For those individuals who are feeling lost in a chaotic world, help is coming from an indie/folk-rock quartet out of Lancaster, Pennsylvania, named The Deconstructionists.

This mesmerizing quartet sings twelve soul-stirring songs throughout their second album, New Heaven, New Earth, which was released on November 12, 2021. This breathtaking collection of music will leave listeners pleasantly surprised due to the fact that there is a message of hope being put forth for those who are feeling lost. However, one must be willing to listen to their inner selves, as well as others because the truth can be painful.

The painful journey begins with the opening song, “Come Quickly, Jesus,” which paints a bleak picture of overwhelming darkness featuring weeping vocals and rustic, yet haunting indie/folk-rock melodies that sound like a ghost yowling loudly inside of a troubled person’s mind. This person, who appears to be terribly frightened by the consequences of their undesirable behavior, made those around them want to run away from them as quickly as possible.

Therefore, the troubled person is desperately wanting help from a higher power in order to regain the trust of friends and family. Meanwhile, the painful journey continues to put a strain on the troubled person’s patience in the second song, “Losing Privilege,” featuring quivering vocals and gritty indie/folk-rock melodies that sound like a troubled person is literally being raked over hot coals. So, the troubled person is being tested by God because they are reverting back to their undesirable habits because it is easier to quit and run from something that is truthful and good.

Darkness slowly gives way to sunshine during the painful journey in the third song, “New Heaven, New Earth” featuring raspy vocals and fluttering folk-rock melodies that sound like a light breeze is gently blowing through a person’s hair on a cool, sunny day. This song has a calming nature to it because it shows that a troubled person can face their fears and appreciate Mother Nature’s beauty and be able to socialize openly with other people because the troubled person has overcome their fears and failures.

This eye-opening album will definitely not be the last from The Deconstructionists due to the painstaking details of both gritty and soft indie-folk melodies along with the haunting, yet soulful vocal harmonies brought forth throughout this collection of music. This peace-loving indie/folk-rock quartet drives home a message of hope within a chaotic world as continues to spin out of control on a daily basis.

Connect with The Deconstructionists

Website | Facebook | Soundcloud | YouTube | Spotify | Apple Music

Originally from Tulsa, Patrick Coman has seen a lot of this country.  While visiting at his CD Release set last night at Lancaster’s Tellus360, I learned that he recently spent eight years in Boston and now lives in Charlottesville.  He and his wife have a lovely two-year-old daughter with whom he spends most of his time.

Coman is a singer-songwriter with a distinctive Indie-Blues style.  He is laid-back, friendly, and passionate about his music, family and musical influences.  Those songwriting influences are folks like JJ Cale, Tom Waits and surprisingly, Leon Russell.  Late in his set, he covered another clear influence: Townes Van Zandt with the classic blues structured “Brand New Companion.”

Another unique nod to the past was his one-man-band set-up.  There sitting on a piano bench next to his stool was a long, flat wooden box.  It was a vintage electric analog drum machine.  He used it for accompaniment on most songs to add depth, drive and at times, nuance.  I noticed a warmth that isn’t found in today’s electronic equivalents.  It really was a nice addition to his sound.  Beyond that, Coman played a red solid body Gibson electric with an array of pedals and tapped a tambourine with his boot.

Coman opened the set with the mid-tempo rocker “Trouble” off the new CD.  It was a great selection to signal what the set would deliver.  It could easily be a toe-tapping singalong with its call and response of the title in the chorus.

The set continued with stories and engaging tunes.  Five songs in, he introduced “The Judge.”  Coman explained that he felt he should have a traveling song in his repertoire, so this Johnny Cash inspired country blues gem to fit the bill.

Just as he had the party rolling, it was time to get serious as he introduced the title song of the EP, “Tree of Life.”  It is the first song Coman wrote for his beloved daughter.  She was in utero at the time, so I’m sure there are many more to follow.  It’s no lullaby.  It has a serious tone lyrically and screaming guitar licks propelling it forward.

