December 2018
Galaxy
★ Interviews with
iDKHOW & Nightly! ★ Alec Benjamin ★ Twenty One Pilots
★ Nothing But Thieves ★ Chase Atlantic ★ DREAMERS
+ more!
Photo By Yising Kao
Galaxy Magazine We're all stars that make up the galaxy
Photo By Yising Kao
Hi! Welcome to our first issue of Galaxy Magazine and thank you for your support! Galaxy Magazine is an art, music, and media magazine, featuring concert and film reviews, interviews, photography, and more! It was created in 2016 by Yising Kao, who strives to share her passion for music and media with others, and bring together a group of people who love any form of art. We believe in authenticity and expressing our passions, and we support all types of artists. Everyone shines uniquely in their own way. We hope you enjoy our magazine! Stay updated with us! www.galaxy-mag.com Twitter: @galaxy_mag Twitter: Instagram: @galaxymag Instagram:
Editor: Yising Kao Outside & Inside Cover Photos By Yising Kao
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Photo By Yising Kao
Table of Contents
3 Star Spotlight: Alec Benjamin 8 Concert Photography: Chase Atlantic 10 Concert Review: Nothing But Thieves 13 Nightly talks about their new EP & tour! 17 Concert Photography: DREAMERS 18 Concert Photography: Twenty One Pilots 20 My amazing experience of following Waterparks' Entertainment Tour! 32 A lost but found band: I Don't Know How But They Found Me on their inspirations & shows!
40 2018 Music Wrap-Up & 2019 Tours to look forward to
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Star Spotlight: Alec Benjamin Article & Photos By Yising Kao
Alec Benjamin is an artist whose music style fits mostly into the acoustic pop genre. He’s one of my favorite artists and I’m excited to tell you about his story and how I discovered his music! A few years ago, Alec sang and played his guitar outside concert venues for people attending concerts such as Shawn Mendes and Jacob Whitesides. He wanted to get his name out there and do what he loves, and he released his one of his first singles along with his first music video called "Water Fountain" in 2016, which is a beautiful song. Alec then earned the opportunities to tour with Jon Bellion and Call Me Karizma in 2016. He also did a 2016 Living Room Tour where he road-tripped to fans' houses to perform intimate shows, which is amazing! Eventually, Alec played outside a meet and greet and concert event called PressPlay, and asked the founder if he could perform on the PressPlay Tour. Guess what? He did just that. I was referred by a friend to shoot photos and videos for PressPlay in Los Angeles on January 7, 2017, so I attended it and ran around the whole day, shooting content for the recap video. I had looked up the performers beforehand, but I was completely blown away by Alec’s performance. He sang some of his originals such as his debut single "Paper Crown" and I related to the lyrics so much. After the show, I asked to interview him for the
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recap but he said he didn’t like being on camera (which I completely understand!) so we ended up just talking and I told him how I admired how meaningful his lyrics were. Within the next few months, I attended PressPlay San Diego (he was comfortable being in the recap!) to support him, and he also showed me and some others his amazing demo of "Now She’s Getting Married" which is now released. I also went to his free show at UnUrban Coffee House, which is an awesome place for entertainment and caffeine, and the show was packed! Alec went from being dropped from his label in 2016 to getting signed to Atlantic Records, becoming a successful artist, and I couldn’t be prouder of him. He’s truly inspiring and his journey shows how if you work hard and are passionate about something, then you can achieve your goals. 4
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I attended Alec’s hometown show at Valley Bar in Phoenix, Arizona on December 8, 2018 with my friend Stef, for his first headlining tour. We’re from Los Angeles so we attended his show there the previous day, but hometown shows are always the best and we love traveling! While we waited in line, I asked some fans if they wanted to be interviewed for my recap video I was shooting. There was a group of girls who were cutting out red paper hearts, and they passed them out to everyone to hold up when Alec performed "Worst Day of My Life," a song about his experience from getting dropped from a record label a few years ago; Alec went to their house during his 2016 Living Room Tour, so it was awesome hearing about how they’ve supported him throughout the years. It was a really cute project and we did hold up the hearts, which Alec appreciated. Kyle Nicolaides opened up for Alec and his performance was really engaging with the audience. During one song, he wanted to perform without a microphone, so it was more intimate. Next, Alec came out with his acoustic guitar and performed "1994" and "If I Killed Someone for You," two of my favorites. During I"f I Killed Someone for You," he asked us to sing the echo part of the song’s chorus, which was fun. He also performed a cover of Stan by Eminem, which he has covered on his Instagram livestreams, and it was cool to listen to him rap! My favorite song of Alec’s is "Paper Crown" so watching him perform it on the keyboard was really beautiful. He said that the song was inspired by the Statue of Liberty, rather than an insecure girl. It holds a special place in my heart since it’s the first song of his I’ve listened to, and the lyrics mean a lot to me. Alec’s friend and musician Nathan Fertig accompanied some of his songs by playing the keyboard and Launchpad, and harmonizing. This contributed to the songs in an amazing way because I 6
