American Authors - We Are a Band For The People

Ever wonder what it would sound like if you were to combine Imagine Dragons with the 2000's alternative sound and a hint Fun., and many other heavy hitters in today's indie-rock scene? Well, what you get is the unique sound that is American Authors.

The recently formed, Brooklyn based alternative indie-rock band is composed of Zachary Barnett, James Adam Shelley, Matt Sanchez, and Dave Rubin.  The group first met in 2006 at Berklee as students. They meshed well and went on to officially form American Authors a few years later.  They have enjoyed sudden success and attention in the industry and have recently toured with A Silent Film and Gold Fields. American Authors released their debut EP with Mercury Records and will be releasing their next album soon.

In an interview on Marley's Musicality, the band stated, "We are a band for the people.  We are yours to cling to when the going gets rough and band that will hopefully get you to chase your dreams like we always have."  American Authors is everything we believe in here at The Lesser Known. The band emphasizes what they believe in and that they "create the music that comes naturally" and they are "not afraid of change."

American Authors have many tour dates coming up this summer. One of which will be the Bunbury Music Festival in Cincinnati, OH. The festival is a three day long event featuring close to 100 bands from all over the U.S. and internationally. The festival takes place July 12-14 and we will be doing full coverage of the event again this year! American Authors is scheduled to play on the opening day of Bunbury and we will keep you updated on the live show.

Below are two new singles released as well as a couple of our personal favorites from the American Authors. You can find more of their music on their Facebook page!

"Believer"

"Best Day of My Life"

"True Colors"

"Lights" (Cover of Ellie Goulding's 'Lights')

A Night At The Masquerade

The Masquerade. It is located in downtown Atlanta. The building is a mill from the mid to late 1800s, and looks like it could be the setting for an incredible haunted house. This was the first  concert I had been to here, and the venue was very different than what I was expecting. From the outside, it looked like a run down, abandoned warehouse with an old neon sign barely clinging to the side. Despite the look from the outside, the venue was nice on the inside: old stone walls, wooden floors, and three themed rooms - The Purgatory, Heaven, and Hell. The Purgatory was where the Bad Veins show was. It had a small, quaint stage in the back of the room and a bar off to the right of the room. (Unfortunately I didn't get the chance to see "Heaven" or "Hell," so they will have to wait until another time...)

(Outside)

(The Purgatory stage)

First to take the stage was the local, Atlanta based band, Darling Norman. The four-man band is high energy with a unique vocalist and interesting lyrics. They were a really fun band to watch. (We will be posting an exclusive interview with Darling Norman in a few days.) The post-punk, power-pop band played about a 30-minute set before Stagnant Pools took the stage.

(Darling Norman)

Stagnant Pools took the stage around 9:00. They are a two-piece alternative/punk rock band from Indianapolis, Indiana. I will be honest, I didn't think that their stage show was as good as it could have been. They come off well in their studio work, so I hope their live show improves with more experience and touring.

(Stagnant Pools)

By 9:45 it was Bad Veins's turn. The Cincinnati duo was wonderful, just as expected. The indie/alternative rock band has an excellent stage show - interactive, great presence, and good energy. They played about a 45-minute set and did a meet-and-greet and merch signing afterwards. I stuck around and had the chance to talk to them about doing an interview with us, which they agreed to. (We will be posting that interview soon.) Bad Veins was very excited about getting to meet with fans and were very appreciative of them for attending and supporting the band.

(Bad Veins)

All in all, my night at The Masquerade was well worth the $12 I paid to get in. I will probably be going back at sometime this September or October, so be on the lookout for another post about The Masquerade and its other rooms!

Band of the Week: Bad Veins

Bad Veins is an indie/alternative-rock duo out of Cincinnati, Ohio. Benjamin Davis and Sebastien Shultz create very distinct sound through their use of less than traditional instruments, including telephones, megaphones, and various other gadgets. Their overall style is very similar to The Killers and Davis's voice is much like that of The Killers' lead singer,  Brandon Flowers.

