Are there any bands out there that you wish you could have seen in that 200 cap venue or had just heard of them before they got super popular? I feel like there's so many bands that I listen to that have already passed this certain mark and I find myself saying, “if only I knew about them then” all the time! One of my favorite things to do now is finding the smaller bands, watching them grow, and making a name for them selves. A few bands on our radars right now are...
VRSTY
VRSTY (pronounce Varsity) is one of those bands that prove that not everything has been done before. They have a sound that’s uniquely theirs by blending R&B and even pop-inspired vocals with elements of metalcore and even some post-hardcore. Frontman Joey Varela has been deemed as Metalcore Michael Jackson before, which is so fitting especially when there are some lines that go “Hee Hee.” VRSTY initially started off as a solo project by Joey Varela. It was just him writing music and putting stuff out there. Eventually wanting to play those songs live, he got some friends together and now here they are. With a couple of lineup changes over the years, the band now stands with Paul Gregory (guitar), Javy Dorrejo (bass), and Chris Cody (drums).
Welcome Home, released in January of last year, was their debut full-length album. What sets this album apart from others, in my opinion, is no two songs sound the same. Every song has its own personality like “Soul” even has a country-sounding opening! Later in the year, they released Welcome Home Pt. 2 which included three Latin versions of their songs. Then, their latest release, Welcome Home Pt. 3, includes three new songs that didn’t quite make it on the original Welcome Home.
I first heard of VRSTY on Sirius XM’s Octane when their song “Massive” had just come out in late 2020. Something about that song really hit me. I instantly fell in love with them and they’ve been one of my favorite bands ever since. VRSTY is one of those bands that sounds way heavier live! Their songs are already pretty heavy as is, but they just take them to a whole new level live! Go see them if you have the chance because I promise you’ll be blown away!
VRSTY is heading out on tour with Outline in Color starting at the end of April and will also be performing at Capulet Fest on July 1st. If you make it out to one of their shows, make sure to buy them lots of White Claw, especially the Black Cherry flavored ones for Paul! ;)
Two Sides Of Me
Two Sides Of Me is a band I personally think is severely underrated! Coming out of central Virginia, the band started off with a more Pop-Punk sound but has since changed their style a little bit moving into now Progressive Metalcore. I first discovered them with Blue Ridge Rock Festival through a playlist that I made to prepare for the fest. The first song of theirs I heard was “CHEMICALS” and it instantly hooked me on them. There are some funky sounds in the song, like record scratchings, that made them stand out to me. I made them one of my must-see bands and saw them live for the first at last year’s Blue Ridge. They’re another band that just takes their songs to a whole new level live! They probably have some of the best live breakdowns that I’ve ever heard! I saw them again a couple of weeks later at Louder Than Life. My friends and I were riding the rail and left our spots to go see Two Sides Of Me because there was no way I was missing their set!
They just released their latest song, “Elegy,” and they’ll be joining Archers on tour next month for a few select dates so be sure to go see them if you have the chance!
Better Lovers
Better Lovers is a newly formed supergroup featuring former Every Time I Die members, Jordan Buckley, Clayton “Goose” Holyoak, and Stephen Micciche. It also includes Frequent ETID producer, Will Putney of Fit For An Autopsy and vocalist from the recently defunct Dillinger Escape Plan, Greg Puciato.
Will Putney, who had worked on the most recent Every Time I Die albums and worked on Body Counts 2021 Grammy-winning album, “Carnivore,” stated, “It’s a group of loaded weapons all firing at full power ready for the next chapter of our music careers, and I can confidently say our collective best work is ahead of us”
Better Lovers has just released their first single, "30 Over 13," and they’ll be joining Underoath and The Ghost Inside this Summer on their co-headlining tour along with We Came As Romans. The tour kicks off on July 16th in Chicago, then the month-long run wraps up on August 19th in Santa Ana, California. This will be the group’s first tour together so be sure you don’t miss it!
Stay tuned for more Lift Off Artist next week!
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