LOCAL WOLVES // ISSUE 14 - OH HONEY by Local Wolves

M A T T Y H E A LY / / T H E 1 9 7 5 + LEXIE ALLEY

dear april Procastination is probably the worse thing to encounter when you are a college student. Do not get me wrong, you get so much more freedom and time to focus on your studies in college but time management, man. I’m digging, Lonerism by Tame Impala at the moment. Be sure to blast to them when finals week is around the corner. I’ve been spending endless hours thinking about what’s next for Local Wolves and our wolfies across the globe. It’s amazing to see the wolfie support and with that being said, cheers to our talented staff as the magazine just turned two on April 12th. Magical things are happening. Always dream on,

ca thrine khom

FOUNDiNG EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

MIND MISCHIEF // Tame Impala

major thank you's becca lammin

catherine george

gardens & villa

made violent

south by southwest

@beccalammin essex / london

@cgthekittykat orange county, ca

@gardensandvilla santa barbara, ca

@madeviolentband brooklyn, ny

@sxsw austin, tx

bear hands

coco horsager

haim

oh honey

the frights

@bearhandsband brooklyn, ny

@cocohorsager los angeles, ca

@haimtheband los angeles, ca

@ohhoneymusic brooklyn, ny

@thefrights san diego, ca

blacklist royals

crash the party

holy esque

pennybirdrabbit

@blacklistroyals nashville, tn

@ctptheband hamden, ct

@holyesque glasgow, scotland

@whoispenny los angeles, ca

carbon tigers

ed ghost tucker

jack dodge

playlist live

@carbontigers chicago, il

@edghosttucker san diego, ca

@jack_dodge_ san diego, ca

@playlistlive orlando, fl

+ loads of wolfie hugs to everyone at sxsw and playlist live for your amazing support and having us covering your event, forever grateful - lw team

content 18

APRIL TWENTY THIRTEEN

classics 07 08

munchies

p.s. postivity

10 12 13

diy department

discovery inside look

38 w h at â&#x20AC;&#x2122; s 14 18

inside

made violent

20 24 26

playlist live

the frights

oh honey

ed ghost tucker

south by southwest

pennybirdrabbit

crash the party

coco horsager

holy esque carbon tigers

jack dodge

becca lammin

bear hands

blacklist royals

gardens & villa

founder / editor-in-chief cathrine khom copy editor sophia khom beauty director allyn bernardo diy director madison bass-taylor front cover logo fiona yeung cover photo eric mooney

is s ue f o u r t e e n / / ap r i l t w e n t y fo u r t e en

oh h on e y

contributing writers lexie alley, allyn bernardo, orion carloto, amanda ferrarese, alyssa girdwain, jessica goldman, gleann ignacio, katy johnson, shawn mulcahy, andrey patino, katelyn rikel, alexandra southerst, chelsea totten contributing photographers lexie alley, philipp ammon, ryan james caruthers, chris coe, rachel epstein, kylee gregg, amanda harle, gleann ignacio, clare kim, rachel kober, chris lampkins, sophia li, alex ljubinovic, carolina londono, lhoycel marie, eric mooney, dunja opalko, dylan razo, elisa rodriguez, jackie rozett, priti shikotra, madison bass-taylor contributing stylists + bloggers + h/mu haley appell, stefani avena, caroline depta, mackenzie isom, jessie yaraborough graphic designers isabel ramos, christine ennis, gabrielle larsen, george spooner, chrysta totten description local wolves magazine, an online + print publication based from southern california, usa with a creative team in the united kingdom and canada. we focus on embracing the local scene by combining forces with talented folks from different cities to organizations and sharing stories about their favorite local places so do us a favor + go explore delicacies in your town. connect http://localwolvesmag.com http://facebook.com/localwolves http://twitter.com/localwolves http://instagram.com/localwolves http://localwolvesblog.tumblr.com general inquiries localwolvesmagazine@yahoo.com

st a y c o n n e c t e d w i t h oh h one y // w e b sit e: ht t p : / / o h h o n e y m u s i c .c o m y o ut ub e : ht t p : / / y o u t u be.c o m / o h h o n e y musi c t w it t e r : @ o h h o n e y m u s i c ins t a g r a m: @ o h h o n e y m u s i c

press + advertisting inquiries localwolvespress@gmail.com

MUNCHIES + VIVILORE // INDEPENDENCE, MO

For the college student I am, spring break was quite fun. If you’re from the Midwest, for most students that means rushing to the nearest beach or some place warm, but for me I took the opportunity to hide at home and explore my roots a little bit. I permanently reside in a small town outside of Kansas City, but my mother works in a suburb of downtown called Independence. Tucked away between a strip of shops is a beautiful brick building covered in vines. It was converted from an interior design showroom into a restaurant named Vivilore owned by brother and sister team Whitt Ross and Cindy Foster. My mother raves about the place because she knows the owner, so I knew I just had to try it when I had the chance. The minute you walk through the door you are greeted by lush plants and ornate wooden cabinets that hold decorative plates and books that give you the feeling of stepping inside a Victorian home. From the outside you wouldn’t believe what fills the interior. The three level building is filled with antiques, trinkets, garments and works of art that are on the walls and floors. Everything in the building is for sale. In one room you see a baby grand piano and on your way out to the back patio, from what I’m told is very lush with foliage and seating in the spring and summer, you find their parrot Jimmy. He is a crowd favorite and very friendly and vocal with the guests. I could gush about the decor all day but it’s the food that put it on the map. My mother always told me it’s the happy hour. She loved going after work for a quick drink and their famous fried shrimp. For those of age, I sampled the Vivilore cocktail and it was luscious. It tasted like a rich medley of fruit juices with a kick garnished with a sugary rim and lime. We, of course split a couple of fried shrimp appetizers and I sampled the clam chowder. The shrimp are already huge and they’re butterflied to make the shrimp even bigger. I’m a seafood fan so I was in heaven. A few entrees from the dinner menu include a Pacific Coast Wild Salmon and a Chicken Roulade. The mouthwatering appetizers and cocktails stood up to the eclectic charm of the decor. Once you experience Vivilore, you won’t feel like you’re sitting in the middle of the Midwest. I know I felt like I was instantly taken back in time to a classy dinner party in the twenties or thirties, but with a modern and contemporary twist. + where to find us 10815 winner road // independence, mo 64052 tel 816-836-2222 www.vivilore.com + hours tues - thurs // lunch 11:00-5:00 // dinner 5:00-9:00

•••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• + p H OTO S A N D S TO R Y: KY L E E G R E G G

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n o i r O to: Carlo

iiii there Wolfies and Happy April!! Aaahhhh, spring is finally here, the sun is shining, the flowers are blossoming, and the devil’s dust is back… POLLEN. Is it just me or is the pollen just brutal this spring?! It’s killing me! But it’s totally worth it because the strawberries and succulents growing in my backyard garden are turning out beautiful! Speaking of nature, I think now would be a lovely time to discuss our planet Earth and why it is so hecking awesome! Oh, and also Earth Day is this month so that’s wicked cool too! I’m starting to believe that loving nature and loving the planet we live on has become “lame” or “weird” in the eyes of society which is absolutely ridiculous. There’s nothing wrong with being a tree hugger! Our planet provides us with so much, but people are just too focused on other things to realize it! Have you ever woken up super early and just realized how beautiful and magical it is to be awake at the crack of dawn? When the sky is just lighting up and you can hear all kinds of birds. It makes you feel so content. Although it makes a great instagram photo, just think about how rad it is that the sky above you can change to all sorts of lustrous colors every single day. Wow, have you ever just walked bare foot on the soil and just felt primal connection

“Looking beauty in the world, is the first step of purifying the mind.” - Amit Ray to Earth and the energy that vibrates through it? It gives off so many vibrations, most of them being positive ones to bring us at inner peace with ourselves believe it or not! The Earth vibrates at a frequency of 8 Hertz and when we walk in natural areas, our bodies resonate with and absorb this vibrational energy, which provides a feeling of harmony and relaxation!! Sorry for the big words and for sounding like Bill Nye the Science Guy, but isn’t it just wicked to think that the planet we live on could benefit our moods so much?!

the world a

bet te

a ke m ’s

e! lac

1. Plant a tree. 2. Start a garden. 3. Pick up litter. 4. Go for a hike. 5. Have a picnic. 6. Recycle! 7. Go ahead … Hug a tree. 8. Turn out the lights when you don’t really need them. 9. Step away from the car and walk or ride your bike instead.

And in honor of Earth Day, I’ve put together a list of things you all can do to keep our planet and your life much more eco friendly!! By now I’m sure you guys can tell I’m a big fan of list making.

“Look deep into nature, and then you will understand everything better.” - Albert Einstein

Sit down for a moment. Think about the Earth, hurtling through space. Can you feel it moving, can you feel its spin? Can you feel the Sun and Moon pulling on it? Think about people. Think about every single person on the Earth. Every single one of them has lived a life up to right now. They’ve all felt happiness. Do you feel their emotions? Just feel for a moment, the lives of all 7 billion on this planet we call home. Think about how precious life is and how extraordinary. Now, think back. Feel your own life. You’ve been through a lot, just as everyone has. Think back to your childhood. Think back to a simpler time. Think back to being so small, not realizing you’d ever become what you have. Now, realize just how truly amazing you are, how far you’ve come. Life is worth living, and it’s best lived to the fullest. Go out there and try to change the world.