could hear every unique musical aspect such as the beat and drums, and I love how organic it was. Between some songs, Alec told us little stories or made comments, which were pretty funny. At one point, he said that he missed being home and everyone who knew that the plural form of "cactus" is "cacti" (we Californians say "cactuses"). At every show, Alec gives something random away, but he probably forgot to this time. For the Los Angeles show, he gave away a small rubber foot to my friend Jenna, and at the last Los Angeles show, he gave me a baby baptism card. Nice!! Other songs that Alec performed included "If We Have Each Other," "Outrunning Karma," "Boy in the Bubble," "Now She’s Getting Married," "Anabelle’s Homework," "Steve," and "Death of a Hero." My favorite part of "If We Have Each Other" is the bridge, where he sings "I'm 23, and my folks are getting old/I know they don't have forever and I'm scared to be alone/So I'm thankful for my sister, even though sometimes we fight.” The lyrics are genuine and make me tear up because I can relate to them, and it was sweet how his family was at the show to support him. Alec performed "Water Fountain" second to last, and said that he thought it was weird how artists left the stage and came back for an encore. So he told us he would leave the stage for a second and we should pretend to be surprised when he came back for his "encore" of "Let Me Down Slowly." Overall, the concert was incredible and I love the intimacy of acoustic sets. Everyone was singing along and looked so happy. Also, Alec is a super genuine and sweet person. He stayed after the show to meet every single person even though he didn't have to. Can’t wait for his next upcoming Outrunning Karma tour! 7
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El Rey Theatre in Los Angeles 11/24/18 Photos By Claire Doherty
Concert Photography: Chase Atlantic
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Concert Review: Nothing But Thieves Motorpoint Arena in Cardiff, Wales 11/19/18 Review & Photos By Jana Vollmer
Hi, my name is Jana Vollmer and I am a beginner photographer and big music fan from Germany. I feel honored and really happy about being a part of Galaxy Magazine and getting the opportunity to share my experiences and love for music and photography. I absolutely adore Yising's work from the first time I met her back in December 2017, when we both shot a gig by The Wrecks in San Diego. That night, she and the other photographers really inspired me to keep up my photography. So back in Germany, I started practicing by shooting portraits and a few gigs. The most recent concert I have been to was alternative rock band Nothing But Thieves at the Motorpoint Arena in Cardiff, Wales on November 19th, 2018. After some tour dates all over Europe, they went back home to the UK starting the last leg of their fall tour in Cardiff, ending in Dublin. This tour included some of their biggest headline shows to date. I have seen Nothing But Thieves several times before in Germany and the US, including a show at the Lanxess Arena in Cologne back in March 2016 when they opened up for the band Muse, for a sold out show with 19,000 people. Back then, I already knew that Nothing But Thieves sound is made for big crowds in huge arenas. Over the last years, it made me so happy to see that the potential of their work has been heard and seen and that they grew so much, gaining a huge following all over the world.
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When I entered the venue in Cardiff, I was stunned for a moment because I couldn't believe how big that venue was. After seeing Nothing But Thieves in several more intimate venues, it was such an incredible feeling standing in that arena with a capacity 5000 people. Even though it was one of the only nights on that tour that wasn't sold out, the crowd still felt really big. The night started with Demob Happy, a band of three members now based in Brighton, UK. Even though some of their songs had some really nice bass riffs, their sound got pretty boring to me after a short time and I felt like the crowd agreed on that. The second opener was Sunset Sons, a band of four members based in Hossegor, France that toured with Imagine Dragons in 2015, and they really got my attention after that. I am a big fan of Sunset Sons and really enjoy their chill sound. I know that the members of Nothing But Thieves and Sunset Sons have known each other for a long time and it made a few fans, including myself really happy to see them finally tour together. However, their style seemed to not fit too well with Nothing But Thieves' crowd and it was a pretty weak start to what was ahead us. When Nothing But Thieves came on stage, the crowd was completely changed. The energy started to build up as Conor Mason's unique voice with an incredibly wide vocal range, filled the room. To me, it felt like their sound was where it belonged; in front of big crowds that are willing to go absolutely crazy with the powerful riffs of their songs. Hearing so many people sing and dance along to songs of their first and self-titled album left me speechless. I heard the songs of their newest EP What Did You Think When You Made Me This Way? live for the first
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time that night and they definitely did not disappoint. "Take This Lonely Heart" is really powerful live and was performed with a lot of emotion. The band finally had the chance to include some really fitting visuals in their show, using a big screen and lots of squareshaped LED lights hanging over the whole stage. Throughout the whole set, several mosh pits formed, encouraged by Mason who was very happy about coming home to the UK, because that is where the crowds know how to mosh. The band closed the concert with "Amsterdam," leaving the fans satisfied and happy after a night of energetic sounds and emotion. For the past 18 months, these guys have been touring the world constantly. I am really proud of what this band has become in the time that I have been following their work. From the first time listening to "Itch," which they released with their first EP in 2014, until now, I think this band is definitely on the right path to becoming really big and even more successful and that we will hear much more of them in the future.