“I saw you drinking from the tree of life, waiting to arrive.”

Opening the evening was local Indie singer-songwriter, Chris Kauffman. Kauffman is well-known in the area as both a solo artist and leader of the band The Deconstructionists.  His songs are spare and thought-provoking.  Opening with “Down By The River,” off his new self-titled full band CD, the song has several layers and would play well as a full-fledged Bluegrass tune with fiddles and mandolins.

Kauffman is also one who is a good storyteller between songs.  Another memorable tune from his show was a personal observation about how Facebook is now a place where offering an opinion can take folks down an ever-escalating rabbit hole of incivility.  Called “The Straw Man Versus the Paper Tiger,” his frustration is masked by cheery whistling and a mid-tempo driving beat.

“There is a place where everything you’ve ever said is all written down.”  Yeah … we can all relate to that!

Indirect support was Indie singer-songwriter Liz Fulmer of Lancaster PA. Fulmer’s set included traditionally styled originals with clear autobiographical origins and a straightforward, no-frills performance.  In her case, lyrics take center stage delivered with her very warm, wide-ranging vocals.  Her self-titled well produced release is available on Soundcloud and other platforms.

Patrick Coman’s music is found on Spotify, iTunes and at http://patrickcoman.com/

(Photos By Dan Williams)

Indie folk/alternative Boston-based trio, Tall Heights, and Vermont-based singer/songwriter, Henry Jamison, played to an intimate, attentive crowd of music lovers last night at the Lizard Lounge (located in the bottom level of the Chameleon Club).

Tall Heights played many tracks from their latest record, Neptune. They also performed some new songs, one of which was only their fourth time performing live. It was a great song – somewhat quirky and unique, while having some elements of alt-J, and some of the incredible folk music out of New England.

Singer/songwriter Henry Jamison opened his set around 7:30 PM and played tracks from his latest EP, The Rains. He joked that most of his songs are “about a girl”, but he has some that aren’t. Included in his set were the title track, “The Rains”, “Real Peach”, as well as the EP’s opener, “Dallas Love Field.”

Both artists performed a beautiful collection of music that combined the best elements of heartache, love, friendship, and more into songs that can stand the test of time. They’re performing together in Philly tonight at Johnny Brenda’s. Tickets are available now.

Photos courtesy of the Press House

Four years ago, Lancaster County’s own The Stray Birds released their self-titled debut album that fueled nationwide attention their way and helped the band soar to new heights. The band’s third record, Magic Fire, is due out this August, and according to Oliver Craven, it’s the band’s best work to-date.

The Stray Birds’ self-titled record garnered the trio a positive response and national attention. “We felt like it was pretty well received in the roots/Americana/folk community,” Craven explains. ‘The eponymous record opened some doors and helped spread our music around. Like any journey there are landmarks and things take you in a particular direction.”

Their sophomore release, Best Medicine, was also met with incredible reviews and praise from media outlets like NPR and Mountain Stage. The response to this record, like their debut, opened even more doors for the band in all facets of their career.

“I think what had more to do with it [than the response] was what we wanted to do, writing music together, and the response, indirectly, took us to places where we were able to have opportunities,” Craven clarifies.

With two records in, and now their third due out in August, The Stray Birds are just really getting the feel of how well they collaborate as a group and with people outside of the band. Prior to Magic Fire, the band would write separately at times, with Craven bringing a song in or Maya de Vitry bringing a song, or now Charles Muench. Craven explains that writing with his bandmates was “easier. [You] share ownership and are part of a contribution. Sometimes you don’t see eye to eye on something. It’s validating. You write a song with another person and there’s more opinions, it was fun.

“I think we’ve become more collaborative and just with the entirety of the process. In the beginning, it was one of my songs, one of Maya’s songs, etc. – that’s how we made the self-titled record,” says Craven. “[With Magic Fire], we’ve got songs written by all three of us, by people outside of the band. I think we’ve kind of matured to a point where we’re willing to open ourselves up to a shared creative vision.”