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DIY DIY DEPARTMENT + CUTE CLOTHING PIN WALL MEMORY DISPLAY

STEP TWO supplies + string + push pins + clothes pins + clips + camera + photos + art + or anything you want to hang

take your clothes pins or clips and hang your photos

tip: try and think out of the

box; tie your strings in different patterns like zig zags, or even try creating the first letter of your name!

STEP ONE push your push pin into the wall and tie your string around it with a double knot. repeat this with the other end of your photo line. ••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• + p H O T O S A N D S T E P S : M A D I S O N B A S S -TAY LO R

FINISHED!

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DISCOVERY PHOTOGRAPHER // CATHERINE GEORGE

inside look with B

ig fans of Haim here over at Local Wolves Magazine. I love the trio and when they are rocking out. I simply can’t get them off our playlist! I was so stoked to be able to cover the Manchester show at Manchester Academy when they were in town.

haim

The trio have been popping up left right and centre since last year, their music is slick and their style is so savvy. They have been honing their skills and craft over the years and came together and decided to go down the music route, and well, here they are! Their debut album, Day Are Gone rubs off a feel good, up beat and positive vibe but you know what they say, you can’t judge a band until you see them live. Let me tell you now, these girls are absolutely outstanding live and ooze pure rock and roll. Like, real rock and roll. There is an air of authenticity about them and their sound when they hit the stage and it feels like people are hungry for this kind of authenticity. The show was a sold out affair, the venue is able to host around 2,300 people. So as you can imagine, by the time they hit the stage, the fans were pumped and ready to rock out. The fans were more than delighted by the opener, Falling. The fan’s were up for a sing along by the time “Don’t Save Me” came around. Wait for it, oh yes - the girls went and sang a XO cover by Queen Bey! Icing on the cake with cherries on top, please! The girls are in sync with each other and it shows in the killer performance they deliver. So slick! Not just this but the interaction with the fans from the stage is something artists can most definitely take something from. Este Haim’s banter with the crowd just adds to their loveability! If you want a good old rock and roll with a chill vibe then you should go catch them live. Super excited for what’s to come with Haim and their incredible success so far. Take note, kiddos. They are the must see band in our book, that’s for sure. + photos and S T O R Y : P R I T I s H I K O T R A M anchester A cademy M arch 0 8 2 0 1 4

local wolves magazine // 13

madleent vio

arlier this year, self described “slacker rock” band, Made Violent released music videos for their singles, “Wasted Days” and “Inside Out.” Though it’s been little over a month, the boys seem to be generating quite the buzz, both in the states and overseas. Members Rob Romano (vocals/guitar), Joe White (vocals/bass) and Justin Acee (drums) have been surprised and elated by the response they’ve received from listeners. Drawing inspiration from revered musicians like The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, Jimi Hendrix, and The Kinks; Made Violent seeks to revive the guitar music of our parents’ generation that “made people dance and scream at the top of their lungs” so far they’re doing a pretty good job. The Buffalo, New York natives have long possessed a passion for music, although it was never something they’d expected to pursue. Since their early teens, they’ve been in various bands but found little success with previous projects. “For us, Buffalo has always been a place we wanted to escape. Don’t get me wrong, it’s our home and always will be, but we’ve always felt a little out of place here. All of us played in bands as the “rock scene” was dying out here.” Although the lack of enthusiasm for “guitar rock” was discouraging, the guys used it as motivation to become “smarter and stronger” songwriters and musicians. “I think our main goal is to get people excited about rock n’ roll music again. We want people to be able to blast loud music that will annoy the old and inspire the young. As always we just want the songs to be relatable to all as well as enable the listener to feel connected to us through those songs. It’s an inside look into our lives and how we perceive “life” to be.” Their dedication to resurrecting the seemingly vanishing scene has certainly paid off; the boys are finally starting

to gain some of the recognition they deserve. While emulating the sound of musicians they so deeply admire, Made Violent has proven they’re capable of capturing listeners attention through a fervor evident in their songs. One in particular that appears to have piqued the interest of fans is “Wasted Days.” “Honestly we didn’t really know what to expect when we released “Wasted Days.” What you have to understand is that this all came together last minute. We had been apart for a while. Joe was off playing as a touring bassist, Rob was still in Buffalo and I was living in California. We had plenty of phone calls talking about writing and playing together again. We wanted to put out something new, something that meant more than just stupid pop songs like we’d played before. Eventually in mid late November we got together at a lake house in Rushford, NY and just wrote and recorded for eight days straight. We had no running water and only the bare essentials for food, we also probably consumed most of the alcohol in the county (laughs) but it was really inspiring. “Wasted Days” came out of that session. Immediately afterwards we went into the studio and recorded some of those songs.” This approach may seem a little rash, but it’s a perfect reminder of all that can be achieved with a little determination and passion. The positive reactions Made Violent has received are beyond what they ever would’ve expected and subtle reassurance that they must be doing something right. “These past few months have probably been the first time we have not only felt truly accepted but also excited to be a part of a growing hometown scene.”

local localwolves wolvesmagazine magazine////1515

One may be inclined to think that, considering their present endeavors long track record of musical ventures, the boys had always entertained dreams of becoming rock stars. However, that is considerably far from the truth. “I had every intention of becoming a psychology major after high school. It only took me one semester to realize that studying the human brain was far too intricate for me to handle. I’d like to be able to open my own coffee shop someday though,” singer Rob, stated. Meanwhile, Joe grew up “always want-

ing to act and just entertain people.” The only one in the group who has achieved his original plan, to some extent is Justin. “I thought about being a writer, a lot. Whether it was journalism or even just writing a story. I’ve always just enjoyed being able to put my perspective on things out there” which is something he has been able to do through songwriting. Perhaps they’ll one day I’ll have the opportunity to pursue other aspirations. As of right now, much of their time is dedicated to creating songs that “everyone

“At the end of the day our goal is to put songs out that we would want to listen to. Hopefully those songs move people to dance, drink a beer, and yell out loud.” they’ve stuck to their preferences in hopes that listeners will appreciate their gritty tone. “It’s always hard releasing the next best thing. I think as artists we like to overthink what we are doing because we want everything to be a success. The truth of the matter and what always keeps us as a group level headed is to remember that no matter what, if we think its good then it is. We don’t write songs to what we think people would want to listen to, we write songs because it’s what we want to listen to.” This pressure is especially nerve wracking, considering the fact that more tunes are soon to come from the boys. They hope to go on tour soon. Perhaps, they’ll even have a chance to play overseas. “We want to play Europe so bad! We’ve been on a couple different radio stations over there which rule, but is really making us itch to get over there. It just seems like everyone there widely accepts guitar music. Not to mention that all the music we grew up on came from the UK. So it’s definitely been a dream of ours to be able to play there.”

+ photos : rachel kober + S T O R Y : : amanda ferrarese

can move to. “Truthfully, we are all so focused on pushing forward with music that we haven’t had much time for anything else. It’s our one true love and will continue to be. We live and breathe it every single day. However if you catch us on an off day, you can probably find us hanging at a friend’s house drinking 40s and talking about playing music.” Made Violent provides a refreshing change from the mainstream “pop” music that seems to pervade today’s radio stations. Rather than alter their sound to appeal to audiences,

As if it weren’t already obvious, Made Violent has the potential to become an acclaimed band. They seem to embody the blueprints of many great bands that have preceded them. Quite frankly, it’s hard to see anything wrong with their outlook and intended musical pursuits. The boys of Made Violent have no intentions of finding fame, nor are they all that concerned with making money; they’re simply a group of guys searching for purpose through doing what they love. “The goal is to always be out on the road. We want to play in every country, state, city and town we possibly can. Hopefully with the help of listeners, bloggers, writers and everyone else we can make that happen.” Their new single “Dirty,” is now on iTunes which reveals a true rock ‘n’ roll vibe, the song will have you tapping your feet, jumping up and down and belting it out wherever you are.

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t s o h ed g R E K C TU girdwain S T O R Y : alyssa johnson + katy : + photos

ooted in San Diego, experimental quartet Ed Ghost Tucker plays with a quirky mix of beach and jazz sounds in a homegrown movement of music. While the members have known each other since childhood - Michaela and Cameron Wilson are siblings, the band didn’t officially form until a year and a half ago when they reunited in San Diego after separate school jaunts. Out of casual jam sessions naturally came Ed Ghost Tucker, comprised of the Wilson siblings, guitarist Rutger Rosenborg and drummer Ryan Miller. They have been evolving together ever since. “It’s like we’re all family. We know each other super well and creatively and it’s really natural. It flows out of us, like we speak the same weird, made up language,” Rosenborg said. Like any family dynamic, the group has its disagreements but being on the same wave length, it allows them to learn and grow closely together.

