that doesn’t need it. Their simplicity in all of the tracks makes this album unlike any other. By Kelly Fadden Tara Terra is a six piece who just released their new album Daughter. The album contains nine tracks of music that can not be described as anything other than smooth.

Tara Terra Daughter

The music, though is not always slow paced, has a feeling that puts you at ease. Take for example the second track on the release, “There Is A Reason”. It’s an upbeat song, but with the lyrics that would go with a ballad. Something I love seeing from artists. You always expect that a song that is sad to be slow, but having the opposite really keeps you listening to see what else they will do. The lyric that really stood out to me was “Oh mother, how did love her/ When she’d always wander, wander away?/ Oh father, how did you watch her/ When you almost lost her, when she went astray?”. The song continues going through the sister and brother who all remember “her”. Though it is not entirely sure what happened to the girl in the song it is clear that whatever happened to “her” has had an lasting impact on her family. My absolute favorite track on the album is “Don’t call me Darlin’”. The band is a female fronted band, which is rare enough, but what is even less seen is a song so beautifully written about female empowerment. Basically the song talks about how a girl is telling a boy to not call her darlin’. That his “kindness comes with second intentions” and she will “ point [him] the other way”. There are no apologies in this song. Which I think is so great. She states exactly what she is feeling and you can actually feel the honesty and raw emotion that she is showing through the song. Now a days it seems like nine songs isn’t a lot for an album, but Tara Terra are able to pack a lot into those nine songs. Covering a wide variety of emotion that will make you feel good when you put it on after a long day of school or work. by Kelly Fadden

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ft. Our Last Night Set It Off Heartist Stages & Stereos

Come Alive Tour Photos + Review|Jenn Curtis

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The Come Alive Tour stopped by Game Changer World in Howell, NJ earlier this month for a night of high energy and great live music fans seemed to love from start to finish. The tour featured support from Stages and Stereos and Heartist, with Set it Off and Our Last Night headlining. Set it Off and Our Last Night toured together in support of Chiodos last winter but unfortunately for many fans, they were not able to catch a show since the tour only hit cities in the southeast. The tour incorporated the Hope for the Day message as fans could fill out a card from the organization saying what gives them hope for a chance to take a picture on stage with the headlining band for the night. Hope for the Day is an organization that promotes overall well being of individuals and is best known for its “Music Saved My Life” feature in AP Magazine. These segment features popular artists, including Set it Off, and has them speak about how music has changed their lives for the better. Help Keep the Beat is another feature by Hope For The Day in which music, in conjunction with the arts, is used as a method for suicide prevention. Stages and Stereos took the stage first for a crowd

that was certainly ready for the night to begin. The group was named one of Alternative Press’ Bands You Should Know for 2014 as well as an editor’s pick in AP Magazine and Substream Magazine. After seeing their live performance, it is quite clear why they earned these honors; the group put on a live set that can be enjoyed by fans of all genres whether they were previously familiar with Stages and Stereos or not. Heartist took the stage next and was the band that really stood out the most. At first glance they may seem like a slightly unusual fit for this tour because they lean a bit heavier than the other bands on the tour but their stage presence and ability to command a crowd is very similar to that of the headlining bands. The group opened the set with “Pressure Point,” the single off of their album Feeding Fiction due out later this year and continued on to play two additional new songs. They finished the second half of their set with fan favorites off of their EP Nothing You Didn’t Deserve. They closed the set out with the “Disconnected” which treats fans to a nice mix of heavy verses and a catchy chorus. Their set was a perfect mix of new and older songs-and from the sounds of the new songs, fans are sure to love

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love Feeding Fiction. Despite having a slightly heavier sound than the rest of the tour package, Heartist was well received by the crowd because of their fantastic live performance and energy on the stage.

Carson who is also known for his YouTube covers. When the group played the song with the help of Carson, fans were off their feet screaming their lungs out from start to finish.

Set it Off went on before Our Last Night at this stop of the tour and put on by far the most energetic and engaging performance of the evening. They are a band that is certainly known for putting on an exciting show for many reasons. Not only do they have one of the most active frontmen in the scene, Cody Carson, but when it comes to engaging a crowd, the entire band demonstrates a passion and love for music through their energy on stage. Guitarists Dan Clermont and Zach DeWall are constantly moving around and spinning and flipping their guitars in the air. Austin Kerr, bassist for Set it Off, was jumping around the stage and out to the edge to sing with the crowd all throughout the set. Maxx Danzinger always seems to have a blast behind his drum kit, whether it be making goofy faces, eating his sticks, or laying on drums he’s not using at the moment; there is always something funny going on behind the drum kit. They too played a mix of newer and older songs. The group played the fan favorite “Breathe In, Breathe Out” off of their 2012 release Horrible Kids and a mix of songs off of their most recent expanded of Cinematics (2013) including “Partners In Crime”, “Kill the Lights” and “Dream Catcher”. They also featured a new song, “Wolf in Sheep’s Clothing” off of their new album due out October 2014, which was performed with the same high intensity that will seemingly be a constant for the group moving forward. It will certainly be interesting to see what direction the group heads in with this highly anticipated release!

All four bands in the tour package absolutely value their fans and enjoy developing relationships with them as members of each band could be found scattered around the venue all throughout the show and after happily meeting fans, taking pictures, and singing autographs. It is always a fantastic sight to see groups that are so dedicated to building these types of fanbases and relationships because they will be the ones to promote the bands and carry them on to future success, which each group from this tour absolutely deserves. Be sure to keep an eye out for new announcements from each band and catch a show whenever they’re in your town next, you won’t regret it!

Our Last Night closed out the show with a fun live set which had fans screaming along from start to finish. On recent tours, they have restricted their setlist to mostly their new material but on this tour they mixed things up a bit more and featured three songs off of their album Age of Ignorance including “Fate”, “Liberate Me” and title track “Age of Ignorance”. They also played newer favorites including “I’ve Never Felt This Way”, “Dark Storms” and “Same Old War” off of their self released EP Oak Island. They are a band who has built quite a following off of popular covers including their cover of Katy Perry’s song “Dark Horse” which never fails to have an entire building singing along. Recently Our Last Night released a cover of N’SYNC’s “Bye, Bye, Bye” which features Set it Off frontman Cody FOCUS MAGAZINE | 62

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by Penelope Martinez

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for more photos head over to focuszine.com

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o t o b y MimiHong

L i v e Forever T o u r

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AGAINST CURRENT by Mimi Hong

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by Jenn Curtis

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by Penelope Martinez

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by Penelope Martinez

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