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Nightly talks about their new EP & tour! Interview by Claire Doherty & Yising Kao Concert Photos By Claire Doherty
Photo By Yising Kao: Joey Beretta & Jonathan Capeci from Nightly
Nightly is an amazing band to keep your eyes on! Jonathan Capeci (vocalist), Joey Burette (guitar), and Nick Sainato (drums) all make up Nightly, a Nashville-based Indie Electric group. Their band name means “‘night, love you,” which matches their dreamy musical aesthetic and how they convey their honest emotions into their music. In 2016, they released their first single “xo” and it surpassed one million plays over just a few weeks. Nightly eventually signed with Interscope Records and released their first EP called Honest in 2016, followed by their newest EP named The Sound of Your Voice last month. Over the past month, Nightly has been opening up for NF’s Perception Tour, after touring with bands such as the Struts and Urban Cone. We had the chance to catch up with them before they hit the stage at the Hollywood Palladium in Hollywood on November 8, 2018. 13
Claire: Over the summer, your song Claire: Over the summer, your song "Sleepless Nights" you did with Ayokay came out. How did that collaboration come together? Was the writing/recording process different? Jonathan: Alex (Ayokay) came to us with the Jonathan: back-track sound which was basically "Sleepless Nights," just the music part. I sent him a couple of melodies and he thought they were tight. Then, I just spent a day in the studio playing around on the piano writing the melodies and lyrics. I sent it to him and he thought it was sick. The whole experience was definitely different collaborating with another artist. There was a lot of back and forth and we did it in person and over email. We wrote all of the melody and lyrics, while he did the music. songs on Spotify! Usually, we do the
melody, lyrics, and music. It was a good process for sure and Alex is a really cool guy. Joey: It was a very cool, great and easy first time collaborating with another artist. Joey: Claire: Yeah, what I really liked is even though you were collaborating with another artist it Claire: sounded like Nightly. I still felt the story was told in this song, that's told in your own songs. Also collaborating with another artist I felt really helped put Nightly out more into the world, and introduce your music to another fanbase. It is one of your top songs. Yising: Your new song is coming out tomorrow and you’ve said that the style is different from your Yising: Your new song is coming out tomorrow and you’ve said that the style is different from your other songs. How would you compare the style from your other songs? Jonathan: It's more vibey, broken down. There's no drums. It’s not an acoustic song, but it has Jonathan: some of the elements an acoustic song would have. It's more stripped. Joey: Yeah, it has guitar, some synths, and harmonies. Joey: Jonathan plays us a teaser of "Younger" from his phone and it’s a beautiful ballad. It was released later that day off of their EP The Sound of Your Voice! Claire: What was the creative process like when directing/shooting the covers and live album art Claire: What was the creative process like when directing/shooting the covers and live album art for your latest single? Jonathan: Basically, we had the concept. I knew I wanted each piece to have the less than three Jonathan: (<3) over it. We wanted intimate shots of the same person with different colors like red and blue, and then the EP cover has both red and blue combined in it, where everything else has just been either red or blue. We just started brainstorming with how we can do that, obviously we wanted to get Nolan involved (Nightly’s super talented photographer/videographer) and then we got our 14
friend to be the model. That was kind of the vibe and then we just did a massive shoot of different parts of her body, with some close-ups of her shoulder, hands, and face. Then for the EP cover, we will reveal her face. Claire: So it’s kind of like that person is revealed in a scene. Claire: Jonathan: Yeah kind of. The EP is called The Sound of Your Voice. We really wanted to Jonathan: showcase her lips like she’s talking. Yising: You guys have a very unique style and it’s awesome. Yising: Jonathan: Thank you! We have a lot of people who help out. Jonathan: Claire: Nolan is one of my favorite photographers. Claire: Yising: We only came here for him! Yising: Nolan to Jonathan & Joey: Aw, get out of here guys, this is my interview! Nolan to Jonathan & Joey: Yising: How do you guys constantly keep your music unique from other artists and find Yising: How do you guys constantly keep your music unique from other artists and find inspiration to try new things? Jonathan: We try to be ourselves as best as we can. Nobody can be you. Like, Jonathan: nobody can be Claire. As long as you’re not trying to be someone else, just figuring out who you are, your stuff will come out sounding unique. Claire: So, as 2018 is coming to an end, what do you hope 2019 brings? Claire: So, as 2018 is coming to an end, what do you hope 2019 brings? Jonathan: We have a headlining tour planned that we are announcing in like two Jonathan: weeks (they just announced it this month!). We’re going to be all across the U.S. and we are really excited ‘cause we've always wanted to do that. Joey: Of course, more new music. Joey: Yising: Is there anything you would like to say to your fans? Yising: Is there anything you would like to say to your fans? 15
Jonathan: Just thank you for listening to our music, Jonathan: and just being so passionate. You guys are the best! Rapid Fire Questions Claire: What’s your dream Venue to play at? Claire: What’s your dream Venue to play at? Jonathan: Madison Square Garden. Jonathan: Joey: Electric Factory in Philly. Growing up and Joey: going to concerts there, I've always wanted to play there. Yising: What's the top song on your playlist right Yising: What's the top song on your playlist right now? Jonathan: I’ve been listening to the Bazzi album a Jonathan: lot. Joey: I've just been crushing old Coldplay. Joey: Claire: Who’s the Fortnight master? Claire: Who’s the Fortnight master? Jonathan: We play on the same team. Joe is Jonathan: definitely the best, but I would say our squad is pretty "iron clade." I’d say 80% of the time, Joe has the most kills, then 20% of the time, it’s either me or Nick. Joey: For the record, I’m the person who plays the most video games so I've got Joey: experience. Jonathan: But we all play a good role. Some people go in while I always stay back and Jonathan: hold it down. Claire & Yising: Awesome! Thank you for the interview and we’re excited for your Claire & Yising: upcoming tour!
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The Troubadour in Los Angeles, CA 10/27/18 Photos By Claire Doherty
Concert Photography: DREAMERS
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The Forum in Los Angeles, CA 11/10/18 Photos By Yising Kao
Concert Photography: Twenty One Pilots
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My amazing experience of following Waterparks' Entertainment Tour! Article & Photos By Yising Kao
From November 23rd to December 1st, I attended 7 dates of Waterparks’ Entertainment Tour with my best friends, Lexy and Hannah, and it was the best experience I’ve ever had. I became friends with Hannah at Waterparks’ show last year at the Regent in Los Angeles, and this summer, we planned to follow their tour before they even announced their dates. I just met Lexy through Twitter this summer and we met up a few times, so I asked if she wanted to join us. Waterparks finally dropped their tour dates and we started planning to get tickets and VIP for these dates: November 23: The Complex in Salt Lake City, Utah November 24: Jub Jub’s Thirst Parlor in Reno, Nevada November 25: Ace of Spades in Sacramento, California November 27: The Glasshouse in Pomona, California November 28: 191 Toole in Tuscon, Arizona November 30: Alamo City Music Hall in San Antonio, Texas December 1: Warehouse Live in Houston, Texas First, we flew to Utah on Thanksgiving. We weren’t used to cold weather and it was 20
freezing. We had a classy Thanksgiving dinner at Denny’s, which would become our go-to tour food spot, and we stayed at a hotel near the venue. The day of the show, we went to the The Complex at 5AM and struggled to blow up our pool floaties to sit on. It was hailing and raining that morning, and we cuddled with our blankets thinking that we would die from hypothermia, but we survived. More people joined the line later and we got food. Then, Awsten poked his head out of his Uber and yelled, "GO BE WARM SOMEWHERE!" While stuffing food into our mouths and looking dead, we told him nicely to be quiet. Later, we went in early for VIP and it was lovely seeing Otto, Awsten, and Geoff again! But most importantly, we were excited to see Jawn Rocha, their talented photographer/ videographer. Waterparks did a Q&A session and then it was time for the openers: De’Wayne Jackson, Nick Gray, Super Whatevr, and I Don’t Know How But They Found Me. I’ve only heard of iDKHOW but all of them blew me away with their performances and talent. They gave so much energy and it was fun to dance and learn their lyrics. Nick gave Hannah a rose while performing, which was sweet, and by the end of tour, we yelled out the lyrics we learned. We cried and held each other when Super Whatevr performed "Someone Somewhere Somehow," which is about Skylar’s cousin who committed