San Diego’s music scene may be more low key than that of Los Angeles or New York but “the people that are involved are really passionate,” Michaela said. They’ve also toured along California’s coast, showcasing new material and building relationships with bookers and other bands along the way. Being an independent band, these friendships are key. Making music in their home environment allows them to familiarize themselves with their sound and community before exploring on a national scale whether that’s the band practicing in Miller’s basement or making music videos in the Wilson’s backyard. Cameron tells a story of their stop in Paso Robles when they met a man who welcomed them into his home after popping in for their set after hearing Rosenborg play an intricate line. Later, he booked Ed Ghost Tucker a show at a brewery where the small town came out for a night of music.

After an eerie ride through the mountains that night, they shared tequila and a smoke in the man’s basement. Cameron later wrote a song about it. “He’s the nicest guy we met out there,” Cameron said, “everyone is just trying to help each other out and have fun nights of music.”

With influences spread across the music spectrum, their sound defies the borders of any genre. From tinges of classical influence, jazzy flavors and sounds fit for the Californian coast, the band continues to experiment and expand to find their defining sound. “We can see the progression [of sound] from where we started. It’s really significant, but us being in it everyday and working at it made it seem like a really natural movement,” Michaela said. Moving forward to a place of musical comfort and certainty is a day by day venture. Between perfecting old songs and writing and producing new ones, Ed Ghost Tucker is staying busy. Creating new material more representative of where the band is today sonically precedes the goal of releasing their debut album, which will hopefully lead them to touring on a national scale. After all, it’s only natural.

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penny

bird rabbit + photos : E R I C M O O N E Y + S T O R Y : L E X I E A L L E Y

san diego’s dreamy, electric pop queen

Pennybirdrabbit, the self described, “lost boy alien, tiny teen heart throb,” is set to make a big mark this year with the release of her EP, For Love which recently came out via OWSLA/Big Beat Records. Having previously collaborated with Skrillex as the gorgeous voice in “All I Ask Of You” and on songs with 12th Planet and The M Machine, Pennybirdrabbit seems to have found a distinct personal style with this EP; a dreamy, electric pop record that doesn’t disappoint from beginning to end. Some of Pennybirdrabbit’s earliest influences come from home, she grew up in San Diego, CA in a very music household. “My family has had the same piano since before I was born. I used to watch my mom play, sing and I would sit for long periods of time remembering melodies I’d heard, teaching myself the song on the piano. It taught me to read music and it helped me memorize the notes as I practiced scales.”

local wolves magazine // 21

This sense of individuality permeates throughout the For Love EP. While there are obvious elements on this record that seem to stem from her previous dips in dance music, there is something much softer and more composed than one may expect. Her voice floats effortlessly over and under the many harmonies and gorgeous melodies she has placed throughout the record and one can’t help but feel like they are caught up in a dream or even on another planet. While dance and electronic music seems to be a natural niche for Pennybirdrabbit, it was not her original intention to get involved in the genre. “I did not really have the intention to become part of the dance world when I did my first feature. I did not really understand what it was. I only knew Sonny’s music. Doing the other features was just natural because those guys are friends of mine.” Pennybirdrabbit also directs and edits all of her own music videos and has begun collaborating with others to help her vision come to life. “The ‘Look for Love’ video was made with my Angelo Kritikos, who is an incredible photographer.” In admirable fashion, she intends to remain hands on throughout the process of all of her music videos, saying, “My music is my vision. I don’t know how anyone lets someone come in and create a visual to something that’s as personal as a song.” Following the release of the EP, Pennybirdrabbit hopes to tour this year and says, “I’m also going right into the full length and I can’t wait.” This is only the beginning for Pennybirdrabbit. She is definitely someone to keep a lookout for in 2014. You can purchase her EP “For Love” on iTunes.

my music is my vision. I donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t know how anyone lets someone come in and create a visual to something thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s as personal as a song.

local wolves magazine // 23

CRASH THE PARTY “You know the saying, ‘Good things come to those who wait?’ That’s the opposite of what we believe. If you want something to happen, you need to take life by the reins and make it happen.” That phrase is what inspired the name and the whole message behind Crash The Party. The band has had incredible success in an a fairly brief amount of times, already having toured with some incredible musicians in the past, and headlined two regional tours of their own already. Now, they’re on a national tour with We The Kings and This Century, reaching and gaining fans all over the U.S. The boys are appreciative that they get to share their music with everyone. “We’re very happy with how quickly we’ve reached such a large audience. Being able to share our music with more and more people, touching their lives is why we do what we do!”

Being able to share our music with more and more people, touching their lives is why we do what we do.

The band has a new EP entitled Radiate, which is actually titled after the title track of the EP. “The word ‘Radiate’ is just so powerful to us, it was a clear choice to name the EP after the song. Radiate could be the new word for love as far as I’m concerned!” Take a listen to the track and you’ll hear the band’s love for the word and their message portrayed loud and proud through the track’s pop rock beats. The band found that no method is their method when it comes to write their music. “Things just come to be when they’re ready. We write some on our own and some together. Chris and I even took a trip one weekend, locked ourselves in a cabin and completed two of our favorite songs on the EP.” The boys have found that sometimes rewrites aren’t even necessary and sometimes a song will get completely scrapped and started over. The beauty is: they do whatever they want with them, whenever they want! Their favorite hometown venue is The Space in Hamden, CT. “The owner of The Space, Steven Rodgers has been such a big influence on our career, and we wouldn’t be where we are today without all the support he’s given us!”

+ photos : kylee gregg + story : A N D R E Y P A T I N O

The guys are very hopeful for the future of the band, from going on the road more to promote even more new music, to playing at music festivals all over the world but all in the name of growing the Crash The Party family. Like all bands, they feed off of energetic crowds but if the room doesn’t have the energy, they make it their job to bring it.

With each show that comes, the best just keeps getting better, and the band is finding more and more ways to make themselves even better. Touring with experienced bands have brought them a number of new experiences and lessons, “Specific experiences, which help us, are loving what we do, and doing it for the right reasons! The second thing we’ve learned is to always remember to bring a spare tire for the trailer!”

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coco horsager B

eing such an accomplished photographer, most people find it hard to believe that Coco Horsager is only eighteen years old. However, when Horsager looks back on her career she doesn’t really consider herself “accomplished.” Looking back at her work to date Horsager says she’s “always striving to be better and to do more” with her photography. The subject of photography has always been something she has been drawn to and is her favorite way to express creativity. After featuring a few different subjects in her photography, Horsager has decided that fashion and people are what she really loves to shoot. “Being a teenage girl, I’d really love to photograph Ryan Gosling! But other than that, I would really love to do a photo series of children around the world.” When she needs a little inspiration, Horsager’s favorite thing to do is log onto Tumblr, Instagram or her favorite blogs to get some fresh ideas for shoots admitting that sometimes she even pulls from her past shoots to try and improve on an idea. Horsager’s also been studying the work of some of her favorite photographers to try and improve her own skills. “I have definitely seen improvement in my own work since studying [them]!” She likes to form a relationship with her subjects before turning on the camera, trying to establish a connection because it’s important for the subject to be comfortable to get the best shot. When asked about how she would sum up her work in one word she confidently responded with “mine” and explained “I am very simply photographing and producing work that I like creating. My work is uniquely me.” Horsager has no specific plans for her future, but her passion for photography is never going to fade. Flipping through her portfolio, it’s obvious that her career is only getting started.

+ photos : lhoycel marie + story : chelsea totten

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+ photos : katy johnson + story : jessica goldman

“I am a white boy. I make YouTube videos. Hobbies include YouTube and nothing else,” reads YouTuber Jack Dodge’s Tumblr bio. That’s simply put, but we’d like to think there is more to Dodge than just his videos. But making videos and making people laugh are truly what make Jack Dodge happy. “For the longest time, I’ve wanted to make people happy and laugh and so I thought maybe I could through YouTube,” said Dodge. “I got my one of my friends super into YouTube too, so when one of our favorite YouTubers had a competition for a stop motion, we knew we had to enter! Even though we didn’t win, it was a good reason to get us to start a channel.” For having joined YouTube only about a year and a half ago, Dodge has over 150,000 views on his videos and after watching a few, you soon know why. Some of the funniest include his eyebrow tutorial, killer jokes and Starbucks situations. Dodge’s videos are relatable and funny, which explains his continuously growing fanbase. “I get inspiration through my friends, family and other YouTubers.

Dodge went to VidCon, the world’s premiere online video industry conference and had an experience that he definitely won’t forget. “VidCon was the most amazing weekend of my life,” he said. “I got to meet so many of my friends for the first time that I never thought I would actually end up meeting in real life and I got to make so many new ones! There is just something in the air that feels so right.” They often have ideas that I can use or that I base my videos off of.” said Dodge. “I also get inspiration from situations that happen in real life so that people can connect with the content.” One of Dodge’s most popular videos is his impression of popular YouTube sensation, Miranda Sings which he did because of a request from his fans. “Miranda Sings is my queen. She is absolutely ridiculous and I’m obsessed,” he said. “I’ve always had a pretty good impression of her, so I thought that I would give it a shot in a video! I put on the lipstick, wore an outrageous outfit, and went for it!” YouTubers are known for collaborating with each other and Dodge’s channel is nothing short of that.

