Concerts

Interview: Story of the Year Talks Their Trio of Live Stream Shows, Quarantine and More

Concert Crap: How have you been dealing with quarantine?

Ryan Phillips: As with just about everyone else on planet earth, it’s been tough. Some days better than others, but just the overall uncertainty of things can really get to me. That said, I have been determined to see the silver lining; I’m in the mindset of using this time to my advantage. I’m writing tons of music, I’m staying creative, I’m using this time to really up my fitness routine, mediation, clean eating, all of it. I want to look back at this insane time and know that I made shit happen, gave it my all, ya know? I think out of the ashes of COVID will come our greatest record. 

CC: As a band, do you feel like you adjusted well to having no shows?

RP: As I said above, we’re concentrating on the things we DO have control over. Yes, this shit sucks. But what can we do? We can start a SOTY podcast. We can do really captivating & fun live streams. We can write. We can plan, re-think how we operate as a band and business. We’re doing all of that, so yeah, I think we’ve been able to pivot and really question what it means to be band, what we can put out into the ether. 

CC: What was the last live concert you guys played to fans in-person?

RP: I think it was Slam Dunk festival in Europe? Haha, I’m not sure. It’s been a while. 

CC: How/Why did you choose these your first 3 albums to play in 3 different live streams? Why not one live stream with a larger set of songs?

RP: I guess the biggest reason is that I’m not sure anyone would want to sit through a 3.5 – 4-hour live stream of 3 albums in a row. I wouldn’t! And keep in mind that we aren’t standing still looking at our shoelaces- we’ve been treating these like real shows. We’re rocking the fuck out! I don’t think we could do that for 4 hours. 

Also, in terms of branding, creating a completely different aesthetic for each album was very artistically satisfying. Each show has different color schemes and visual elements, a different feel. 

CC: You just broadcasted the In The Wake of Determination live stream. how did that go?

RP: It was awesome. I wasn’t prepared for how much fun I would have, it felt like a real show. 

CC: What unique things did you guys try to make it interesting for the fans at home?

RP: First and foremost, the world can be a sad place right now, so the last thing we wanted to do was broadcast a sad, empty rock venue. That felt depressing. Instead, we’re treating these streams like a super long music video: awesome lights, a rad “bunker” we built with hundreds of thousands of dollars of over-the-top production, a professional film crew. It’s been a ton of fun. 

CC: Was/Is there a tour planned at all for the 15th Anniversary of In The Wake of Determination?

RP: Nah. We’re focused on a new record. 

CC: What cool/unique things do you have planned for the remaining live streams?

RP: We’re going to play a couple of B-sides, possibly some covers, and we might even have a special guest! Other than that, as mentioned above the production alone is super fun to watch! 

CC: Why should people tune in to the remaining live-streamed shows?

RP: Because we HAVE FUN. That’s what the world needs right now. We need to forget about the shit show that is 2020 and just celebrate the beauty and radness of music, if only for an hour here and there. 

CC: Anything else you’d like to say about the live streams or anything else going on in the SOTY family? 

RP: So yeah, millions of people have been gutted by the pandemic, including those of us in the music industry. We can’t play shows, we can’t tour, we can’t do much. So paying 10 bucks or whatever for a live stream goes a long way in supporting those artists that you love. It also helps support the lighting guys, venues, camera-men, etc. So without too much melodrama, we really, really appreciate it more than I can explain in this interview. 

Bundles for Ghost Signal Live Streams

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The post Interview: Story of the Year Talks Their Trio of Live Stream Shows, Quarantine and More appeared first on Concert Crap.

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