The group is still learning and growing as friends, and still creating. “With Magic Fire, it was a really great experience with Shane Leonard, the drummer who is on the record, who helped us arrange all the songs. Also, working with Larry Campbell, helped us turn this thing into what it is,” Craven reveals.

With Leonard on drums and producer Campbell, the trio has really been ambitious with this record, bringing outside players and influences into the mix. The way they’ve been able to move from their comfort zone, so to speak, and bring in people that can challenge them creatively, shows a lot about their ambition and drive to continue building upon each record.

“I think we’re getting closer to realizing what things can be,” says Craven. “I think that as far as realizing any musical vision in the studio. It feels like this is what we were trying to do.”

The Stray Birds will in Ardmore on June 23rd with Evie Ladin at the Ardmore Music Hall. The two will also be together on June 24th at the Abbey Bar in Harrisburg.

photo by Ruby Maxwell

Sunflower Bean is a rock band that pay homage to psych with some dreamy shoegaze mixed in. Jacob Faber (drums), Julia Cumming (vox and bass guitar) and Nick Kivlen (vox and guitar) met through the Brooklyn, NY DIY scene and released their debut album, Human Ceremony, in February 2016. I was able to chat with Nick Kivlen on the DIY scene, being an underage band in the music industry, how it was recording their album and where they plan on going from here.

They are all under 21 (Farber and Kivlen, 20 and Cumming, 19) and it can be a challenge to get shows in some bars or clubs based on the strict laws on the venue. Sometimes you are allowed to play a venue, but then have to leave as soon as you are done playing. There are a good number of venues and promoters that are nice and accommodating for underage performers. Kivlen recalls that only one venue in San Diego, while on tour with Diiv and No Joy, made them leave after playing their set.

Kivlen says, “I think that being so young is exciting because we only have room to grow into ourselves as artist and song writers. It’s really hard to find your sound and get your shit together, you look up and three years have already passed. Youth is worshiped in rock and roll, and is one of the things it’s most celebrated for. It’s music by young people for young people (romantically speaking).”

Being on tour is fun and hard work; being on stage every night playing the same songs and trying to have the same energy. For me, I still get super nervous before going on stage, but once up there I get in the groove and forget about the butterflies. Kivlen says they all feel the most comfortable on stage. “It’s sort of our collective happy place, so playing every night and meeting new people is very rewarding. The U.S. tour with Diiv and No Joy was a lot of fun. We also had a great time with our friends Honduras and Weaves on our headlining U.S. tour,” he continues. He feels that going on tour with bands who are more seasoned is a really good learning experience for them, and most bands are pretty friendly.

Another set back being underage and in a band is your underage friends or fans cannot see you perform if the venue is not allowing all ages in; this is where DIY spaces come into play. DIY spaces can be sustainable to keep open, but it is a lot of hard work and most are being pushed further and further out of city limits. Such was a sad reality for the DIY space that my friend Oliver Ackermann (Death By Audio Pedals, A Place to Bury Strangers) opened called Death By Audio. Developers forced this space to close in November of 2014. Sunflower Bean was so lucky to have their first official show at Death By Audio.

“It was great! I was really privileged to know a lot of great promoters from my previous band (Turnip King). So when we started we had a lot of opening slots at real venues,” Kivlen remembers.

photo by Amanda Hatfield

Music being in the digital age and most things being at the tips of your fingers with a click of the mouse makes it easy to find what you want. I find most of my music through Spotify, 8Tracks and soundcloud; I like trying to find new music that I may not find through popular sites. The pro is you can post your music yourself and have control over it, the con is there is so much of it out there that a ton gets passed by. “With so much music out there, it can feel like you’re screaming into the void when you upload a track. You have to find creative or engaging ways to tempt people into clicking your track out of the millions of other bandcamp links,” says Kivlen.