For the San Diego native, Dodge may enjoy sleeping as much as the rest of us but there are few local places he frequents. “My favorite spot is definitely my bed. But when I’m not asleep, I love to go to Babycakes in Hillcrest. You can probably catch me waltzing the streets around there or eating half my weight in cupcakes at least a couple times a week! Or In N Out. Shocker, I know.” And though he may still be young, Dodge has plans to continue making videos in the years to come. “It’s my hobby and such a big part of my life that I can’t imagine life without it,” he said. “I know I want to do something in the media for my career, but I don’t know what yet! I’m just playing it my ear right now and living day by day!”

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becca lammin

What age were you when you started YouTube and what inspired you to start making videos? BL: I started making YouTube videos when I was seventeen so not long ago as I’m only eighteen now. I think I wanted to do it out of boredom as I quit school and then I realized how much fun it was and now, look. Who would you love to collaborate with on YouTube and what kind of video would you create? BL: I would love to collab with Wassabi Productions. It’s a lot of parodies and sketches and I think the characters the two guys make are absolutely hilarious! I love making sketches myself so we’d clearly make the funniest thing ever. Do you remember your first time ever being noticed? BL: I have a few times which is really crazy for me.

I don’t remember the “first time” but recently it was really funny as I was sitting on the train going home and a man caught my hair on his bag so as I am so dramatic, I screamed “Ouch my hair!” and he was like “Oh, I’m so sorry by the way I really love your videos,” I was like, thanks (laughs). What is something that not many people know about you? BL: I have six toes on my left foot - kidding. What is one lesson that YouTube has taught you since you first began your channel? BL: The lesson is: don’t care what anybody thinks. If you don’t care, then no one will be bothered what you put up. I put up the most random videos and its just so confusing but people just do not care because they know I’m weird like that and they love it.

What do you like to do on the weekends? BL: EAT. SLEEP. RAVE. REPEAT. Are you going to be attending VidCon this year? BL: You know what, everything will be so last minute. I think I am going LA but as for VidCon, I do not know. I haven’t been invited, but we will see! Do you know what you want your future career to be? BL: I want to be an actress. No question about it. I think sit coms or comedy films would be cool. What’s your favorite thing about making videos? BL: Just the positive feedback and how my viewers are so supportive and love what weird stuff I put up on my channel. It’s overwhelming sometimes too.

Approximately how many hours out of your week does it take for you to come up with video ideas, film, edit, and post? BL: Too long. Maybe in total a whole day but I normally plan one day, then film one day, edit one day and post. So in theory, four days. What is your favorite songs at the moment? BL: Let It Go from the movie, Frozen.

+ photos : philipp ammon + q / a : becca lammin

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playlist Live Playlist Live, a yearly event celebrating online content creators, their fans and all supporters, kicks off on March the 21st the 23rd, 2014. The conference is a three day extravaganza for all lovers of the internet, giving the chance for YouTubers and fans to meet and hang out. With over a hundred content creators there, fans can find their favorites from all corners of the Internet; from beauty gurus to vloggers, musicians to sketch comedians, there’s someone for everyone at Playlist Live.

+ story: andrey patino + photo: sabrina chantel + rest of the photos: carolina londono & andrey patino

This year fans can expect the usual Playlist Live traditions like meet ups, performances, and dance parties but there are a few new things like an outdoor stage, new panels, movie screenings and even pool parties! The event promises to be bigger and better than its past three years, and isn’t one to be missed.

craig Dillon Craig Dillon, a British YouTuber, aims to bring a little bit of fun to everyone’s life. He first sparked an interest in YouTube by watching all of the British YouTubers out there as well as YouTube’s queen, Tyler Oakley who is one of his favorites. “I really got into Tyler Oakley when I first started making videos, I just find him so funny and good at what he does, plus he’s a really nice guy!” says Dillon. What’s the hardest part about being a YouTuber? “Just finding the time in the midst of everything else to film and upload a video every Friday,” according to Dillon. Some of Dillon’s favorite memories during his YouTube career are the ones he made at VidCon and Playlist Live, especially being able to meet all of his fans. “VidCon and Playlist are my favorite memories,” says Dillon, “I love meeting everyone! They’re always fun and I love the American accent.” Music is very important to Craig. “It is the most important thing in my life,” says Craig. He goes to tons of concerts and his music taste is a variety of genres as he tells us, “My music taste is so crazy, I go from listening to the old Blink-182 and Green Day albums to Adele and Katy Perry’s new album! I don’t know I just like all music! Except rap though, I can’t stand it!”

He even aspires play music and “be a rock star and go on a world tour, I’m still pursuing that though!” Dillon tells us. One of the most influential people to Dillon is one of the cofounders of Apple, Steve Jobs. Dillon loves everything Job’s did and he said, “I am literally in love with him and his work!” And the location of this legendary meeting would be “on his Yacht which is like a floating Apple store! That’d be so cool” As for future plans for his channel, Craig is just trying to go with the flow. He makes YouTube videos because he loves what he does. - Shawn Mulcahy

missy lynn

alexa losey Alexa Losey began making videos as her personal diary dedicated to her love of fashion, beauty and lifestyle but her channel has quickly blown up and it now has over 300,000 subscribers. Alexa’s videos range from makeup and fashion advice and vlogs to creative collabs with some of her YouTube friends. Like many other YouTubers, Alexa never even considered the possibility of having YouTube become such a big part of her life, not to mention her career. Before YouTube she was incredibly interested in acting, and knew that what meant most to her was to be in front of a camera connecting to an audience. She thought that the only that she could do achieve that goal was by becoming a big Oscar winning Hollywood actress, until she found YouTube, “It just opened my mind and showed me all the different directions that I can go. Now I have an idea of what I want to do, and I’m excited about it. But there are so many different ways that you can go about it!” Alexa’s biggest inspirations have always been her parents, they’ve pushed her and helped shape her into the person that she wants to be in life and to be doing the things that she wants to be doing. “My mom’s compassion has always inspired me to make videos to help people and inspire them in that way and then my dad has been an entrepreneur since he was my age and that’s shown me what it is that I want to be doing too.” It can be pretty easy to gain an ego with a growing channel and so many fans but Alexa keeps level headed and thankful for everything. “I don’t really look at my channel as having so many subscribers. I feel like I’m really grateful for what I do have and I’m extremely fortunate that people even watch my videos. I’m grateful for the whole thing, I’m grateful for the friends that I’ve made and the experience has just been amazing.” A piece of advice that she’d want to leave her fans who are trying for something new, “Be original, be authentic and it’s important to understand what’s popular, but put your own perspective on that.” - Andrey Patino

Missy Lynn did not start YouTube with the typical mindset of having some spare time. She’s a young lady who was having struggles in her life and turned to YouTube for inspiration in her own life, what she found was that she ended up inspiring others through her own videos. As her videos have grown, so has her audience and Missy has amassed over 229,000 subscribers on YouTube. Missy focuses mainly on beauty videos, teaching her audience different techniques and different looks that they can use in everyday life, or just some fun looks that they can try in the comfort of their own home. In regards towards the inspiration that her fans have drawn from her, “The feeling is indescribable, just to know that you’re touching people’s lives and you don’t even know who they are and just to know that one video can change one person’s life, it’s a very humbling experience. It’s something that I wouldn’t trade for the world.” Missy has had a sibling pass and it’s something that she’s been vocal to her fans about, especially if they have shared a similar experience, “You don’t forget about it but it does get easier as time goes by. You don’t forget about them, you just let them rest in peace. You just got to keep your head up, stay motivated and stay encouraged.” With so many people coming to her looking for advice, or just commenting on her videos with compliments, it’d be easy to understand Missy overlooking many of them with her, that’s not the case. Her fan interactions have all been amazing and she looks forward to getting to meet her fans, especially the ones who reach out to her through social media. She ends up recognizing her fans in person, and it feels like old friends reuniting in a meet up. Of course, when talking to a beauty guru, it’s impossible to let her get away without finding out her favorite brands, “I am a big Foreign Exchange and Forever 21 girl, I am becoming really obsessed with Topshop. You’ll just go in there for one thing, and you’ll start screaming “Oh! I like this and that” and you get to the register and it’s so much!” A piece of advice that she’d want to leave her fans with, “Always stay true to yourself. You have to keep yourself motivated because no one else will do it for you!” - Andrey Patino