suicide; it was beautiful. Also, let me just say De’Wayne is the king of glitter and dancing. I’m a huge fan of the openers now and will continue to support them. Next, Waterparks came on and opened with "Blonde," "11:11," and "Rare." Unfortunately, we had to leave after “Rare” to catch our train to Reno, but we had 6 more shows to go! We road-tripped through Pomona to Texas and blasted "Powerless" for 8 hours straight, and also "Bombastic" by Bonnie McKee (thanks Awsten for the recommendation). On the way to Texas, Hannah fell asleep in the backseat and left me and Lexy, her children, alone and I got a speeding ticket at 6AM. Hannah bolted awake to the sound of sirens and it was chaotic and scary, but the police officer asked where we were going and I told him we were following Waterparks’ tour. He helped us by reducing the ticket price and we showed the boys the ticket in San Antonio, along with the wrong bottle of HEB orange juice that we bought for Awsten, and a Waterparks Ouija board that Lexy made; how to summon Dear Flamingo to a Waterparks show (our squad). And side note, In-N-Out is way better than Whataburger-sorry Texans! Throughout the rest of the shows, we started mosh pits with our new friend Gianni, who played guitar for Super Whatevr, crowd surfed, and had the best time of our lives! I wanted to film a recap video for the tour, so I interviewed fans and it was heartwarming hearing their stories. One of my favorite parts from the tour was when Lexy and I were the only ones who crowd surfed 21
during iDKHOW’s set, during "Do It All The Time" and "Modern Day Cain." iDKHOW’s performance was engaging and amazing because they asked for the crowd’s participation with singing and clapping, and they’re one of my favorite bands. It was wonderful hearing my favorite song from their EP live, "Social Climb," and I loved how they opened with "Nobody Likes the Opening Band." They put on a unique show rather than a concert! At one point, Dallon said “Ryan and I’ve decided for this moment, that each one of you are my children. But don’t call me daddy, I am your father,” which is hilarious. We got dropped a few times while crowd surfing, but most of the time, we met kind people who helped us. The best thing is being surrounded by people who share the same passions, even if they’re strangers, because we were all there to enjoy the music and have fun. I shot photos of all the bands in Pomona, Tuscon, San Antonio, and Houston, and it was awesome jamming out while shooting; I truly enjoy capturing the passion of my favorite bands/artists while they do what they love. I’m also super proud of Lexy for getting to shoot her first shows! The Houston show was special because it was Waterparks’ hometown show, and they dreamed of playing and selling out Warehouse Live, which they achieved! I’m incredibly proud of them because they work really hard and deserve their success. They’re also super sweet to their fans and always show their appreciation. "Not Warriors" is my favorite song from Entertainment and it’s incredible live. It gave me such a magical feeling and I was so happy and lost in the moment. I loved screaming the lyrics "I think you saved my life" and the song always puts me in a good mood, no matter what; I even got to crowd surf to it! Waterparks played my favorite song of
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theirs, "21 Questions" and it was surreal. This song is perfect to cry to and also rock out to when it builds up after the bridge. "Tantrum" live is crazy! Awsten stage dived into the crowd and we all got our anger out while screaming the lyrics and moshing. At some shows, we decided to get squished at the barricade (which was totally worth it) and other "chill" shows, we went wild in the pit. Hannah crowd surfed during Waterparks’ slow song, "Lucky People" and it was iconic. In Houston, I interviewed iDKHOW with Lexy backstage for Galaxy Magazine, and it was awesome getting to talk about their music and inspirations. And yes, Waterparks and iDKHOW finally met on stage that night. Awsten, Otto, and Geoff gave all of their effort and energy into putting on a phenomenal show, and it was so worth getting crushed by crowd surfers every 5 seconds at barricade. They received a plaque for selling out the show and I loved seeing the smiles on their faces while playing their biggest headlining show. The following morning, we slept through our alarms for 3 hours and I missed my flight, but I was able to get on the next one since I had school finals. Tour life can be pretty chaotic. Following this tour was a surreal experience. We made new friends (shout out to Gianni, Chase, Kelsey & more!) and got to explore new places. It only fueled my passion to become a music and tour photographer/videographer because I want to be surrounded by my favorite music and people who inspire me every day. I’m thankful for this experience and we’re already planning to follow Waterparks’ next tour with ONE OK ROCK! Some advice if you’re ever planning to follow a tour: get ready to eat a lot of junk food, not sleep at all, and sing and dance your heart out until you have 16 bruises, less brain cells, and no voice! 23