What makes me feel a little old is Kivlen doesn’t remember the first CD or tape or record he bought. “Music was pretty digital by the time I started I listening and discovering on my own,” he says. However he does remember some CDs his parents gave him from a garage sale when he was young which included the Ramones. He fell in love with that one instantly. When we are young, what we listen to sticks with us, as we get older our tastes and influences change, but we never forget the nostalgia.

When Kivlen first started playing guitar he was very into hard rock and metal.The first songs he learned on guitar was “Come As You Are” and “Electric Funeral”. Speaking for the band, “We all grew up listening to a lot of the same classic rock.” Kivlen doesn’t have an extended formal education on guitar, but he did take a few lessons from the drummer of Agnostic Front when he was 10. Faber taught himself the drums, but learned to play the keyboard and saxophone while growing up. All through high school, Cumming studied classical music. Having parents that were really into music helped shaped each of them individually as musicians.

I love talking about gear and learning about new and vintage pedals. Kivlen tells me he only uses cheap equipment because he likes to Frankenstein different gear together. I personally don’t know how all that circuitry works. I’d like to know, but he says, “you can do a lot with little money if you know the hidden gems. I’d take my rig and Squire Stratocaster over any expensive tube amp or Les Paul any day. I pretty much only play Strats. Whenever I try any other guitar, I always come back to my Strat.”

Sunflower Bean still plays most of the same gear they started out with. They didn’t have a plan for the sound they were going for so they just used what they had and built it up from there. Kivlen did get obsessed with using vocal delays so he borrowed his friend’s Boss Vocal Processor and really loves it.

photo by Rebekah Campbell

Their EP was recorded over the course of a year, and the album, Human Ceremony, was done in a real studio within a few days, with their friend Mathew Molnar producing it. They didn’t want to just go in and hit record without having a precise plan. So, they spent a lot of time writing and editing before going in the studio. “There was a pretty intense three month period of pre-production, including demo-ing and rehearsing,” Kivlen says.

I really love the imagery and emotions from the album and I love the videos that are out so far. “Easier Said” is my favorite; it’s so beautiful. It sounds hopeful and bittersweet. Then they have “Wall Watcher” which is so jarring and leaves me feeling anxious., yet it was so intensely beautiful. I learned from Kivlen that everything that Sunflower Bean puts out is carefully crafted and salved over, but it all still comes out naturally. Kivlen feels, “Albums are more than just sound recordings. Once you put vinyl in a cardboard box and slap an image on the front the songs take on an entirely different context. We can’t hear these songs objectively in a vacuum, being in a band is much more than just being a sonic artist, it involves a lot of multi-media.”

Sunflower Bean are going to be spending 2016 playing summer festivals and touring. They are always working on new songs and try to rehearse new material during soundchecks while on the road. There is one new song in their set right now so check out this band live. I saw them open for Diiv and No Joy, and I was very impressed!

They will be at the Chameleon Club in Lancaster tonight with Cave Paint and Saving Apollo. It is an all ages event. If you’re lucky enough to have access to this year’s NonComm Conference at World Cafe Live, you can see them tomorrow night at 8:30.

photo by Lauren Elle Jaye

The Entertainment Institute (TEI) is one of the most notable music education organizations in the industry today. Founded by Kevin Lyman, also the founder of the Vans Warped Tour, TEI brings together musicians and industry professionals for the ultimate music business education platform. I recently had the opportunity to speak with Matt Halpern of TEI (also formerly Animals As Leaders and The Underwater, currently Periphery) about his involvement with TEI and his experiences in the industry.

Back when he was still playing with Animals As Leaders, he was in the process of founding a company called Bandhappy. Bandhappy connected musicians and their fans through educational experiences, both online via video chat and in-person, at concerts and festivals.

