DAYSEEKER: DARK SUN TOUR

DAYSEEKER embody what a rock band can be in the 21st century. Untethered from rules and agnostic of genre confines, the Southern California quartet—Rory Rodriguez [vocals], Gino Sgambelluri [guitar], Ramone Valerio [bass], and Mike Karle [drums]—exist outside of any and all boundaries. As such, they seamlessly absorb culture at lightspeed, layering hypnotic hard rock and metallic catharsis above soundscapes punctuated by glistening post-pop, experimental indie, and alternative R&B. Tallying hundreds of millions of streams, selling out shows, and earning acclaim from the likes of Alternative Press and more, the band crystallize this outlier vision on their 2022 fifth full-length offering, Dark Sun [Spinefarm Records].

“Overall, it feels more grownup,” observes Rory. “It’s less like we’re scene kids trying to be a rock band, and we’re actually a group of guys making rock music on our terms. We realized we were happier creating this way.”

Grinding on a series of independent releases, DAYSEEKER reached critical mass with 2019’s Sleeptalk. The title track “Sleeptalk” impressively gathered 25 million Spotify streams and over 4 million YouTube views on the music video. Meanwhile, “Burial Plot” surpassed 12 million Spotify streams, contributing to over 125 million streams total for the LP. Inciting rave reviews, Alternative Press applauded, “DAYSEEKER are doing more than following along with the trend of blending genres. They’ve paved the way to something new and exciting that music has been craving for some time now.” Beyond touring with The Devil Wears Prada and We Came As Romans, they sold out headline dates and even performed Sleeptalk in its entirety on the road. Along the way, the band recorded what would become Dark Sun with regular collaborator and producer Daniel Braunstein. During this time, Rory experienced trials and tribulations with the passing of his father, yet felt the utmost joy in the birth of his daughter. This cycle of life permeated the process.

“My dad was a musician, and we bonded a lot,” he says. “I lived with him up until three years before he died. When I took a natural interest in music as a kid, he was really excited. He had Parkinson’s on top of cancer, so his quality of life wasn’t great. I’m happy he’s at peace, because he was really struggling towards the end. My daughter was a big surprise, and it was nice he got to meet her. I think he’d be excited to know we made an album about my experience with him. Hopefully, it helps other people dealing with the same situation.”

Every once in a while, wildflowers will sprout en masse in the California desert. Known as a SUPERBLOOM, this phenomenon paints lush colors across a traditionally arid and barren landscape. The emergence and evolution of Silent Planet mirrors this phenomenon. Since 2009, the quartet—Garrett Russell [vocals, guitar], Mitchell Stark [guitar], Alex Camerena [drums], and Nick Pocock [bass]—have set themselves apart in the realm of heavy music. Amplifying hypnotic hooks across alternately raw and rich soundscapes steeped in hardcore, post-rock, metal, and ambient textures, the award-winning group has generated tens of millions of streams and earned tastemaker praise.

Silent Planet has consistently transfixed a diehard fanbase. They dropped a string of acclaimed albums, including The Night God Slept [2014], Everything Was Sound [2016], When The End Began [2018], and Iridescent [2021]—which Hysteria hailed as “a vulnerable and emotional LP.” They notably took home “Best Underground Band” at the 2017 APMAs and toured with the likes of Motionless In White, August Burns Red, Beartooth, and The Contortionist.

“Our mantra has always been, ‘Trade your certainty for awe.' SUPERBLOOM is an extension of that. We got a second chance at life—everything seems so tame in comparison to almost dying. We want to take the hope we received from our community and make the most of it. We’re not alone, and we now understand that in more ways than our previous paradigms ever would have allowed for."

RAIN CITY DRIVE makes vibrant and dynamic alternative rock n’ roll, with strong roots in the post-hardcore subculture and unapologetically ambitious swings into contemporary pop. Described by Distorted Sound Magazine as “a melody machine” and in Metal Hammer as “a band you need to hear,” Rain City Drive builds a musical bridge between heavy riffs and soaring, intimate, earnest pop. Armed with arena-ready anthems ready-made for long drives, workouts, intimate clubs, and massive festivals alike, the Florida-based group built a reputation as an engaging live act. Nearly 700,000 fans around the world listen to the band on Spotify each month. The songs “Talk to a Friend” and “Heavier,” from their 2020 album To Better Days, account for 40 million streams between them alone. “Cutting it Close” from their 2022 self-titled follow-up (released in a deluxe edition with bonus cuts in 2023) quickly cracked the Top 5 on SiriusXM radio’s Octane upon release. Rain City Drive warps the boundaries between post-hardcore and aggressive melody. On the adventurous Rain City Drive and beyond, the group’s spirit of resilience connects with fans old and new, resonating deeply with all who struggle and find the will to push forward. 

Engaging, edgy, erratic, irreverent, wild, vibrant, fun... There's certainly no shortage of adjectives to describe AVOID and their quest to fuel that feeling of being a part of something.

Evoking a nostalgia for the kind of music that seeps into your soul, the Seattle five piece channel the musical legacy synonymous with their hometown while blissfully genre hopping to create something entirely new. Good times with a message of inclusivity, with a drive to bring passion, innovation and provocation back to heavy music and pull in the community around it, AVOID crackle with the energy of a young act ready to take the world by storm.

Carving his own path hustling promoting shows and managing bands, the band’s inimitable future frontman Benny Scholl knew early on the dedication it would take to be successful in the music business. Meeting impressive guitarist Nick Olson, he turned his hand to playing music, deciding he would be unlike any other frontman he had seen, and
on enlisting Chris Echols (guitar), Luke Ryder (bass), Paul Jaton (drums) some of the top talent in the local scene became AVOID, releasing their debut album Alone in 2018.

While the world fell silent in 2020, the band seized the moment to make noise with the release of their attention-grabbing EP The Burner - and it got LOUD. Securing a sponsorship with NASCAR which turned their passion into promotion, they had their music and band branded vehicle in the official video game. Singer Benny Scholl went viral with his accidentally acapella rendition of the National Anthem at the NASCAR Vegas race, endearing himself to sports commentator Jim Rome who ran with coverage of the event for weeks. They also forged a long term partnership with SiriusXM, taking over the airwaves on Octane and Liquid Metal with ambassador single “Song About James”, which incorporated their lyrical muse James “Jeopardy James” Holtzhauer in its marketing.

With new tracks “My World”, “COWABUNGA” and “Split (Kill It)” setting the tone for a new era for the band, and their live show reputation building more buzz daily, AVOID are ready to spread their brand of infectious hedonism that injects some magic into the mundane. Bringing twists on the art, and the media and methods of the 90s/00s into the modern day,
this is the something new that we have all been craving. This is the start of something important, something defining - and AVOID are bringing everyone along for the ride. Hold on tight, it’s about to get weird.