In 2009, Bad Veins released their self-titled debut album on Dangerbird Records. The album was well received, being named #7 on ABC Amplified's Best Albums of 2009 list, the album's final track "Go Home" was listed on the USA Today's  Top 20 Songs of 2009, and the single "Gold and Warm" was featured on the blockbuster movie, Chronicle. The EP, Outliers, was released in 2010. In April of this year, they released their second full-length album, The Mess We've Made. Both Bad Veins albums are meant to tell a story of perspective and self-acceptance. "The first album feels a little bit like I'm dwelling on my own instability, whereas in the second record I'm confronting the instability and the issues. There's been a total evolution of Bad Veins since it started. If you listen to the first EP, and then the first album, and then the second album, they seem somewhat linear, [like] chapters in a story," says Davis.

The band has recently been listed on Paste Magazine's 50 States Project: 500 Bands+ on the Rise, along with their fellow Cincinnati local band, Pomegranates. Bad Veins has had a fairly extensive US tour this year and just got back from their first UK tour with We Are Scientists.

I had the chance to see Bad Veins live about a month ago at Bunbury. I had not heard of them before this and I imediately fell in love with their music. It was a wonderful concert. Fun, but simplistic. What amazed me most was variety and amount of sound this two man band produced. Incredible, to say the least. I will be seeing them again this Sunday in Atlanta at The Masquerade. I am expecting another fantastic show from Bad Veins!

(Bad Veins live at Bunbury)

Below are some tracks off of Bad Veins' full-length albums. Go on, give them a listen. They will make your ears happy! You can find out more about Bad Veins on their band page or on their Facebook page.

"If Then" - The Mess We've Made

 

"Afraid" - Bad Veins

 

"Don't Run" - Mess We've Made



"Falling Tide" - Bad Veins

"Go Home" - Bad Veins

"Dancing On TV" - Mess We've Made

Seeing Scars on 45 Live, Twice

Scars on 45 is hands down one of the best bands I've ever seen live, and trust me, I've seen A LOT of bands. Seeing them twice in one week, at two completely different venues, gave me huge respect for the band's music and the band's members.

The first time I became aware of Scars was when one of their songs was featured on Itunes this past April. I had honestly kind of forgotten about them until I saw that they were playing at the Bunbury Music Festival. They were the opening act for the outdoor music festival and there was a surprisingly small crowd. Scars on 45 is one of those bands that you can't help but be captivated by as soon as they take the stage. They had amazing sound, especially on the outdoor stage. Aimee's voice is unbelievable live. It makes you wonder how someone can have such a naturally pure voice. Their incredible sound, memorable lyrics, and wonderful personalities had me hooked. Before the show was over, I was already looking at their next tour locations, and it just so happened that they were playing at The Vinyl in Atlanta less than a week later.

Of course after seeing Scars on 45's show at Bunbury, I had to see them again. The Vinyl is a very small, bar style venue in downtown Atlanta. The band took the stage around 10:00 p.m. and had about an hour and 45 minute set. The small setting allowed the band to be much more interactive with the audience, which made the show even better than I had expected. The band members had conversations with the audience off and on throughout the show and, at a few points in the performance, they even came off the stage and mingled with the crowd during songs. With the smaller venue, the sound wasn't as good, but the band made up for that otherwise. It was yet another fantastic show from Scars on 45.

After both shows, the band did meet and greets with fans, talking and taking pictures with them, signing merchandise. All of the band members were genuinely excited to meet their fans and more than happy to sign merch. When bands truly appreciate their fans like Scars on 45 does, to me, it is priceless.

In conclusion, Scars on 45 is a band you should definitely see live if you ever get the chance! Believe me, you will be shocked at how good they are live. I know I was. And, as of now, I plan on seeing them again in the very near future.

My friends, my sister, and I at the Bunbury Fest. with Scars on 45

My friends and I at The Vinyl with Scars on 45's co-lead singer, Aimee Driver