Recently headlining a rockin show at The Gothic located in Denver alongside a few top-notch bands. I The Victor, This Broken Beat, and Vesperteen all got the crowd moving and grooving along but the big hit of the night was none other than Vinyl Theatre. The boys had a pretty stellar turnout for being a new band on tour. Xposer Magazine was stoked to be invited out to this show and had a chance to sit down with Keegan and talk some music. Hope you enjoy!
Bella: How big of a role did music play growing up in Milwaukee, Wisconsin?
Keegan: I think all three of us grew up with different influences; our families probably played a bigger role in shaping our musical tastes than anything. Being close enough to Milwaukee means, we were able to see a lot of artists at Summerfest and other venues like The Rave. Luckily, enough schools in Wisconsin had not made major cuts in the arts and Nick and Chris were able to meet in a music theory class. There was not a massive music scene in Milwaukee but that in itself was motivating. Gives you a bit to prove as a band from Wisconsin in the National circuit.
Bella: Being signed to Fueled by Ramen must have been an exciting time for you guys after so many years of investment. Tell us how you felt when you received the news.
Keegan: It was definitely a defining moment for us and we will forever be thankful for the opportunities it presented. After touring for 5 years now, we have really grown to appreciate what we have learned. When we got the news we were pretty elated, its any musicians dream to get that first record label signing and we just so happened to be lucky enough to work with one we were fans of.
Bella: With your previous release of ‘Electogram’ compared to this much-anticipated new release of ‘Origami’, what would you say are the biggest differences between the two?
Keegan: Electrogram was our first record and came to us in the process of figuring out how to even play live with one another. It was a great milestone for us to sound and feel coherent and purposeful as a band. Origami felt like a coming of age record. We matured from years of touring and we had much more to say lyrically. Our influences also clearly changed and the record leaned on rock more than anything.
Bella: What was the most meaningful/memorable song from your latest album ‘Origami’?
Keegan: I think New Machines is a song that sometimes really surprises me when I look back. I rarely look back on work and feel surprised or overly proud of it because we are always trying to improve but new machines is a fantastic song with lyrics that will stand the test of time. I feel like it is bigger than me as an artist and it stands on its own.
Bella: When traveling on tour, what would be the number one staple you guys carry with you on the van/bus?
Keegan: Wet wipes/disinfectant wipes. Diet Coke. Waters. Red Bull. We just consider the fuel and sanitation #1. Oh and of course, an aux cord for the jams.
Bella: Any new exciting plans coming our way this next year for Vinyl Theatre? What can we expect to see?
Keegan: We have a lot of new music in the works and some even finished. We are not entirely sure what we want to do with our next release but our newest single “Feel It All” is resonating with our fans and even new fans really well. The reception has been incredible. The primary focus for us is to have it hear by as many people as possible. It speaks to that inner voice in all of us that tells us to keep on keeping on. We plan on touring a lot and releasing songs as we go along. It may be an EP it may be an LP or possibly a couple of singles to hold our fans over before the real thing.
Bella: Anything you would like to add?
Keegan: We hope our fans can make it out to this tour and spread the word; we have a lot of new music and tours in the works and cannot wait to see everyone!
-Keegan ▼╤
Make sure to check these guys out the next time they play in a city near you! Click here to be redirected to their website to find out more!
Hope to see you at the next show and till then….
Ciao,
Bella
Photos by Teddy G / Xposer Photography