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Entertainment Tour 11/23-12/1 Photos By Yising Kao
Concert Photography: Super Whatevr
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Entertainment Tour 11/23-12/1 Photos By Yising Kao
Concert Photography: De'Wayne Jackson
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Entertainment Tour 11/23-12/1 Photos By Yising Kao
Concert Photography: Nick Gray
Entertainment Tour 11/23-12/1 Photos By Yising Kao
Concert Photography: iDKHOW
1981 Extended Play EP Cover Art Credit: iDKHOW
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A lost but found band: I Don't Know How But They Found Me on their inspirations & shows! Interview by Yising Kao & Lexy Bouras Photos By Yising Kao
Ryan Seaman & Dallon Weekes from iDKHOW
Nobody likes the opening band…unless they’re I Don’t Know How But They Found Me! iDKHOW, signed to Fearless Records, consists of band members Dallon Weekes (former bassist of Panic! At The Disco) and Ryan Seaman (former drummer of Falling In Reverse). Their music has a unique style, blending together synth-pop, rock, and alternative with a sprinkle of quirkiness. With their band name inspired by a Back To The Future line, they have a backstory of being a lost act from the 70s/80s, who have recently been discovered through modern technology. Now, they have a second chance at making it in the industry, which they’re doing a pretty good job at. Last month, the "bamd" released their debut 6-track EP called 1981 Extended Play, which hit multiple charts, including No. 1 on Billboard’s Heatseekers Albums chart. We had a wonderfully good time interviewing them backstage before they opened for Waterparks at Warehouse Live in Houston for the last Entertainment Tour show! 32
Yising: Your music has really unique stories and Yising: Your music has really unique stories and aesthetics. How do you go about finding themes for your projects and songs with your creative backstories? Dallon: It comes from anywhere and Dallon: everywhere really. There’s not one place that I think we go to, but a lot of what we’ve been making is inspired from stuff when we were kids, like books, tapes, and media. Lexy: Our whole theme for this interview is Lexy: inspiration so I would like to know about your onstage persona-excuse me sir this isn't your interview! At this point, we get interrupted by a figure walking by through the hallway of the greenroom. It is Awsten Knight from Waterparks. He looks 1. Confused that we’re there, and 2. Slightly betrayed that we’re not there for him. Yising: Awsten, you should leave. Yising: Dallon: I don’t even know you, man! Dallon: Awsten gives us an awkward smile as he slowly shuffles away from the door. Yising: You’ve never even met him! Yising: Lexy: I’ve heard he’s pretty cool but... Lexy: Dallon: We might meet tonight, I don’t know. Dallon: Lexy: Anyways, you guys obviously seem different Lexy: from the two seconds that I’ve known you, than you are on stage. I’m a big fan of how you put on the show. Lexy: For your onstage personas, do you take Lexy: For your onstage personas, do you take inspiration from fictional characters or pop culture icons? Dallon: Yeah, on stage, it’s not really inspired by Dallon: anything. I’m being myself but probably just certain aspects of myself are amplified. When I’m off stage, that’s not always appropriate to act like that way, the egotistical, whatever that is. Lexy: It’s like a dad vibe. Lexy: Yising: And a magical stage persona. Yising: 33
Dallon: It’s almost like putting on a confidence suit and when the show’s done, I take it back off. Dallon: Yising: How about you, Ryan? Yising: Ryan: Kind of the same thing. I try to just make myself as noticeable as possible. Ryan: Yising: I love how vibrant you are with your goofy faces you make while you perform. You can Yising: tell you’re having fun and that really radiates through the audience. Dallon: That’s the biggest thing for us, is to be able to have fun every night. Dallon: Ryan: I try not to take myself too seriously. There’s a lot of people that do, you know? Ryan: Lexy: It makes for a really good show. Lexy:
