{"id":34873,"date":"2017-05-08T11:25:21","date_gmt":"2017-05-08T15:25:21","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.unionvilletimes.com\/?p=34873"},"modified":"2017-05-08T11:25:24","modified_gmt":"2017-05-08T15:25:24","slug":"on-stage-extra-state-champs-goes-deep-at-tla","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.unionvilletimes.com\/?p=34873","title":{"rendered":"On Stage (Extra): State Champs goes deep at TLA"},"content":{"rendered":"

By Denny Dyroff<\/strong>, Staff Writer, The Times<\/em><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>

State Champs<\/p><\/div>\n

There\u2019s no question that the show at the Theatre of the Living Arts (334 South Street, Philadelphia, 215-222-1011, http:\/\/www.lnphilly.com<\/a>) on May 9 will be a high-energy blast of popular music.<\/p>\n

The popular venue on South Street will host a concert featuring State Champs as headliners along with a power-packed bill featuring Don Broco, Against the Current and With Confidence.<\/p>\n

State Champs is a rock band from Albany, New York featuring Derek DiScanio – lead vocals; Tyler Szalkowski – lead guitar, backing vocals; Tony “Rival” Diaz – rhythm guitar, backing vocals; Ryan Scott Graham – bass, backing vocals; and Evan Ambrosio – drums, percussion.<\/p>\n

The band released its debut album \u201cThe Finer Things\u201d in October 2013 and its sophomore album \u201cAround the World and Back\u201d in October 2015.<\/p>\n

If the pattern holds true, State Champs should be working on their third album right now. Instead, they are out on another tour of North America.<\/p>\n

\u201cIn a perfect world, we would be releasing a new album in October,\u201d said DiScanio, during a phone interview Friday afternoon from a tour stop in Orlando, Florida.<\/p>\n

\u201cBut, we took a break on this cycle to do our \u2018Deluxe CD\u2019 release. So, our next album probably won\u2019t be out until 2018. We\u2019ve already been in L.A. writing new songs and making demos.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAround the World and Back\u201d was released on October 16, 2015. By November, the album had reached #30 in the U.S. Billboard Top 200 chart.<\/p>\n

Three weeks ago, State Champs released an acoustic version of their smash single \u201cSecrets.\u201d \u00a0On May 5, \u201cAround The World and Back\u201d was issued as a deluxe DVD edition.<\/p>\n

The deluxe version includes six additional tracks, including the newly released \u201cSlow Burn<\/a>.\u201d The DVD was recorded by Elliott Ingham across the world in 2015 and 2016 while the band was on tour.<\/p>\n

According to DiScanio, \u201cThe deluxe edition of \u2018Around The World and Back\u2019 is very exciting for us. We spent all of 2016 filming for the DVD that comes with it.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019re so proud of how it turned out and the hard work Elliott Ingham put into directing, editing, and putting up with us all of last year. Can\u2019t wait for everyone to be able to go behind the scenes of the best times of our lives as a band.<\/p>\n

\u201cBoth new bonus tracks were written with Mike Green and our friend Alex Gaskarth of All Time Low. It was our first time collaborating with other people in a writing process and we had a lot of fun with it.\u201d<\/p>\n

The making of the deluxe edition took a lot of planning and preparing.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019ve had it in the works for a while,\u201d said DiScanio. \u201cThe main thing was to do the DVD. When I was young, I loved when bands did behind-the-scenes DVDs. I still have a lot of the to this day \u2013 and I still watch them.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019ve been wanting to do this for quite some time. Our videographer did a great job. The DVD was shot on our world tour from January through August 2016. We talk about what we\u2019re3 doing and have chapters from each continent on the tour.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe had a big premiere for the DVD at the Los Feliz Theater in L.A. That was a really cool thing for us. It was different \u2013 and fun. We kept it low-key and hung out with our fans.\u201d<\/p>\n