The annual Vans Warped Tour was one of their biggest hubs for connecting musicians with their fans. “Kevin Lyman, Founder of the Vans Warped Tour, supported Bandhappy’s mission from day one, and gave us the great opportunity of facilitating our experiences on his tour,” Halpern explains. “At the same time, I was ramping things down with Bandhappy, Kevin was looking to ramp things up with The Entertainment Institute. Kevin, Jen [Kellogg, TEI co-founder], and myself are all extremely passionate about educating, so it made sense to team up and get to work. Now as founders, it’s our goal to foster as many inspiring and educational connections as we can.”

Between the three of them, TEI is a really team effort, and it’s based around a huge, mutual passion for educating. Initially, Hapern had music education circling the industry through Bandhappy, specifically with artists. Lyman has been speaking at schools, involved in various industry events, and working with musicians and fans for years. Kellogg, the other TEI co-founder, brings experience from being an adjunct instructor in Columbia College of Chicago’s music industry program, in addition to a veteran tour accountant, and creative genius.

Halpern has a true passion for educating, but also for inspiration. “Facilitating connections between people, where the end product is inspiration, is one of the coolest things you can do. That’s what drives all of us at TEI,” he reveals.

Halpern’s focus with TEI is a combination of business development and creative expansion. The goal for him is “to create meaningful connections between creatives and their fans” and “to help form a tight sense of community amongst like-minded individuals, and give them a place to share their passions without feeling vulnerable.”

Currently, he’s working on a new platform for TEI that will allow well-known creatives, such as musicians and artists, have direct access with their most dedicated fans. Halpern’s extensive experience in the music industry has obviously shaped how he’s managed his educational style.

“Chances are, I’ve been through it, and if I haven’t, I’m sure I know someone who has. It’s through the experience that I can provide better advice, and really tell people what NOT to do.”

Photo by Alexandra Herstik

South Carolina’s very own Glass Mansions is described on their Facebook page to be “propulsive and elastic, with bubbly pop melodies, lush electronic beds of sound and intelligent, intimate lyrics” that creates a sound like “Annie Lennox going steady with The Neighbourhood.”

One of the most notable bands I’ve heard in awhile are returning to Lancaster’s Launch Music Conference and Festival at the end of the week. Glass Mansions’ lead vocalist, Jayna Doyle, and I recently talked music and the great things to come for the electronic pop/pop rock band over the course of 2016.

Glass Mansions originally began performing under another band name before calling it quits. Following the band’s breakup, Doyle and the other two founding members, Blake and Patrick, decided to form a new band, which resulted in the birth of Glass Mansions.

The quartet, comprised of Doyle, Blake Arambula, Patrick Beardsley, and Johnny Gornati, has a sound all their own, but still garners similarities from pop rock bands like Paramore and others like them.

“We never really set out to be a certain genre, it was just something that we were heavily influenced by. Our shows feel like pop punk shows, our recordings are very pop-influenced. The plot twist is that we want to keep evolving and keep people guessing. When we did our latest EP, Gossip, it was more calculated with more synths as the star of the sound,” Doyle explains.

photo by Denton Cole Cruser

Although, their Gossip EP was released nearly three years ago, Doyle says that the songs still resonate with her now. “I wrote all the lyrics, so it was very cathartic,” she admits. “It still really matches and resonates with us. Over time, you kind of adapt to the emotions. I try to write my lyrics, so that they are relable universally.”

The quartet recently released a new song titled “Matches” that has a little of a different vibe to it if compared to Gossip.

“We kind of got caught up in writing electronic stuff. We started writing ‘Matches’ and it’s been a minute since we wrote a straight-up rock song,” Doyle explains. “We got some really weird feedback from ‘it’s too rock for a pop band’ to ‘it’s too pop for a rock band.’”

