Parachute to perform September 1 at Mill City Nights
PARACHUTE
Monday, September 1 at Mill City Nights
Event Details: Parachute
Venue: Mill City Nights
Show Date/Time: Monday, September 1 at 8pm. Doors at 7pm. Ages 15+
GA Tickets: $18 ($20 DOS)
Tickets are on sale this Friday, July 11 at 10am at the Mill City Nights box office, Electric Fetus in Minneapolis, Discland in Bloomington, by calling 1-888-9-AXS-TIX or online at http://www.axs.com/events/252320/parachute-tickets?skin=millcity.
http://www.weareparachute.com/
https://www.facebook.com/Parachute/
For the members of Mercury Records group Parachute, the name of their third album, Overnight, could well be a sly commentary on the hard work and commitment its taken for them to experience the success thats been building over the last four years and first two albums. Their 2009 debut Losing Sleep featured the Top 15 single, She is Love (boasting more than 6.5 million views), while 2011s The Way It Was included the #1 iTunes Rock Song Kiss Me Slowly (co-written with Lady Antebellum) and the Top 15 hit Something to Believe In.
Or it could refer to the late evenings put in by chief songwriter Will Anderson, burning the midnight oil, writing in his new Nashville base, after moving from the bands hometown of Charlottesville, VA (where they were discovered and signed to Dave Matthews Bands Red Light Management out of college). Anderson composed more than 50 songs for the album with a variety of collaborators, including Ryan Tedder (the first single, Cant Help), as well as Grammy winner Chris DeStefano [Kelly Clarkson] and Ashley Gorley [Carrie Underwood, Keith Urban] on the title track.
Even though theres plenty of pressure to break through on your third album, the actual recording process was much less stressful, says Will about the bands sessions at Ocean Way in Nashville with producer Oren Yoel, a young contemporary who has worked with hip-hop phenom Asher Roth as well as Miley Cyrus, among others. All of us were on the same wavelength. We all kind of knew exactly what we wanted without having to say it out loud. There was a weird sense of peace that we knew where we were going and where we needed to be.
From the pop fervor of Cant Help and the powerful simplicity of Hurricane, composed on acoustic guitar by Will after a long frustrating day, to the 80s Phil Collins-meets-U2 flair of Waiting for that Call and the slow Peter Gabriel/John Mayer jam of The Other Side, Parachute prove adept at combining guitarist Nate McFarlands Edge-influenced arena-rock guitar licks with Wills melodic sense of what will resonate with their passionate fan base.
Its no surprise for anyone who has followed the bands history. Will has been playing with drummer Johnny Stubblefield, bassist Alex Hargrave and saxophone/keyboardist Kit French since they were high school classmates in Charlottesville almost 10 years ago. Anderson met Nate while attending University of Virginia together, and the guitarist joined the band six years ago.
Were just now getting to know one another as musicians as well as we know each other as people, says Will. We wanted to capture a sound in the studio that reflected us as a band. And we all know which parts each of us had to play to get that sound.
The bands stylistic palette can run the range from old-school legends like Stevie Wonder, Elton John, Paul Simon and Bruce Springsteen to newer acts like U2, Coldplay, Weezer, Ben Folds, Maroon 5 and John Mayer.
With producer Yoel, the band has even begun to stretch the boundaries, with Wills spoken word vocals adding almost a hip-hop flavor to a new song called Didnt See It Coming, about an actress friend of theirs in Hollywood excited to land a gig, only to discover it was an X-rated feature.
Thats probably the catchiest song Ive ever written, he says. I just laid down this spoken-word track, thinking wed replace it later, but everyone loved it so much, we kept it on.
Anderson is most proud of Hurricane, a song he wrote before going to sleep by strumming an acoustic guitar.
Its like the feeling you get when you think youre never going to be able to write another song, explains Will. Once I started, it all came spilling out.
Anderson credits guitarist Nate with creating parts that were just perfect for each song. He really nailed it, with a unique spin to every song that made them epic, but at the same time, within a pop framework. Thats something weve always tried to do, melding his rock guitar to my sensibilities, making it work both for the arena and within the melodic sense of strong hooks. I think we really nailed it this time.
Having played more than 400 shows over the last few years, touring around the country with everyone from NeedtoBreathe to Andy Grammer, Parachutes live show continues to grow and impress. Theyve also played before several million at a New Years Eve celebration in Times Square, as well as appearing on NBCs The Tonight Show with Jay Leno, ABCs Good Morning America and Jimmy Kimmel Live and CBS The Early Show. The bands songs have been featured on MTVs The City along with CWs One Tree Hill, Vampire Diaries and 90210.
Its so nice to have three albums worth of material to choose from in concert, says Will, while the band has always played an eclectic variety of covers, from Spencer Davis Groups Gimme Some Loving to vintage tracks from Elton John, Billy Joel, Bruce Springsteen, Stevie Wonder, the Commodores and Motown. Were just now hitting our stride as a live band. Were better musicians who have come to trust one another. We all have our pocket and fill it. But we still have a long way to go.
Overnight has a little something for everyone. Longtime fans will recognize their favorite band, with a fresh sound bound to intrigue newcomers.
The last album was like taking a brand-new car straight off the lot, says Will. This album is just as fun to drive, but its like a vintage Mustang, a little more muscle and grittier, built to last.
On their third Mercury Records album, Parachute is firmly in the drivers seat.
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Anna Barberio
Marketing | AEG Live
510 1st Avenue North, Suite 402 | Minneapolis, MN 55403
612.333.3422 ext 15 | abarberio@aeglive.com | www.millcitynights.com