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brodie smith

eleventh gorgeous YouTube isn’t just for beauty gurus and vloggers anymore, there’s a whole new section that’s flown under the radar until now: sports. Brodie Smith has found a YouTube niche for himself all on accident: the Ultimate Frisbee athlete’s channel has over 500,000 subscribers and 65,000,000 views. His channel is full of videos of him performing amazing and seemingly impossible trick shots and tutorials on how to perfect your own Ultimate Frisbee techniques. Brodie’s YouTube journey actually started when he was in college at the University of Florida, playing on their Ultimate Frisbee team, the team would film and edit the highlights of their season and game footage and then post them to YouTube. It wasn’t until 2010 that Brodie made the plunge into making his own YouTube videos, where he began posting different kinds of Ultimate Frisbee tutorial videos. Smith’s friends recommended that he do trick shot videos with a frisbee because it was something that had never been done before so once posted, the video gained over 400,000 views in the first week. The video even went on to be featured on the homepage of Yahoo and gained another 2.5 million views while it was there. “Back when I started doing these, I never thought that throwing a frisbee could be something that could be so popular, or that it could be something that people would take an interest in!” Brodie’s attracted fans of all ages including some of the young variety and has found out just how much of an influence he’s had on his fans. “My mom teaches third grade and she said that I need to come to recess and see what the kids are doing. I showed up and there’s like six frisbees flying all over the place and they’re all wearing my logos and merch and stuff!” A piece of advice that he’d like to give, “If you’re doing stuff to get fans, eventually what’s going to happen is you’re going to start waking up and you’re going to have the thought in your head of ‘I don’t want to do this.’ You’re going to have thoughts of things you wish you were doing, whatever that ‘I wish’ thought is, that’s what you should be doing.” - Andrey Patino

Eleventh Gorgeous started over making videos over five years ago, back in 2009 when YouTube was still young and the faces fresh; the channel is made up of two sisters, not twins although they have been mistaken for twins, Tracy and Stefanie. The girls make videos sharing beauty tips and secrets, sharing their love for affordable makeup and fashion, all while charming their audience with their Tuscaloosa humor. The girls decided to make their YouTube videos about affordable make up and fashion, when they were searching through the beauty community and found that almost everything was geared towards the more expensive side of the beauty world. Eleventh Gorgeous’ fans range from really young girls, they’ve even had a six year old super fan come up to them, to their moms and the girls love getting meet them. They try and meet every single one of their fans and hug them, and always go out of their way to remember and keep in touch with all of them. “You almost create a friendship that goes throughout the year!” With all the success that has come their way, it could be expected that the girls would make a massive brand upgrade and start shooting for the most expensive brand out there but they are still drug store girls at heart. “We love Covergirl, Revlon, Maybelline. You really can’t go wrong with a good drug store product. We do damage when we go into drug stores!” - Andrey Patino. Some pieces of advice that they want to give their fans whether it’s for YouTube or anything that they want to do in life: Stephanie: Just try something knew, and know that it’ll be scary but it will be better if you do, and just be yourself. Tracy: There are so many things that you don’t want to regret, you don’t want to look back and say ‘Gosh, I wish I had done that.’ So just go for it and if it doesn’t work out, that’s okay!

andy samuels Is Playlist Live the first YouTube convention that you’ve been to because people will scream your name since the event is so big. AS: It is! But at the same time, it’s fun because you’ve got loads of friends! We all just walk off and do our own thing but then you’ll see someone who’s like “Andy!” and you’ll just be like “What up!” You’ll just have a chat, meet ‘em and yeah it’s good. Big family is what it is. Tell me more about your favorite videos of yours to film. AS: I kind of like keep it quite chill. I don’t want to be too professional or try and be anyone that I’m not. So I just film all the raw footage, just as it is, on the street. Just what I’m doing then and there, just cut it, edit it up, nothing too professional. Nice and raw, just straight up just me having fun, being myself. Awesome, so do you think that aspect of you, the sort of chill “this is who I am, I’m not going to be fancy” thing, is what has attracted such a large fan base to you? AS: Yeah, I think so. I mean it seems like a good way for

lewis parker

them to get to know me. I feel like just through the Internet, they feel like we have some kind of connection because they kind of understand me from watching my videos. I like that way of putting myself out there. Right, you’re just providing your must genuine self! AS: Right! Exactly, and then they meet me and it’s the same. Any last words or advice for your fans? AS: Just make sure you’re having fun, you’re staying safe, and you’re doing what you love! It’s important. + story: andrey patino

One day, Lewis Parker got bored and decided it would be cool to try and start a YouTube channel and it went pretty well. Lewis wanted to use his channel as a way to voice his opinion, “I wasn’t really listened to in real life, my voice just couldn’t reach beyond the other kids.” So Lewis set out to make videos that would let him express himself and entertain others .Lewis likes to describe his videos as a tribute to his tragic everyday life, which others seem to find entertaining. Though he admits coming up with new ideas can sometimes be a bit challenging, Lewis likes to find inspiration everywhere even taking a walk down the street. “Sometimes, I’m awake at 3AM on a Sunday morning having an existential crisis trying to decide what I’m going to film and then when I have an idea I only have a few hours to film edit and upload.” He likes to hangout on the hills near his house and look out at the valley during sunset to think about life and come up with new ideas for videos and a book he’s currently working on even though he admits that sounds incredibly cheesy. Lewis attended Playlist live this yea, and he loved every second of it. It was his first time in America and he loved being surrounded by other content creators in a place where he could talk YouTube. He says he’s never been more inspired to create bigger and better content than after attending Playlist Live, and that as exhausting as it was it was totally worth it.

He tries to stay as original as possible and change things up with his videos, “One week it’ll be a normal vlog, the next week it’ll be a short film and then a video of me walking in the woods talking to my camera. Change is good.” To all of you who have already discovered the hilarity that is Lewis Parker and his YouTube channel, you should know that he’s incredibly grateful for all of the support and opportunities you’ve allowed him to have. Lewis plans to stick to YouTube a little longer than he usually does with his hobbies, and hopes to expand and one day be creating more professional content for a larger audience. - Chelsea Totten

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frankie grande He may have a famous sister but singer Frankie Grande has a voice all his own. With fans called “Frankiesteins,” almost 500,000 Twitter followers and over 174,000 YouTube subscribers, Grande’s not just talented but has garnered quite a supportive fan base. Grande posts videos weekly to his YouTube channel, often in the form of live game shows. Every so often, they even sport that famous sister of his. “I love games and game shows and I really want to be a host one day. So I decided to have my own live game show and give out follows,” said Grande. What makes Grande’s videos exciting is that they are all unique to Grande’s fun personality. He’s also very active on Twitter and uses the site as a way to ask questions about his YouTube channel and attract views. “I give out follows and phone calls and everyone, including me, has so much fun,” said Grande. “Weekly, I do YouTube videos on FrankieFriday and ToplessTuesday, which I made up because I love alteration and they can be anything from a twenty minute epic Living Life Grande or a two minute “What’s Up” with no shirt on crying about Justin Bieber, anything is possible.” As for where the name “Frankiesteins” came from, it turns out his fans gave it to themselves. “I always think that’s the best course of action for a fandom,” said Grande. “So when they started calling themselves that, I loved it! Also my dad calls me Frankenstein as a term of endearment, so it all fit.” Grande has been singing ever since he was young, but it wasn’t until college that it became something he took seriously. Soon enough, Grande was booking gigs on Broadway, and even got to work with Brooke Shields. “I was in Mamma Mia on Broadway for three years and it was a total blast!” said Grande. “I also

produced three shows on Broadway, co-wrote/directed a show with Brooke Shields and recently debuted my own one man show called Livin’ La Vida Grande.” If dancing/singing/ performing/directing/YouTubing/tweeting wasn’t enough, Grande also has a charity, Broadway in South Africa. “BSA started with a bunch of Broadway kids saying, “Let’s go to Africa and change the world,” said Grande. “Eventually, we figured out how difficult that would be. But it never deterred us and I think the reason we were eventually so successful was because of how blindly we entered into it. Anything was possible, and eventually, it was! If Grande weren’t busy performing, he would want to be a travel blogger. But more importantly, he’s a Disney fan. “Magic Kingdom, Epcot and Animal Kingdom. I mean, I am a Disney junkie!” said Grande. “I’ve been way over 300 times and look forward to spending lots of time in the park.” - Jessica Goldman

Niki and Sammy Albon Aptly named “NikiNSammy” their channel has grown to having over 22,000 subscribers in a little less than a year. After considering the idea of starting a channel for a couple years, the boys finally plucked up the courage last May. Of course, they had been YouTube fans for a couple of years, especially when it came to channels like DailyGrace. Now some of their favorite YouTubers include Mitchell Davis, Grace Helbig (DailyGrace) and Chris Kendall to name a few. They even describe themselves as “massive fangirls who just happen to have a YouTube channel” and say that they get obsessed with YouTubers in seconds. When asked who they would collaborate with if the opportunity presented itself, they said that they wouldn’t want to miss out on collaborating with JacksGap (fellow British, twin YouTubers!)