If you’ve listened to the band’s Gossip EP and “Matches” on SoundCloud, you can definitely hear that the band is going in a different musical direction with the new track. “It’s full forced, in-your-face, the most aggressive song we’ve written. Our new stuff is a little more different. We’re thinking about it a lot more and we’re writing a little bit smarter. I spend a lot of time on my lyrics and trying to think of metaphors for different things.”

photo by Travis Litke

“Matches” is paving the way for the band’s new material and self-titled EP due later this year.

“Our new music is a little bit more focused. We’ve had time to really think about our sound and what we want to highlight. Gossip was really the first time we focused on electronics. This new stuff is more focused on lyrics and other stuff,” Doyle says.

So this will be the second year that Glass Mansions has attended Launch Music Conference and they’re really excited about the opportunity to perform and mingle with industry experts. Last year was their first conference they played.

“It’s an awesome experience getting to meet people in the industry. [We] met Kevin Lyman [founder of the Vans Warped Tour] and he was the nicest guy,” Doyle reveals.

Catch Glass Mansions’ set on the outdoor Penn Square stage Saturday night at 9 PM. They’ll be sure to rock your faces off.

photo by Shervin Lainez

Lancaster’s Launch Music Conference is seriously bringing some solid musical talent for this year’s conference and that doesn’t exclude NYC’s electronic pop band, The Parkers. The trio known as the The Parkers are comprised of sisters, Anya Parker-Lentz and Kate Parker-Lentz, and Henry Kane. Recently, I had the opportunity to speak with Anya about the beginnings of the band and what direction they’re headed in.

Anya is the oldest of the two sisters, with Kate being four years younger. They grew up in a musical household — their father played guitar and they grew up singing. “We were singing with him and we started doing YouTube videos,” Anya reveals.

Early on, both Anya and Kate were members of the New Jersey Youth Chorus. “It was an outlet,” Anya admits. I was playing chords and would go to the basement to channel my teen angst.”

The age difference between the two sisters has had an effect on their career. “By the time she [Kate] started working with me, I already a singer/songwriter career,” Anya says. The age difference also offered different perspectives towards their music, though. “I think in any setting having different perspectives related to age is very helpful. I’ve gone to events and performing. Sometimes Kate can look at it a little bit more creatively, think about it more creatively, and not so focused on what producers or parents want.”

So if you haven’t heard The Parkers’ latest song, “Let’s Disappear,” available to stream via SoundCloud. It’s a superb mix of electronic, pop, R&B, and hip hop all blended together into a song that has its own vibe. The music video for “Let’s Disappear” was designed to be reminiscent of a dream-like world.

“Kate and I are really drawn to mystery and getting lost in ourselves. Being scared, emotional, wanting to run away, etc, we really like pushing ourselves,” Anya says. “We listen to a lot of Flume, Led Zeppelin. There wasn’t a single thing that influenced the song.”

Right now, they’re currently working on new material. “We have a ton of songs written and we’re working on channeling our performance, on our image,” Anya explains. “Our recent writing has been influenced by Sky Ferreira, but also keeping it in the vein of the Eurythmics.”

Launch is going to be a great event and conference and The Parkers are looking forward to attending and performing again. Be sure to stop by to see them perform at Marion Court on Friday at 6 PM.

Over the past few days, we’ve been sharing interviews with the bands and panelists coming to this week’s Launch Music Conference. But what is it? Well…

Hundred of bands will gather to Lancaster, PA for a one-of-a-kind conference and festival. The Launch Music Conference, running from April 21^st to April 24^th will be the theatre of many performances, panels, workshops, parties and seminars, attracting nearly 200 artists over the weekend. This year on its 8^th edition, the Launch Music Conference and Festival has seen hundreds of artists showing up each year, including bands such as Panic! At The Disco, Twenty-One Pilots, Foxy Shazam, or Atreyu – yes, it’s “Go Big Or Go Home”… A go-to for any music lover.

