It all began with five fateful words spoken between two high school boys competing at a cross-country meet: “I’m gonna kick your ass”.
The former opponents Chris Seener and Keegan Calmes quelled their competitive differences and discovered their shared passion for music. The two began creating sounds and making music together over Skype, as they attended different colleges. Along with Nick Cesarz and Josh Pothier, the group began recording several songs and eventually released several indie rock singles onto Soundcloud under the group name Vinyl Theatre.
In 2014, after the individual release of “Chromatic EP,” the band signed with label Fueled By Ramen. With sounds influenced by bands such as The Killers and Linkin Park, the group released its first studio album “Electrogram: in 2014, and soon after went on tour with Twentyone Pilots. Wednesday night, the band kicks off its first headlining tour – a five-month, nationwide tour starting in Houston and ending in Austin in March.
“Everything is on the go,” Calmes says. “I live out of a suitcase. But it is absolutely worth it, especially when people tell you that your music has positively influenced them in some way.”
The band will be performing with another Soundcloud established band from New York, Against the Current. Singer Chrissy Costanza, guitarist Dan Gow, and drummer Will Ferri are all also signed with Fueled By Ramen, and their hit song “Gravity” has nearly 10 million views on Youtube. The group’s alternative rock records vibe well with the stylings of Vinyl Theatre’s newest album, making them the perfect addition to their tour.
These young and upcoming bands have reached a level of success untapped by many people their age. What’s their key to success?
“If you’re gonna say you wanna do music, stick to that, stick to that passion. If you have determination, don’t lose that determination,” Keegan says. “Music comes first, above anything else. Everything else will kind of fall into place behind it.”
Check out their album “Electrogram” on Soundcloud and see them live in Dallas Wednesday night at the House of Blues at 7 p.m.
