For a few moments on Wednesday September 28th I
had a really hard time remembering that I was in Winnipeg. The sights and sounds around me were more
reminiscent of a stage show in California’s Orange County than those normally
found at Winnipeg’s West End Cultural Centre.
The source of the west coast ambiance was that of LA’s Awolnation who are on tour in support of
their new album Megalithic Symphony.
Megalithic Symphony
was released on March 29th 2011 on Red Bull Records and its first single Sail debuted at #30.
It crosses a wide variety of genres’ and
features hints of lead singer Aaron Bruno’s musical influences throughout the album.
During sound check I had the opportunity to meet with Aaron
and talk to him about the album and the tour.
Andru Valpy: Hi Aaron, how are you?
Aaron Bruno: I’m good so far, so far so good.
Av: Lot’s of stuff going on today. It’s a big show
for you tonight. Is this your first stop in Winnipeg?
AB: Yes, this is our first time ever being in Winnipeg let alone playing so
we’re excited to enjoy the sights and sounds of the evening.
Av: How’s
the rest of the tour been so far?
AB: Really good, we’ve done four Canadian shows, started in Vancouver, went to Victoria and slowly made our way over this way to Winnipeg and tomorrow we dip back into the states and do a couple things in Chicago and then go back to Ottawa and Toronto and then back home.
AB: Really good, we’ve done four Canadian shows, started in Vancouver, went to Victoria and slowly made our way over this way to Winnipeg and tomorrow we dip back into the states and do a couple things in Chicago and then go back to Ottawa and Toronto and then back home.
Av: So
they’re keeping you busy?
AB: Yes, a little bit too busy at times!
Av: Tell
us a little more about this tour and the new album
AB: You know, everything that I have to say about the album is really on
the record. If anyone has a chance to listen to it, or get it via download on
iTunes, or in a record store or even illegally, I just want everybody to have
the music and it kind of speaks for itself.
The record as a whole is designed to help people hopefully get through
their day and celebrate the good times and also help get through the bad
times. When we play live we try to
celebrate those emotions that were put into the record. So far people seem to
be identifying with what we are trying to do and we’re very flattered with the
response we’ve gotten so far.
Av: Two things that came to my mind when I was
listening to the album…One of your lyrics your talking about ADD and “Blame it on the add” do you want to
elaborate a little more on that song?
AB: Um, not so much. You know, I
really want the lyrics to be interpreted by the listener with all due respect,
but that song was certainly written in a lower time in my life. I like to think
of that song as a journal entry at the time that just happen to be lyrically and
on a song that everybody’s hearing now.
When I wrote the song I just thought that it would be me and a couple of
buddies listening to it and now it’s out there and it’s really rewarding to see
the hard work you put into something actually get out there. People are hearing
it and identifying with it once again, so I feel very grateful.
(The Song) is not meant to be taken literally by any means, it’s just
sort of admitting that you’re in a dark place or feeling bad about yourself I
suppose and try to do something uplifting about it. In my case it was writing a song and in other
cases it could be going surfing, riding on a bike, going on a hike, or creating
your own work whatever that may be.
Av: I did
notice a lot of your influences, or at least some teetering’s of other
influences on this album.
AB: It’s just all-different music and all different experiences I’ve had in
life, there’s not one artist that I have been trying to emulate by any means.
It’s just anytime a band puts together a record or a songwriter writes a song
it’s simply an extension of what they’re fans of. When you listen to the record
there’s bits and pieces that I guess you could take from and assume that I was
influenced by. Most of those assumptions are probably true in one way or
another but I never tried to specifically sound like one band.
Av: AWOL,
how did that all come about?
AB: I just like the whole idea of pure freedom. Let’s say you were at this
show tonight, and you came with a bunch of people…let’s say five people and the
other four are really into the band but you’re just not feeling very good or
are socially awkward or maybe that girl you came to talk to is ignoring you or
whatever the case may be and you just want to leave but you don’t want to have
to explain why you want to leave . . . that’s sort of encompasses the term
AWOL, and then attaching nation made it about people that could all identify
with people who try and go to the show
or listen to the record to escape from day to day life.
Av: One
of the things I’m hearing from you is that you really do want to reach out and
connect with your fans. That speaks well to you.
AB: Thanks man. You know, all the records I’ve loved have spoke to me so
being open to so many different genre’s of music has allowed me to have a
broader sounding record then it just being an indie rock record, or a hard core
record, or a metal record, hip hop record.
Av: I’ll
end on one last question and it’s a pretty generic question but every answer is
always different, what’s it like to go from writing journal entries to having
everyone hear it and then to do it and share it with everyone on a bigger
level. What does that feel like as an artist?
AB: For me being somewhat of a pessimistic person by nature and by default,
I still feel the same as I do usually but sometimes I have to remind myself
that it actually is going really good in order to find security in what we’re
doing. Most of the time I wake up and I
assume something bad is going to happen because most of my musical career has
been a big disappointment. I felt like I wrote all these songs I cared about
before and I thought have been pretty good and for whatever reason the stars
didn’t align for me to continue that or reach as many people as we are now. So
I just constantly feel grateful that I have been through the bad times because
otherwise I wouldn’t be able to appreciate the good times that I have right
now.
Some describe Aaron Bruno as shy when they meet him in
person, but on stage Bruno is energetic, exciting, and confident. If Aaron Bruno were a king, the stage would
be his throne.
The 75-minute show was fueled by passion and energy and
featured a simple yet invigorating light show. Throughout the performance Bruno communicated
with fans in the audience and made sure that those that came to seem him were
enjoying themselves.
Heads bobbed on
slower songs like Sail, while fans
jump and kicked and wailed for songs like Burn
It Down.
For a moment during Burn
It Down, it felt as if I should have been at a James Brown concert. The
energy and vocals Bruno brought to the stage were very reminiscent of the late
soul singer.
Singles from Megalithic
Symphony pull from indie, dance, hip hop, and rock & roll influences.
The album gives the listener an opportunity to escape the realities from the real world while relating to experiences that the listener
may have shared with lead singer Aaron Bruno.
The album is available now and can be purchased at your
local music retailer or in iTunes.
-Av.