Jeremy Weiss, founder of LAUNCH, was kind enough to chat with me about the conference and the festival – a chat that was both interesting and pleasing. He says: “Whether you are sincerely devoted to pursuing a career as a performer or in the industry, or just casually interested in how things work, I suggest you get a badge and stick your head in our fantastic conference panels and discussion. With the weekend badge, you can also hit the town at night, and see dozens upon dozens of fantastic performances from artists from across the US, and abroad! For the music enthusiast, LAUNCH’s nighttime festival is heaven!”

With top-notch guests like Jen Kellogg (The Entertainment Institue), Kevin Lyman (creator of the Vans Warped Tour), Eric Tobin (Hopeless Records), Mike Ziemer (Third String Productions), and many, many more, the Launch Music Conference will bring to the city the greatest professionals of the music industry.

“We are extremely proud of our educational conference portion,” Weiss says. “The networking, learning, and fraternizing, in my opinion, puts Launch among the top conference in the country. The conference enjoys over a thousands active participants over the course of the program.”

The Launch Music Conference will cover a wide array of topics, including artist management, publishing, touring, event management. There will be something for everyone, no matter what you are looking for –  a well-rounded look at today’s music industry. Organized in partnership with the Entertainment Institute, the educational part of the Launch Music Conference reflects both the most relevant and current subject matter, while additionally amplifying the most effective methods and practices in relaying this information.

After seven explosive editions, the Launch Music Conference is going to be bigger and better than ever this year. Launch finally has managed to stage a showcase centered around urban music – a big first for the conference. Yazz the Greatest and hip-hop artist PnB Rock, best known for his collabs with Fetty Wap, will both be performing, along with various artist selectees. “This has been a major goal of ours,” comments Weiss, “pursuant to fulfilling our mission to represent as many genres of music as possible.”

Weiss goes on and highlights the fact that this edition will boast the highest number of individual performances, with exactly 221 live performances, across 18 stages. This year’s conference will feature, between many others, premier country artist Jon Pardi, punk/hardcore superstars Ice Nine Kills, acoustic pop duo the Weekend Riot, indie phenoms Hot Jam Factory, hard rock/blues greats the Balkun Brothers.

When asked about the performance he is most excited about, Weiss is hesitant – as we all are, considering the amount of amazing performers who will grace us with their presence. “I always approach this question with some trepidation, as I believe that all of our performers are worth seeing,” he says. He admits however that there are quite a few performances he is really looking forward to- Bayside, Yazz, PnB Rock, Intervals, Ice Nine Kills, Stacked Like Pancakes. The list of artists is endless – and so is the list of reasons why the Launch Music Conference has been, is, and will be, a hit.

“Launch is about several goals, really,” says Weiss. “The top priority is results. This can take many different meanings, however. We look for our attendees to make meaningful, valuable connections, and for them to garner insights and knowledge that can be put to immediate, productive use.”

Hoping for the attendees to forge relationships with the invited industry professionals, the participating venues, the press outlets, the participating brands, the other would-be professionals and bands, Launch wants to bring people together.

Weiss adds: “Launch also serves the central PA area, its residents and businesses; we strive to produce a delightful events for them as well. And when we stage 221 artists, across all genres, across 18 stages, man, we hope for one hell of a party!”

How could you say no to one of the biggest party of the year? “I can say with total confidence, Launch is the best bang for your buck in the nation!”

Tickets and info at http://www.launchmusicconference.com/

photos courtesy of Gladiators and Ashlee Favro

Challenging what seems to be the typical riffs and structure of metalcore, Gladiators is a band from Lancaster, PA that has successfully fused together progressive music and metalcore without having isolated fans from either genre. Ironically, most bands in the scene champion the concept of non conformity, but fail to meet such an ideal. This band does not disappoint us and follows through with slightly chaotic, yet uncharacteristic strong structures.