wolfie and having a “twin-off” or swap twins which they say would be “interesting.” On the subject of the other British twins, we asked if the two got compared a lot, to which they replied, “We do. We’d be silly to think people wouldn’t compare us to the only other pair of British twins on the internet! It’s not a comparison we get annoyed with at all, because the content we create is very different. Schedule plays a large role. The feel of our videos is very different. You can’t compare someone that uploads five days a week to someone that uploads once, because their style is so different.” Although Niki and Sammy didn’t start their channel with any major goal, the pair who initially thought hitting ten thousand subscribers would be amazing, has found certain aspirations. Thanks to the supportiveness of their subscribers, Niki has been able to successfully start a blog which he hopes will grow through their audience. The pair who’s driving motto for their channel is “know yourself” has found that it’s best to stick to who you are and not mimic what has been proven successful, as demonstrated by their hilarious twin moments! With crazy hilarious videos like, “Drop That Egg Egg Egg” and “50 (ish) Ways To Say I Hate You,” we had to ask where they get their inspiration. When all else fails, the twins tend to ask their friends for help (their mom often comes up with the best ideas) or they sit down together and brainstorm topics that their audience can relate to. We asked the boys for some advice for aspiring YouTubers, and boy did they deliver; ”The most important tip, and it sounds very cliché, is to have fun. If you’re not having fun, can you really expect your audience to have fun? Also, don’t expect your channel to explode over night. If you upload your first video and get 100 views, well done that’s fantastic! Don’t be disheartened when you see YouTubers getting 10K, 100K or a million views. You have to plant the seed and grow. Work hard at your channel to make people believe in you. Persevere! Be you, take time to find yourself and you’ll find confidence you didn’t know you had (hey, it worked for us!)” Being the hilarious pair that they are, they couldn’t end without poking a bit of fun by saying, “Also, be swag.” A perk of YouTube is the ability to expose people to other cultures and allow YouTubers to gain an international viewer base. With their channel growing, we asked if Niki and Sammy would be attending any other YouTube related events, in addition to Playlist Live in Orlando, Florida which they most recently attended. Fortunately for their viewers, they will be attending Summer In The City, in London and hopefully Playlist Live Tri-State in New Jersey. They would also love to attend VidCon within the next couple of years! We can’t wait to see Niki and Sammy’s channel grow and hope to see them at future events! - Alexandra Southerst

ambassadors Special thanks to these wolfies for their submissions!

jc mar ie

maddie bar ker

kaelyn sanders

sabr ina chantel

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THE F RIG H T S + photos : katy johnson + story : andrey patino

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breezy san diego is the place. There’s a certain rush that always happens when you listen to a band for the very first time: your foot starts tapping, your mind races, and all of a sudden you’ve been entranced by their new tunes. The Frights are definitely new favorites, and their dirty, doo wop, surf punk tunes are sure to climb to the top of your iTunes charts. The SoCal natives, Adam (guitar) and Mikey (drums) formed one fresh out of high school and Richard (bass) formed one when Adam left for college. As for how they decided on the name, The Frights, the boys said “We chose The Frights because anything was better than our original band name, Black Hootie.” Inspiration can come from anywhere, and with these boys it’s no exception. “We’re influenced by bands like Fidlar, Ty Segall and Thee Oh Sees, as far as the punk genre goes, but when it comes to songs like “Makeout Point” or “Crust Bucket,” the influence comes from bands like Ritchie Valens, The Drifters and The Beach boys and a number of other doo wop bands.” The boys are signed to Postmark Records, a fairly new record label with a knack for the unique style that these boys have in their music. “Immediately after our first show, Joe from Postmark Records offered to sign us, the way he approached us was super laid back, and we clicked immediately.” The band has two EPs out and a self-titled album that recently dropped, and they’ve created a sound all their own.

On how they pick the artwork and titles, “We chose both the morning”] naming off a bunch of bullsh*t names/artwork to use. We usually decide on the ones that sounded or looked the coolest or funniest.” Free time doesn’t seem like it’d be much of an option for these boys but they keep time to go out to eat with friends, go to college and have jobs. “Mikey and Richard both have jobs, Richard and Adam are in community college.” On their other favorite local spots, the boys said, “Hodads Burgers, Smashburger, Taco Bell, M Theory Records, The Brigantine for Taco Tuesday. We really just go out to eat.” The laid back attitude seems to be the band’s general approach to most things, when asked about why they began and where they’re going they said, “We really just want to have fun. We don’t take ourselves seriously and from the beginning it was all about having a good time. As far as the future goes, we’re just going to keep doing what we’re doing it seems to working thus far.” It most certainly has been working for them, on top of their local gigs in Southern California, the band went on their very first tour last summer. They did stops all around California and left the state, for stops in Oregon, Idaho, and Arizona. Their new album was recorded in a studio instead of a backroom but the band says they’ll always record everything live and always will because “it wouldn’t work any other way.”

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hanging out with

OH HONEY

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WITH the music world always buzzing and always welcoming new people into its arms, it becomes hard to keep up with new music as it comes out. There are a variety of choices and it’s easy to be overwhelmed but Oh Honey’s music is pretty impossible to miss. Their newest EP takes you a lighthearted journey, that’ll bring you back to those easy summer times when the days were bright, and everything was going to be okay. Some bands are just meant to happen, either through fate or through the sheer willpower of its members, Mitchy Collins and Danielle Bouchard of Oh Honey was meant to happen. “I had been in and out of bands for a while and I wanted to give it one last shot. I had this idea for a band and my friends were all really supportive and then I found Danielle and it just sort of happened.” In a complete whirlwind of a year, the duo released a single, an EP, two singles, and they’re already on their very first tour with indie rock band American Authors, which will be quickly followed up by a tour with James Blunt. “Our first tour has been amazing so far, we’ve had a really good first couple of weeks. It’s been amazing to get to do it with American Authors, we’re hometown buddies! We’re so glad that they decided to invite us on the road to join them.” The band is also incredibly excited to begin touring with James Blunt also, “We love James Blunt, he’s an incredible singer and an incredible song writer. We’re really excited to join him!” With every tour there are always a few hiccups and they have been no exception, “I think it was when we were in Columbus, Ohio? We had forgotten to book our hotel room! We slept out in the parking lot in our truck and just put on a bunch of blankets to try and stay warm.” “Be Okay” was actually Oh Honey’s very first release as a band and it makes you feel exactly how you expect it to, like everything is going to be okay. The duo recorded the song and the album with the entire message of “even if it looks like things are terrible, they’re going to be okay. Maybe not today but they will.” The song went on to be a summer hit and is even being included in a “NOW” compilation. They filmed the music video for “Be Okay” all around their hometown of Williamsburg in New York City. “It was so fun. We just got to walk around the city handing people signs saying ‘we’ll be okay’!” The video perfectly captures the bands total essence and what it is that they’re trying to say to their fans, all while having the time of their lives just playing around New York City. The happy, light beats are so reminiscent of summer, that you’ll be tapping your foot all the way to the beach. “Be Okay” has also gained attention from big networks and was recently featured on the FOX mega hit show, Glee and was recently featured in an episode sung by Rachel Berry (Lea Michelle) and Santana (Naya Rivera).

The Glee feature has brought in tons of fans to their YouTube video of “Be Okay” and the rest of their music. Both members of the bands grew up admiring and loving musicians who could tell a story and it’s something that they’ve been able to bring to the table when creating their own music. Mitchy and Danielle communicate with their audience well and Danielle loves Bon Iver, but she also loves and admires female singer songwriters like, Sara Barellies and Fleetwood Mac. The amazing fusion of these two artists have given them a wonderful sound all their own and one that lovers of The Lumineers and Of Monsters and Men will love and flock to. The two haven’t forgotten their roots and still have incredibly fond memories of Brooklyn and of New York City in general. “It’s so inspiring to be there. You just keep falling in love with it every single day. It’s crazy because you could live there and walk around to a different place every day, and you would never know or see it all.” + photos : eric mooney + story : andrey patino

“ Our

first tour has been amazing

so far, we’ve had a really good first couple of weeks. It’s been amazing to get to do it with American Authors, we're hometown buddies! We’re so glad that they decided to invite us on the road to join them. ”

CONNECT + website: www.ohhoneymusic.com + facebook: www.facebook.com/ohhoneymusic + twitter: www.twitter.com/ohhoneymusic

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south by southwest m

+ photos A N D S T O R Y : L E X I E A L L E Y

If you have had the privilege of being in Austin, TX during South by Southwest, you know that it is nearly indescribable without experiencing first hand. Attempting to usually ends with, “you’ll see when you get there.” Organized chaos is the best way I can explain it. You are running from concert to party to free event all while trying to shovel a taco or two down while remembering you forgot you needed to be on 6th Street at 4PM. Each day is met with maybe four or five hours of sleep, sore legs and for most of us, our jobs. You attend events all day and work through the night, and then get up to do it all over again. You don’t notice the tiredness as much while you’re at SXSW. There is an energy flowing in the air, magic you can’t describe that thrusts you into the next day’s events. All fueled by the Starbucks downstairs or the free energy drinks from the trucks outside. This was my first year working down at SXSW but my second attending, so I knew a few of the ins and outs already. The drill: RSVP to day parties like crazy, make a detailed schedule of all the artists and showcases you plan to go to, then throw it all out the window. I ended up seeing a lot of artists who were not on my radar before at all, at the encouragement of friends and random twitter recommendations. That is what SXSW is all about: discovering new music and hopefully being able to see some great artists in a more intimate setting than you otherwise would.