Lexy: Tell me about your rooms as a kid, like the posters you hung up and who you wanted to Lexy: Tell me about your rooms as a kid, like the posters you hung up and who you wanted to be. Who did you take inspiration from? Ryan: I was an only child, so I didn’t have like people to guide me so I kind of just figured it out Ryan: myself. I just hung up posters with things that inspired me, like a lot of punk rock stuff. I had a local record shop in my town so I’d buy a bunch of CDs and put the booklets on the wall, and things like that. Dallon: When I thought of that question, I immediately thought of when I was really young and Dallon: had action figures. 34
Lexy: Are you inspired by David Bowie? Lexy: Dallon: Bowie’s an inspiration for things I’ve been doing for this record, like T. Rex and Sweet Dallon: and 70s and British glamour. Yising: You guys add fun stuff into your performance, like saying "no peer pressure" and being Yising: You guys add fun stuff into your performance, like saying "no peer pressure" and being respectful to each other. What do you hope people take away from your shows? Dallon: That vibe for sure. Maybe it’s the dad in me, but safety first! The reason that I love Dallon: going to concerts and playing them is because it’s living in a moment, which people don’t really ever do anymore. The reason that I love it is because when I’m on stage all of my problems, anything good or bad, it all goes away and you’re just existing in that one particular moment. That’s what I love about it. Yising: Do you want to add anything, Ryan? Yising: Ryan: He said everything that I think! Ryan: Yising: It’s honestly the best escape because we go to a lot of concerts and it’s just amazing. Yising: Lexy: Yeah, and since we’ve been to a lot of dates on this tour, we’ve had a lot of moments Lexy: where we put our phones away to just live in the moment. Dallon: Sometimes when audiences have done that and I haven’t asked them to, which is Dallon: always really special, when I know that that moment is happening, it’s just going to exist for the people in that room in that…moment. And that makes it a lot more special when I know that it’s not going to end up on the internet later. Rapid Fire Questions Yising: What’s a song you wish you wrote? Yising: What’s a song you wish you wrote? Dallon: "My Smile is Extinct" by Kane Strang. Dallon: Ryan: I’m not really like a writer. I’m more of an idea kind of person. I liked a lot of Nirvana Ryan: growing up and Foo Fighters, so it'd be interesting to get inside Dave Grohl’s brain. Ryan to Dallon: I don’t know if you like the Foo Fighters or Nirvana but that’s where we differ Ryan to Dallon: but sometimes it’s good when you don’t think in the same exact way. Dallon: Always! I do love the Foo Fighters and Nirvana but my favorite band from the 90s was Dallon: probably Weezer and Ben Folds Five. Lexy: Which Rocky Horror character do you identify with? Lexy: Which Rocky Horror character do you identify with? Dallon: Brad. Dallon: Lexy: I knew it! I just got validated. Lexy: Ryan: I don’t know. Who do you think I’d represent? Ryan: Lexy: Columbia, maybe. Lexy: Dallon: Yeah, some of that but what’s the butlers name? Dallon: Lexy: Riff Raff. Lexy: Dallon: Yeah, he’s got some Riff Raff in him. Dallon: 35
Yising: Who’s your style icon? Yising: Who’s your style icon? Dallon: I could never try to dress like Bowie. Like, he’s definitely a style icon. I don’t know if I Dallon: could try to get into his neighborhood style wise. I don’t think I could pull it off. I rip off Mark Bolan a lot with the glitter on my face. Lexy: It’s ok, we ripped off you the other day with our glitter. Lexy: Dallon: Everything’s all been done by now. Dallon: Ryan: Almost! I’d say for me it’d be Billie Joe Armstrong. Ryan: Lexy: How do you feel about crowdsurfers during your set? ‘Cause we’re not saying we Lexy: How do you feel about crowdsurfers during your set? ‘Cause we’re not saying we crowdsurfed during your set yesterday… Yising: But we did! Yising: Dallon: Crowdsurfing’s great! If my body could still handle it, I’d do it way more often. Dallon: Ryan: As long as nobody’s getting hurt. Ryan: Yising: Yeah, sometimes we get dropped! Yising: Lexy: Do you guys get crowdsurfers often? Lexy: Dallon: Yeah, from time to time. Dallon: Yising: If you weren’t doing music right now, what would you be doing? Yising: If you weren’t doing music right now, what would you be doing? Dallon: Hating life. Probably stuck in some job that I hate, just dreading every day of waking Dallon:
