Switchfoot is one of the many bands that played apart in shaping my passion for music. I first had the chance to photograph this band back in June of 2016 at the Del Mar Fair. It was such an awesome experience being up close and personal with this band that I had been a fan of all of my youth. Since then I've had the chance to be apart of multiple projects with these guys and have accompanied them on tours throughout the United States and Canada. These guys and everyone who surround them are such genuine and loving people, its a pleasure to be apart of what they're doing.
Modern Me... There are so many great things I can say about these guys. Ive known most of these guys for many years and have been able to watch this band evolve first hand. Their music is catchy, outspoken and fantastically reminiscent of 80s pop.
When Modern Me and I got together to create these photographs, I knew they were going to be something special.
I wanted to create photographs had a very distinct look, and to do so I used a variety of different film stocks and cameras. 9 rolls of film later, and these are some of my very favorites.
Not a single digital image was taken on this project, and that makes me so dang proud.
Almost Monday is an alternative indie-rock-surf fusion band from San Diego, California. The four piece is comprised of teenage friends, Dawson Daugherty (vocals, bass, guitar), Luke Fabry (guitar, bass), Cole Clisby (guitar, bass), and Michael Leto (drums, synthesizer). They effortlessly blend eclectic influences including U2, Switchfoot, Snarky Puppy, and Two Door Cinema Club, with while carving out a unique Southern California sound all it’s own. These multi instrumentalists can be found exchanging guitars for bass, and drums for synthesizers on arrangements and live shows. The band’s current focus is writing and recording original material while building a stronger fan base. Almost Monday aims to entertain and inspire people through deep lyrics and high energy live performances.
Pronunciation [huh-why]
1. HAWAI is a band not a state. (Noun)
2. From Southern California, Orange County to be exact. (Preposition)
3. Makes sun-kissed alternative music that feels alive. (Verb)
4. Here’s the story so far… (Bio)
Behind every band there’s a longtime bond.
HAWAI began to attract national attention by landing multiple tracks on the Hype Machine charts and signing to Antler Records in 2016. However, their musical union can actually be traced back to when Jake Pappas [vocals, guitar], Jesse Dorman [drums], and Jared Slaybaugh [bass, vocals] first started jamming together as young teenagers in their native Orange County. Countless gigs would follow as they sharpened their chops. Eventually forming their original band J. Thoven and adding Matt Gillen [keyboards, synth] to the fold, the boys commenced work on a proper EP in 2015.
A certain revelation encouraged by producer Lars Stalfors [Cold War Kids, Deap Vally] would evolve both their style and name…
“Lars really broke down the DNA of a song,” says Jake. “Our music was a bit schizophrenic in the past with J. Thoven. It was more folk rock. Lars showed us you can still be creative and take pride in musicianship, while adhering to a traditional structure. It was eye-opening. We took our ideas and turned them into fully fleshed out songs. We thought, ‘If we’re going to reinvent ourselves, now is the time for a name change.’ We wanted something recognizable and memorable that would evoke emotions when you hear it. HAWAI stuck. We just dropped the ‘i’ to make it our own.”
With Lars at the production helm, the band cut their Working All Night EP [Antler Records] in Southern California. The first single and opener “In My Head” would stir up a local buzz, even gaining spins on KROQ. With its lush guitars, energetic beat, cinematic production, and unshakable refrain, it’s liable to stay stuck in your head for long after one listen.
“The song itself has a little bit of aggression to it,” the frontman goes on. “It’s from a particular time period really marked by a lot of frustration. Lyrically, it tells a fictitious narrative of this person with a superficial and artificial definition of love—that cliché of hearts and sex. Love is a much a deeper thing. It’s this selfish perspective of love.”
Elsewhere on the EP, “Fault” glides between a clean guitar hum and an expansive vocal line. Coming to life on-screen, its music video features Cold War Kids bassist Matt Maust actually creating the Working All Night cover. Meanwhile, the song “All Night” mirrors the musicians’ tireless commitment to their own art.
“When I moved to L.A., my wife and I were expecting our first child,” recalls Jake. “Working more heavily in music was going to be my general focus. When you find out you’re having a kid, your focus becomes directed elsewhere. It was really written for my unborn son saying, ‘I will work as much as I can to provide for you.’ On a larger level, it’s reflective of the band’s commitment to music. We’re willing to work as hard as we can for it.”
Underneath the beachy gusts of guitars and keys, shimmering soul, and iridescent hooks, HAWAI’s island houses an inspiring message.
“I want to make an impact in terms of what the lyrics are about,” Jakes leaves off. “It’s important to convey something that can help people. There’s a power within music. It can be a healthy tool to use. We treasure that.”
...the lady and gentlemen of Branches are making music that they believe in. Through both sing-along celebration and solitary longing, Branches offer their own brand of harmony-driven indie-rock, with elements of folk-instrumentation and pop-inspiration.
Splitting their time between Los Angeles and San Francisco, Branches have described their collaborative process as ‘a lot like long-distance dating’. In their case, absence makes the heart grow fonder, more inspired, and a little too familiar with the 413 miles of road that often lies between them. Their songwriting process has certainly been informed by the tension of this distance - while some songs have managed to form over the course of a single weekend (a la their sophomore EP “Cabin”), others have required months of back-and-forth collaboration before taking their final shape. Recently, the band has passed the time on these all-night drives in long, dreamy conversations about the future, sharing their high-hopes for their recent full-length release, 'White Flag'.
This new collection of songs utilizes every instrument in Branches’ arsenal – electric guitar and banjo, harmonium and synthesizer, tambourine and roto tom – all in support of a lyrical exploration of the two-sided coin of surrender, and an acknowledgement that there are right and wrong times to throw in the towel.
This much-anticipated full-length record debuted September, 2016.
In seasons past, Branches’ musical explorations have landed them on stage with such acts as MUTEMATH, Twin Forks, Family of The Year, and others. Branches has also earned significant success in television and trailer licensing, including placements on The X Factor, Cougar Town, and One Tree Hill. As one of “12 California Acts You Should Listen to Now” (Paste Magazine) and "the real reason Kevin Durant came out to the Bay to play for the Warriors" (Live 105), it's evident that Branches' burgeoning hype is matched only by their own eagerness to take these songs on the road.
When they’re not on the road or in the studio, the band spends most of their time laughing at each other, frequenting local Mexican cuisine, and loving their lives. Join them for a night of singing and see for yourself what their music is all about.