Songs dished out by Gladiators have a familiar sound to it but are completely different in that although people are able to identify with their sound and genre. They have never heard metalcore progressive music served with attitude quite like this. With influences ranging from Periphery to Stray from the Path to Deftones to jazz and classical music, it’s inevitable from the first riff that Gladiators aims to push the boundaries and think outside the box. Drop a tuba and brass section into the chorus? Done. Drop a trap beat into their verse? Done. Combining all these influences is accomplished very subtly. There’s just enough to catch your attention but not enough to jar you from the musical experience and repel you. Furthermore, the lyrics are raw and penetrating because of Hart’s (vocalist) background in art and poetry. The concepts are expressed fluidly and cohesively through the lyrics. Transitions are smooth between phrases and choruses.

The band, which has been around since 2013, is currently represented by CI Records and consists of the following members: Mike Hart (vocalist), Josh Krantz (guitarist and group leader), Scott Toebe (guitarist), Bernard Stabley (bassist), and Caleb Stoltzfus (drummer). To provide some background history, both Stabley and Stoltzfus were formerly in a band called Sudden Ascent, to which Krantz joined on as guitarist. The vocalist of that band left to join a different band and at that time Hart filled in on the vocals without much difficulty. In 2012, at Launch Music Conference, the group was able to network and pique the interest of Rick Armellino (vocalist of This or The Apocalypse, another Lancaster, PA band). Krantz and Armellino began to collaborate on a record together, having a similar vision. Krantz, having musical chemistry with his former band members, offered the others the opportunity to work on the record as well and from there Gladiators emerged. Interestingly enough, the band did not come out as a band officially until One Tooth was all mastered. The element of surprise and the solidarity of One Tooth was catalytic.

Feedback from the scene had been positive, so for their next album, Plexus, the group had to up it to the next level. The first album had been pure unadulterated mania. For the metalcore scene, that’s perfect, but Gladiators wanted to reach out to a wider audience. The challenge became more relatable and digestible, but retaining their metalcore roots.

“Simply put, people want something they can jive and groove to, but also still feel like they can be the ones singing the song right up there with us on stage. So our evolution has come in the form of strong structure and hooks namely…[although we also] do care to push ourselves and writing capabilities,” states Krantz.

Plexus was released on March 4, 2016 and was produced by Armellino again and mastered by Magnusson (Fit for a King, Born of Osiris). The unpredictability of Armellino translated to the album still channeling some of the chaotic blue collar, exciting, raw energy seen in One Tooth. However, technically speaking, the songs had more intricate parts.

Despite having so many contributors to the album, there was hardly any ever discord. Even if there was a disagreement, it was seen as an opportunity to strengthen the song rather than combust and knix ideas ruthlessly. It truly was a collaborative process. They were always looking to tweak or see or hear things in a different light with a different element that could be cooler or could end up making it worse.  At the end of the day decisions need to eventually get made and there are multiple hands in the pot that need to compromise. However, one of the strengths of the album is pushing forth songs that are equally heavy as they are melodic. There are standout catchy moments in their songs, such as in “Rotgut” one of their favorite album tracks to play. Krantz claims that the band had difficulty in structuring their songs, but with the help of Armellino, none of that is evident to the audience.

Gladiators at Chameleon Club

The band just finished a tour at the end of March spanning the East Coast and venturing into the Midwest. Other tours are currently in the works, but most excitingly is their appearance at 2016 Launce Music Conference in Lancaster, PA hosted by CI Records. They are not only headlining the first date of Launch at the Chameleon Club on 4/21, but will also be actively around networking with bands and industry reps as well! It seems that Launch has certainly provided a wonderful platform for artists across a variety of genres to gather, learn from each other, and inspire each other to excel as seen clearly with Gladiators’ continued collaboration and progression with Armellino.

Gladiators would like to extend thanks to their fans. “We want to be that group that everyone is friends with and loves to hang out with. We are nothing without our fans. We go nowhere without our audience.  The support and love we receive from our fans means the world to us.  We love each and every one of you, thank you.”

To learn more about the band, visit their Facebook page.