Regardless of popularity, the artists are there to play anywhere that has an open space, whether it’s a bar with a capacity of 100 or at Stubb’s Barbeque. Everyone plays their heart out, regardless. I got incredibly lucky on multiple occasions to see some unique performances, most notably being when I was offered a mysterious free ride only to arrive front row to the KCRW showcase with Sam Smith, Future Islands and Bear Hands, and when the Waterloo Day Party got rained out and I somehow ended up inside the record store to catch an acoustic performance by The 1975 to around 200 people, just after leaving the Whole Foods rooftop from a shoot with Blacklist Royals. I saw countless artists while down at SXSW and was fortunate enough not to see one bad act. A few other notable acts to keep a look out for are Lucius, The Strypes, Temples, Bear Hands, Sam Smith, Holy Esque, Oh Honey, Drenge, From Indian Lakes and Future Islands, who gave probably the most unexpectedly mind blowing performance I’ve seen in awhile, having not seen their Letterman performance a few days before. An unfortunate event occurred at SXSW this year that took the lives of 4 and injured many others. Our hearts are with all of them and their families. If you would like to make a donation to those affected, you can do so at the link below.: https://www.austincommunityfoundation.org/?nd=donate_ detail&donation_id=2831&return_nd=donate

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Holy Esque + photos : lexie alley + q / a : pat hynes

Having came across Holy Esque a few months before my SXSW trip, I was anxious to catch them in down in Austin to see what the hype was all about. While they are relatively young as far as bands go, their self titled EP and following singles have earned rave reviews and high profile shows at The Great Escape, BBC Introducing Stage at Glastonbury and the final slot of the British Music Embassy Day Party, this year at SXSW. I headed to Latitude 30 where the show was taking place a bit early and thankfully I did. The venue was at capacity when Holy Esque took the stage. As the band was setting up, I could hear a conversation to my right between two UK natives. The woman asked “I don’t know these guys, should I stay? It’s too crowded here.” The man replied, “Yes, I got here early just for them. They will be the best of the day. Stay. Trust me.” With that, Holy Esque took the stage and immediately started off strong. Showcasing their brilliant musicianship armed with thick bass lines, catchy pop rock guitar melodies and Pay Hynes gritty, honest vocals reminiscent of 90’s alternative rock and true UK rock n’ roll. The band was absolutely captivating. His voice was even more mesmerizing live than on the records. Their songs are emotionally heavy, somewhat dark at times, but mostly epic. Simply, every song packs a punch. With each one they played, you could feel the people in the room being hit by force of this band, turned from skeptics or curious bystanders to fans. Their show remains one of my favorites during my entire time down at SXSW. At conclusion of their performance, the man let out a simple, “Told ya so,” to which the woman (unsurprisingly) agreed. Holy Esque’s single, “Silences” was released on February 10th and is likely just another indicator of what is to come. The band is in the process of recording a full length. I highly suggest you be on the lookout for them in 2014. This could very easily be their year.

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How did you guys meet and ultimately form Holy Esque? PH: Myself and Keir met through mutual friends growing up. I worked with Hugo in a bar and Keir went to Glasgow School of Art with Ralph. Keir and I had been talking about a new project for a while and eventually we did, it was all quite a natural process. You guys released an EP that was very well received and just recently released the single “Silences.” Are you surprised by how fast everything has been developing given your short time as a band? PH: Progression within any form of art is constantly happening even when you’re unaware of it so I wouldn’t say I was surprised by it. I think the fact that we’re always together working on new ideas for the band, development should come as no surprise.

Your music has some elements of the indie wave craze going on right now, but there are a lot of unique elements to your sound that sets your guys apart. Some notably being the vocals and the 80s and classic rock elements present throughout. Was this a conscious decision or was it something that developed organically? PH: We’ve never discussed a potential blue print for the sound of the band so the various properties of the sound, definitely originate from an organic process.

You are in the process of recording a full length album. Should we expect something that is in line with the sounds on your EP and singles, or should be anticipate any new sounds or elements that you guys explore? PH: We’ve explored a lot of new sounds, ideas and possibilities with these recordings. Being that this is our debut album it’s been an eye opening process in terms of learning how to apply sounds in different manors. That being said people should anticipate something totally fresh in comparison to our previous work.

While you guys played last year, you have developed a lot more hype in the months that followed. Is there any pressure this year to make an even bigger impact at the event? PH: I don’t think so, I feel as if there’s only as much pressure as we want to believe there is. That being said we’ll definitely be going in with the mind set to make a bigger impact than last year.

The band have been pretty autonomous in how you handle the band, extending into the artwork and imagery the band uses. Is this something you plan on continuing to do? PH: Certainly, the various aspects involved in being in a band are arguably equally as important as the music that you make so we plan on continuing that trend and exploring it even further than before.

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CARBON TIGERS + photos A N D S T O R Y : L E X I E A L L E Y + I L L U S T R A T I O N S : G E O R G E S P O O N E R

The band, Carbon Tigers was has already been featured by NYLON Magazine and had recordings done as part of the Audiotree series. Having been already impressed by Carbon Tigers EP, The Wars At Home (which was on consistent repeat on my plane ride to Austin, TX). I was anxious to catch them in a live setting. On day two of my SXSW adventures, I ran over to the Big Picture Media Showcase where Carbon Tigers was playing and luckily got there just as they were starting. Immediately the room was filled with the four pieceâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s exceptional instrumentation. It was indie, yes, but it was also ambient and pop/rock and angular. Their songs are filled with impressive builds and soothing vocals and catchy hooks and made for a live show that left a lasting impression on me.

For our readers who are just hearing of you guys, can you give us a brief introduction? CT: We are a four piece indie rock band from Chicago. We usually get compared to bands along the lines of Young The Giant, Minus The Bear and Death Cab for Cutie. Your latest EP, The Wars At Home was recorded as a result of a week long isolating stint in studio. How do you think that changed how it turned out? CT: Working on TWAH was an amazing process. We were completely secluded in the studio. I slept there. We cooked and ate there. We didn’t see anyone outside of ourselves and our producers for a week. Actually, that’s a lie. On the fourth day, we said “Let there be Chipotle!” and we made a run into the city for some burrito bowls. It was great though, we would wake up around 8AM and start recording the album. One of us would be tracking in the main room with Jon, while Chris was recording vocals in the barn with Gabe. We got to try out a lot of ideas, thanks to the multiple work spaces. You guys have gotten a lot of buzz this year, with several sold out shows and Nylon Magazine featuring your EP, to name a few. Did you guys like all the attention? CT: It definitely feels like we’re on the right path now. For a while, we were on the fence about how to push ourselves forward as a band and I think we are getting there. It’s nice to see new faces singing along at the shows. I’m sure a lot of that has to do with the press. Working with the team at Big Picture Media has been an incredible experience and we love having them on board. What does your writing process look like? CT: Songwriting for us is extremely collaborative. One of us will come in with an idea of how a song could go or a riff to jam off of. We used to spend hours jamming and trying out parts to see which fit best. As of lately though, we’ve gotten really good at reading each other and finding ways to expedite the trial and error process. We’ve actually started jamming at some of our shows just to push ourselves a little bit further.

Have you guys played SXSW before? CT: This year was our first trip down to Texas as a band. We had a lot of expections like the weather to be warm, the food to be delicious and the people to be beautiful. How has it been coming up in the Chicago music scene? CT: I think the Chicago music scene is this giant bubble full of so many talented artists. I’m finding more new and amazing artists every day. I think Chicago artists like Chance The Rapper and The Orwells are helping to establish our city as a place to find great music. LA and NYC are obviously up there but I think Chicago will be the next big hub for new music. Dream gig or dream artist to play with? CT: Oooooh! Also a tough one! If we could somehow play on a bill with Queen, Death Cab for Cutie, Minus The Bear, and Childish Gambino, we’d be pretty stoked!

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“ we’ve actually started

jamming at some of our shows, just to push ourselves a little bit further.

”

Do you guys have a full length planned? CT: We are currently in talks with some producers about recording three to four new songs early this summer. We’ve also been talking with our label about pressing a vinyl. Everything is still in the works but we are aiming to release, The Wars at Home and these next songs together on a vinyl. TWAH on one side and our newest songs on the other. Really exciting to think our songs will be on wax! Is there any favorite artist you guys find yourselves always listening to? CT: We’ve been listening to a lot of Arctic Monkeys lately. Like a lot (laughs) we were a little late to the party but hot damn are they brilliant! We also listen to a lot of stand up comedy on our drives from gig to gig. Some favorites there are Kevin Hart, John Mulaney and Rob Delaney. Favorite local Chicago spot? CT: Hmm, that’s tough! There’s so many great spots in this city, I think we all an affinity towards Boiler Room. They have this deal called the PB&J, which is a slice of pizza, a tall can of beer and a shot of Jameson, all for under $10.