Now, fans of State Champs can see live performances by the band in person.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis tour is the biggest production we\u2019ve ever done,\u201d said DiScanio. \u201cWe have been playing some of the new songs from the DVD including \u2018Slow Burn.\u2019 It\u2019s a pretty good mix of the old and new.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s the longest set we\u2019ve ever done. It took us a while to get our bearings to play an hour and 20 minutes. But, we got it together now. We do about 20 songs in the set.\u201d<\/p>\n

Video link for State Champs \u2013 https:\/\/youtu.be\/tsQYBKL6CrI<\/a><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>

Don Broco<\/p><\/div>\n

Don Broco is rock<\/a> band from the sleepy town known as England. Formed in 2008, the band features Rob Damiani (lead vocals and electronics), Simon Delaney (guitar), Tom Doyle (bass) and Matt Donnelly (drums and vocals).<\/p>\n

Don Broco\u2019s debut album \u201cPriorities<\/a>\u201d was released in August 2012. The band\u2019s sophomore album \u201cAutomatic<\/a>\u201d came out in in August 2015 and its third LP is due later this year.<\/p>\n

The band has already accomplished a lot in its young career including topping the iTunes Rock Chart and garnering BBC Radio 1 airplay.<\/p>\n

Don Broco\u2019s music has appeared in EA\u2019s Madden NFL 16 and Activision\u2019s \u201cGuitar Hero\u201d games. Additionally, the band has played Reading & Leeds festival for five consecutive years.<\/p>\n

Now, the band had a new video that is creating a buzz and generating a lot of hits \u2013 a horror film inspired video for the band\u2019s song \u201cPretty.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWe filmed the video for \u2018Pretty\u2019 two days before we started the tour,\u201d said Damiani, during a phone interview Friday from a tour stop in Orlando.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe flew to the states on my birthday \u2013 the 2nd of April \u2013 and filmed the video in Athens, Georgia. We finished the video and left on tour the next day. We wanted it ready for this tour.\u201d<\/p>\n

According to Pretty\u201d director Benjamin Roberds of Dominar Films, \u201cThe guys in Don Broco are a handsome bunch and we all thought it’d be hilarious if they ripped their faces off. It was the first idea I came to and quickly wrote it off as too over the top but kept coming back to it until I finally sent it over to them.<\/p>\n

\u201cI think the guys went through the same struggle because we went through a few other concepts before coming full circle back to this idea. I guess it was an insane idea that was just too tempting to not take all the way.\u201d<\/p>\n

The band teased the video by telling fans that bassist Tom Doyle (aka the first victim in \u201cPretty\u201d) was getting married, going so far as to create a wedding invite that would enable fans to see a livestream of \u201cthe ceremony,\u201d which turned out to be the \u201cPretty\u201d video.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe put \u2018Pretty\u2019 out as a single,\u201d said Damiani. \u201cIt\u2019s nice to record a song and get it out within a few months. We had a similar quick turnover with our last single \u2018Everybody.\u2019<\/p>\n

\u201cWhen we have a song we like, we just cut it and put it out. You can\u2019t rest on your laurels. You have to keep upping your game. You\u2019re only going to be successful if you have the songs.\u201d<\/p>\n

Don Broco has the songs and will soon unveil a new album.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019re going back to the U.K. after this tour and finish working on the album,\u201d said Damiani. \u201cWe started working on it earlier this year. We get some songs written and then go into the studio and bang it out.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019re doing most of it at home at our producer\u2019s studio in Hackney. We\u2019ve also been using Vada Studios which is a residential studio. It\u2019s out in the country in an old chapel.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis is the first album where we\u2019re writing and recording and haven\u2019t been set in song structures. On our earlier albums, we went in the studio with finished sounds. The way we\u2019re doing it now allows us to mix it up and find interesting textures.\u201d<\/p>\n

Video link for Don Broco \u2013 https:\/\/youtu.be\/XcYTkySdAwQ<\/a>.<\/p>\n

The show at the TLA will start at 7 p.m. Tickets are $28.99.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>

Hell or Highwater<\/p><\/div>\n

Brandon Saller keeps a lot of irons in the fire. Saller is a multi-instrumentalist and song writer \u2013 a man of many talents.<\/p>\n