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up ‘cause I’ve been there. I’ve done that and it’s not for me. Yising: I feel you. Yising: Lexy: We’re trying to bypass that. Lexy: Dallon: Good. Dallon: Lexy: What’s your favorite 70s, 80s, or 90s album? Lexy: What’s your favorite 70s, 80s, or 90s album? Dallon: Well, my favorite album ever is from the 70s is This Year’s Model by Elvis Costello & The Dallon: Attractions released in 1978. It’s a big inspiration for me and one of my favorite records ever. Ryan: That’s where Dallon and I have a difference. I wasn’t really like so much into the 80s stuff. I Ryan: was more into the early 90s, like Nirvana’s Nevermind was really great and The Smashing Pumpkins. Dallon: I loved that stuff too when I was growing up. Dallon: Lexy: Listening to your sound now, I can totally see those influences. Lexy: Dallon: Yeah, we’re kind of all over the map, but hopefully it’s in a good way. Dallon: Yising: What superhero power would you want? Telepathy? Yising: What superhero power would you want? Telepathy? Lexy: They already have that! Lexy: Dallon: We do! Dallon: Yising: How does that work? Yising: Dallon: It’s not really something you can explain. It just develops on its own. For me, it’d be Dallon: vulnerability. Lexy: Like, emotional? Lexy: Dallon: No, physical. To not be able to smash my fingers or cut something. That’d be nice. Dallon: Ryan: I wish I could have the ability to time travel. Ryan: Yising: I mean, you have that ability already. Yising: Ryan: Yeah we kind of do already, but I want to actually time travel and go to the past, and tell old Ryan: Ryan, "hey maybe you should do this and this and this." Lexy: If your life was a musical, what would the marquee say? Lexy: If your life was a musical, what would the marquee say? Dallon: Mine would say "Night Heat: the Dallon Weekes story." Dallon: Ryan: Mine would be "In the Life of...gotta keep it appropriate...Seaman." Ryan: Yising: No typos! Yising: Dallon: Yep, "the Life of the Seaman." Dallon: Yising: If Spotify made playlist with your songs on it, what would you want it to be called? Yising: If Spotify made playlist with your songs on it, what would you want it to be called? Dallon: I would hope it’d be called something like "Songs to Think to." Dallon: Lexy: Songs when you’re mad but you don’t want to use bad words. Lexy: Yising: Songs to scream about. Yising: Dallon: Yeah, appropriately angry. Dallon: Lexy: Dallon says this every night and I’m impressed by it every night, that you are a fantastic Lexy: Dallon says this every night and I’m impressed by it every night, that you are a fantastic speller. So what’s the biggest word you can spell? speller. So what’s the biggest word you can spell? Dallon: I never thought that this would actually come up. Dallon:
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Lexy: That’s my favorite part of the show! Lexy: Ryan: Every time, I’m just like what’s Dallon going to say about me? Ryan: Dallon: Whenever band members introduce each other, they never really say attributes to what Dallon: they’re currently doing. Yising: Yeah, they’re just like "he plays bass. He plays drums." Yising: Ryan: I can spell expialidocious. That’s the longest word. Ryan: Dallon: Well, that’s only part of the word though. Dallon: Lexy, Yising & Dallon (singing): It’s supercalifragilisticexpialidocious! Lexy, Yising & Dallon (singing): Ryan: Yeah, I can spell that word, just not right now because we don’t have enough time. Ryan: Lexy & Yising: Alright! Thank you guys so much for doing this interview! Lexy & Yising:
iDKHOW and Waterparks finally meet in Houston, TX and sing happy birthday to their tour manager Lucas for the hundreth time.
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2018 Music Wrap-Up
By Yising Kao Here’s a list of some phenomenal albums/EPs from 2018! If you haven’t listened to any of them, I recommend checking them out to discover new music! ★Entertainment by Waterparks ★1981 Extended Play by I Don’t Know How But They Found Me ★Love and Loathing by With Confidence ★Narrated for You by Alec Benjamin ★Pray for the Wicked by Panic! At the Disco ★The Great Depression by As It Is ★Reputation by Taylor Swift ★Bloom by Troye Sivan ★Shawn Mendes by Shawn Mendes ★001_Love by Before You Exit ★Spring by Wallows ★Malibu Nights by LANY ★The Sound of Your Voice by Nightly ★Never Nothing by Super Whatevr ★Youngblood by 5 Seconds of Summer ★Past Lives by Against the Current ★A Brief Inquiry Into Online Relationships by The 1975
2019 Tours to look forward to
Here’s a list of some awesome tours coming up! Grab your tickets! ★ONE OK ROCK: Eye of the Storm Tour with Waterparks/Stand Atlantic ★Set It Off: The Midnight World Tour with Super Whatevr/With Confidence ★Panic! At the Disco: Pray for the Wicked Tour with Two Feet/Betty Who ★Alec Benjamin: Outrunning Karma Tour ★The 1975: The 1975 Tour with Pale Waves/No Rome ★State Champs: Living Proof Tour with Grayscale/The Dangerous Summer/Our Last Night ★Against the Current: Past Lives Tour ★As It Is: The Great Depression Tour with Point North/Sharptooth/Hold Close ★Nightly: Nightly Tour ★Jon Bellion: The Glory Sound Prep Tour ★LANY: LANY World Tour ★ Ariana Grande: Sweetener Tour with Normani/Social House
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