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Blacklist

royals Blacklist Royals of a prime example of pure American punk and southern rock based from Nashville, TN. Their songs are powerful, melodic and showcase their talented and honest songwriting abilities. Every instrument and vocal seems to be in perfect harmony with one another. While I unfortunately did not get to catch their live show due to a rainout at the Whole Foods Rooftop at the end of the week, I can undoubtedly say that these guys put on a great show due to the chatter I heard about them throughout the week from people who caught their other shows. Their LP, Die Young With Me is set to be released on June 10th and is more personal than their previous albums. Having put more blood, sweat, and tears into this album than in any of their other released in the past, Blacklist Royals is set to put out their best record to date. We caught up with them to discuss their band, SXSW, and what the future holds for them.

How did the name “Blacklist Royals” come about? BLR: Ha sh*t, honestly when we came up with it we just wanted a name that evoked something you might see in a black and white photo. Something that almost sounded like a gang. We came up with a lot of words, phrases, etc and scrambled them around and BLR just sounded right. Do you guys have a favorite Nashville spot that you go to when you’re relaxing and not playing music for a change? BLR: We definitely don’t go out to bars as much as we used to, probably because we have been touring so much and spend every day in bars. The Belcourt Theater is awesome, The End and Foobar are great to see a punk rock show. But between tours I can mostly be found getting coffee over in East Nashville, grabbing takeout sushi and staying home catching up on my HBO shows.

This next record, you’ve said it will be much more personal than the previous. Was writing this record therapeutic for you guys in a sense? BLR: It was definitely heavy at points during the writing process. Every song on this album is written about what we went through during my battles with cancer from 17-21 struggles Nat and I went through during those times and beyond them to where we are now. The song topics are things we didn’t usually talk about to anyone, even each other. So when we got together with the songs and started working on it, we realized it was going to be something completely different. And the record itself was a battle, we recorded the record twice, changed band members, managers, agents and went broke more times than I can remember fighting to make this album happen. There were times where I honestly thought it would never even be heard. So when we finished it, it was very therapeutic for us. Like a chapter in our lives was over, and we could move forward into a new adventure. You guys have hit SXSW before. Any particularly fond memories or interesting moments? BLR: Definitely! SXSW always has a lot of trippy moments for this band. We met our guitar player Brad there, I even met my girlfriend at a SXSW showcase. That show, the Shirts for a Cure 10th Anniversary showcase is a particularly fond memory. SFAC is a really cool organization that makes limited edition band tshirts to raise money for cancer research. As a cancer survivor, it was something my brother and I were very honored to be apart of. You have spent the last three years on the road supporting your debut full length, Semper Liberi when can fans expect your next set of material to drop? BLR: We have! We released a few EPs in the meantime though, Brothers & Sisters and Graveyard Shifts (Europe and UK only) in 2012 and Righteous Child, just last November. I am happy to say our new full length, Die Young With Me will be coming out June 10th on Krian/Universal Music Group! Was rock n’ roll, both historically and in the present, a decision factor for your being based in Nashville? BLR: Partly, Nat and I grew up in a small West Virginia town. When I was finally well enough, we knew we had to move if we wanted to really have a shot at playing music.

(cont’d) Nashville was steeped in old music we dug and had a cool vibe and seemed like a place where we could find like minded musicians. But if I am totally honest the reason we ended up in Nashville is simply we were too broke to move to LA (laughs). Thank god though, that place would have eaten our hillbilly asses alive. I know the founding members are from West Virginia. is there a local scene there? I don’t recall any particular acts or genres specifically stemming from that area. Was this “isolation” impactful at all in how you create music now? BLR: There was a small group of bands growing up where we’d play VFW Halls and the YWCA dance halls. That was it though, it was one of those towns that’s nothing more than a great American pit stop. Nat and I would have to drive six to seven hours to Cleveland or Pittsburgh if we wanted to see shows. That isolation, the feeling of just wanting to break free and make it out is something that I think is a underlining theme in most great rock n’ roll music. So for us, it was no different and definitely had an impact on our sound. We couldn’t relate to a lot of music from CA or NYC, so a lot of more open chord type music sounded more true to who we were. But there is unfortunately no music scene there anymore. I dream of one day going back and playing that f*cking YWCA haha. You guys have played tons of shows in a short amount of time. Do you have a preference between the large crowds and festivals or smaller venues with more intimate crowds? Does it affect your performance at all? BLR: I don’t think so. We basically go in to every show expecting a worse case scenario crowd wise. We do a lot of support slots on tour and a lot of times those crowds don’t give a f*ck about any of the openers. So we play for each other and to each other and give it 110% every f*cking time. Playing is the true therapy, playing with your brother and friends and not caring about all the other sh*t dragging you down. If we get lucky and a crowd connects to that, the size or venue of it doesn’t matter to us at all. Playing in a basement in Germany, playing Warped Tour, playing House of Blues, each is amazing if you feel the crowd vibing off you and giving that energy back. It’s f*cking amazing. Truly indescribable, regardless of crowd size or venue. + photos and story : L E X I E A L L E Y

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BEAR HANDS + photos : L E X I E A L L E Y + q / a : ted feldman

I somehow managed to get to the front row of the KCRW showcase down at SXSW. I arrived to a relatively free, open floor and walked freely to the front, only to find thirty seconds later the entire room behind me was filled to capacity. With Bear Hands following the notoriously gorgeous vocals of Sam Smith and the recently (unofficially) crowned master of the live show, Future Islands, I was very curious to see how Bear Hands would stack up in juxtaposition to these two amazing acts. They held their own, no problem. Immediately the audience was greeted with vocalist/guitarist/keyboardist Dylan Rau half rap, half singing staccato that somehow fits perfectly amongst their psychedelic 80’s rock inspired melodies reminiscent of another fellow Brooklyn band, MGMT.

Also notable is their sense of humor, observed in both their lyrical content and nearly any interview you read from them. Favorites from the show include Bone Digger and Giants, the latter which has already begun aggressively circulating on popular indie radio stations. You can get both tracks from their latest album, Distraction. To be honest though, I’ve had the whole album on repeat since this show. They are truly infectious. One thing is for sure, is that you cannot categorize these guys. Regardless, it’s undeniable that they are simply great and a breath of fresh air for music. Be sure to look out for their music this summer, as they will likely be on at least 80% of your playlists.

So how did the name “Bear Hands” come about? TF: Dogs love cheese, Val loves puns. Why is Dylan uppercase and Ted lowercase? TF: You have to know us, I guess. I’m just a lowercase kinda guy. Your music is very genre bending – you seem to have some punk and indie and even some hip hop elements in your music. Any particular influences between all of you? TF: Everyone likes different genres. For instance, at the moment, I’m really into beautiful, truthful, well constructed songs while Val, TJ, and Dylan’s tastes span the crap spectrum. What does the writing process look like for you guys? TF: A cloudy glass of water, followed by a lot of pacing, obsessing, tweaking, detailing, trimming the fat. If you had to pick is there one track that you think represents you guys most as a band? TF: “Good Vibrations” by Marky Mark and the Funky Bunch. What is the most memorable show/performance you guys have had to date? TF: Probably nighttime Leeds, 2009 or the first time we played Bowery Ballroom. Firsts are always memorable. Favorite tour snack? TF: Just discovered giant Chex “chips” – revolutionary. What was the last song you all jammed to? TF: Paul Simon’s “Graceland” – It was a travesty. Fans might recall a funny incident where a girl “accidentally” stole a coat of yours at a show once, any other weird/funny fan encounters? TF: I got a new jacket, if that’s what you’re asking. Not as nice, but much warmer, so, you know. One time someone stole my shoes. That was weird/awful.

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GARDEN AND VILLAS

+ photos : eric mooney + q / a : A dam R asmussen

How did the band, Gardens and Villas start? AR: We met in my garage over some heavily spirited guitar/keyboard adventures (laughs). The chemistry was pretty immediate. We spent the following foggy, late winter, orange evenings in north of LA gettin real and discovering our form. What’s your favorite thing about tour? AR: The best part of touring is obviously performance, nothing makes you feel in tune or balanced/engaged quite like performing every night. But the opportunity to travel and see this and other countries is really a gift as well, countless road side turn outs in the middle of nowhere for deep breaths and far off thinking.

What is you and the guys guilty pleasure while on tour? AR: We’re not big on things like fast food and soda pop. We do dig, picking out things at the travel stops for firecrackers, raccoon skin hats, etc. Also, cheap beer can be a lot of fun. Lastly, the middle of the roadside wooden shacks that sell items like rocks and herb, our crystal collection is modest but always increasing. What is your favorite city that you’ve played in thus far? AR: New Orleans is a mysterious place, we’ve had some very interesting encounters there. Montreal is usually pure magic, some fascinating people in those parts. Barcelona is in every way full of richness and beauty, our hearts are often in Barcelona.

Is there any tensions on the bus while on tour? AR: Usually has to do with swiping at someone’s left overs (laughs). Sometime we bicker over what should be listened to while speeding through the midwest, windows down. What can we expect from the band next? AR: We’re thinking about investing in space exploration, I need to see that sh*t with my own eyes. Until we can come up with any significant $ to throw at it though. Probably make more records and keep touring. Maybe move to a new area. As for the immediate future, we’ll be in Europe and then on tour with Tycho that will go thru May.

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american authors

lucius

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the 1975

the strypes

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