When he is playing with the metalcore band Atreyu, Saller is the drummer and the vocalist \u2013 the vocalist responsible for the melodic<\/a> singing<\/a> found in the band’s music<\/a>. He is Atreyu\u2019s primary songwriter, along with guitarist<\/a> Dan Jacobs.<\/p>\n

When Atreyu opted for a hiatus in 2011, Saller shifted his attention to his side project Hell or Highwater. That band released a full length album<\/a>, \u201cBegin Again,\u201d in 2011 and an EP called \u201cThe Other Side\u201d in 2013. In Hell or Highwater, Saller is the group\u2019s frontman.<\/p>\n

Now, Hell or Highwater has a new album is currently touring North America \u2013 a tour that touches down locally on May 9 at Reverb (1402 North Ninth Street, Reading, <\/strong>610-743-3069, www.reverbconcerts.com<\/a>).<\/p>\n

\u201cWe started the tour a little over a week ago,\u201d said Saller, during a phone interview Tuesday from a tour stop in Destin, Florida. \u201cWe going to hit the beach today and head to show number three tonight.\u201d<\/p>\n

Hell or Highwater — Brandon Saller- Vocals; Kyle Rosa- Drums; Joey Bradford- Guitar; Jon Hoover- Guitar; Nick Maldonado- Bass\/Synth \u2013 is releasing its new album \u201cVista\u201d on May 19 on Spinefarm Records.<\/p>\n

\u201cIn 2001, Atreyu went on hiatus,\u201d said Saller. \u201cI had started making my own music before that. So, when the break came, I put Hell or Highwater together.<\/p>\n

\u201cI put the band together with friends and friends of friends. We\u2019re based in Vista, California.\u00a0 Most of us are from the North County area. We had no label but we still played some great tours.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe released our first album ourselves and then did an EP that was self-released. The first time around, we progressed pretty far. We got out and did shows when we could. Now, we have a label involved \u2013 and an official release.\u201d<\/p>\n

Atreyu just finished a full album cycle and is taking a break. So, it\u2019s time for Saller to head out on tour in support of \u201cVista.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWe recorded the album at Sonic Ranch in El Paso, Texas,\u201d said Saller. \u201cThat\u2019s where our producer wanted to do it. The studio has a great vibe. It\u2019s located on a2000-acre pecan.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe knocked out the whole record in about two weeks. We had spent about two years writing the record. By the time we got in the studio, we had performed most of the songs live. And, we did a lot of pre-production at our studio in Vista.<\/p>\n

\u201cOnce we got in the studio at Sonic Ranch, we were able to focus on creativity. Fred Archimbault is our producer and he\u2019s like the sixth member of the band. He knows how to get the best out of us.\u201d<\/p>\n

Video link for Hell or Highwater — https:\/\/youtu.be\/-5AXzJSPUNc<\/a>.<\/p>\n

The show at Reverb, which also features Nothing More, Black Map and As Lions, will start at 7 p.m. Tickets are $20.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

By Denny Dyroff, Staff Writer, The Times There\u2019s no question that the show at the Theatre of the Living Arts (334 South Street, Philadelphia, 215-222-1011, http:\/\/www.lnphilly.com) on May 9 will be a high-energy blast of popular music. The popular venue on South Street will host a concert featuring State Champs as headliners along with a […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":34875,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[8457],"tags":[9797,7426,9798,9799],"class_list":["post-34873","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-d-arts-entertainment","tag-don-braco","tag-featured","tag-hell-or-highwater","tag-state-champs"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.unionvilletimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/34873","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.unionvilletimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.unionvilletimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.unionvilletimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.unionvilletimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=34873"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.unionvilletimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/34873\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":34874,"href":"https:\/\/www.unionvilletimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/34873\/revisions\/34874"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.unionvilletimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/34875"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.unionvilletimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=34873"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.unionvilletimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=34873"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.unionvilletimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=34873"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}