The Lighthouse and The Whaler celebrates season, ushers in 2012 with fan, career focus

© The Rhythm Report 2011
The Lighthouse and The Whaler
at Musica in Akron, Ohio on Dec. 16

The Lighthouse and The Whaler is in the Christmas spirit. Fans who've been following and keeping in touch with the Cleveland-based band can expect to receive a special gift from the group in their home mailboxes this week. The band spent a few hours on Sunday night creating and writing personal Christmas cards to devout followers – several who live abroad – to thank them for their continued support and to wish them a Merry Christmas.


In three short years, The Lighthouse and The Whaler (TLATW) has released a full-length album and an EP, toured coast to coast and appeared at high-profile events, including the Paste and Rdio Afternoon Delight at The Living Room. (Watch the video of TLATW performing "We've Got The Most" at The Living Room below.) 


The band's work has been accompanied by a fanfare of media coverage from Spinner, KEXP 90.3 Seattle and BMI. Paste Magazine launched an exclusive premiere of the single "Venice" in October, and MTV described the band as "really cool melodic folk-rock ... and a live show you've got to check out for yourself."

© The Rhythm Report 2011
The Lighthouse and The Whaler
at Musica in Akron, Ohio on Dec. 16

"When we first started, I didn't think our music was that good, but you have enough people tell you that and you start to believe it," said Mike LoPresti, lead vocalist and guitarist. When asked how the band has achieved its success to date,  LoPresti responded with a burst of sincerity, "By the grace of God and our fans!"

A strong online presence has helped The Lighthouse and The Whaler reach music appreciators. The band has amassed a following of more than 4,200 Facebook fans, and the group has engaged those fans this year with a Kickstarter campaign, free downloads from Daytrotter* and a "Get to Know the Band" month. The individuals who comprise TLATW are dedicated to building relationships and open dialogue with listeners, and have put all their effort into making those connections relevant. 


“We've been out to eat with people after shows; people will let us stay at their houses [while touring]. We've made a lot of good friends along the way, and there are people we’ve stayed with multiple times," LoPresti said. "People just want to know that you care."


Hard work and seizing opportunity has also been at the heart of The Lighthouse and The Whaler's achievement. Multi-instrumentalist Aaron Smith said the band doesn't say no to a lot of opportunities. However, he added the caveat, "We don’t do everything that comes our way either; we try to be smart about it."


Smith addressed the fact that major changes and lagging record sales in the music industry has made it difficult for bands to land big-time record deals without putting forth a significant amount of personal effort into building up to that career opportunity.


“It seems like a lot of people in the industry are scared to take chances on bands," Smith said. "Bands have to build their careers by themselves. You have to be willing to give your all to the project. It just seems it’s more difficult to get them to look at you if you haven’t done that already."


The five men mapped out a plan for increased exposure in the coming year that includes extending its reach to fans through touring and a social media campaign to launch new material.


The Lighthouse and The Whaler is finalizing contracts with a major New York-based PR agency and a licensing company to support the group through 2012 as they release several singles through January and February and a full-length album in the summer, according to LoPresti. The select PR agency will also be promoting the band as it prepares for its February-March tour, which will include a stop at South by Southwest (SXSW) in Austin. 


Stay tuned to The Rhythm Report for details about The Lighthouse and The Whaler's new album and its pending summer-time release. 


Northeast Ohio fans can see this band perform next at The Grog Shop with Bears and Afternoon Naps on February 11, 2012. 

*Since the release of The Lighthouse and The Whaler's Daytrotter session in July, Daytrotter.com has gone to a members format that charges $2 per month for the opportunity to download thousands of live recorded sessions with an impressive library of artists.

Event: The Lighthouse and The Whaler at Musica Friday, December 16

The Lighthouse and The Whaler is set to perform at the Square Records & Music Saves Holiday Get Down with The May Company, Dunes and Total Babes on Friday, December 16, at Musica in Akron. 


The five fellows that comprise TLATW have engaged fans with "Get To Know The Band Month," giving devout followers of their nimble-noted music a glimpse into each gentleman's life. Read autobiographical commentaries from Mike and Matt LoPresti, Mark Porostosky, Steven Diaz and Aaron Smith on http://thelighthouseandthewhaler.tumblr.com/.


If The Lighthouse and The Whaler hasn't found its way onto your playlist yet, the band shares free downloads of several songs, including tracks from its Daytrotter session, on Facebook.

Event

Square Records & Music Saves 

Holiday Get Down

featuring

The Lighthouse and The Whaler

The May Company

Dunes

Total Babes

Friday, December 16 – 9:30 p.m.

Buy tickets here

$5


Musica
51 East Market Street
Akron, Ohio 44306

There is No Music Scene Here

Written by Priscilla Tasker

I was always one of those kids growing up who lived on pop music. Sure, I had friends who played in bands – which was cool – but I never gave them much credit for what they created. Let's face it. Most teenage bands flat out suck. In my mind, at the time, they never could have lived up to the artists and bands with radio airplay and music videos on MTV. Sound familiar to you? A lot people can admit they've written off the talent of friends based on the fact that they're only playing in basements and at a local level. 


Here's the thing. Those kids grow up. They hone their talents, and what they create may be extraordinary. You only have to listen, see and experience it. 


Yet, it is that mentality – if something is not appealing to the masses, it must be mediocre – that plagues local music and arts scenes. The Northeast Ohio music scenes are beset by this stigma. I've heard it, and I'm sure you have as well. "There is no music scene in [Cleveland, Akron, or insert your city name here]."


The truth of the matter is, there is a scene and great things are happening in it. If you don't know, you're simply not in it.

Ohio produces big name acts

In recent years, the nation and the world has seen acts like The Black Keys, Machine Gun Kelly (MGK) and Jessica Lea Mayfield explode in popular culture. Where do you think they began? The Black Keys formed and started their music career in Akron. MGK came up in Cleveland. Jessica Lea Mayfield, if I recall correctly, still calls Kent home. 


In the past, artists like Macy Gray, Reliant K and Marilyn Manson cropped up out of Canton. Bone Thugs-n-Harmony started in Cleveland. Going back even further, Devo and Chrissie Hynde were Kent State University students. And, to throw it out there, although they're not from the northeast part of the state, John Legend hailed from Springfield and short-lived 90s pop sensation 98 Degrees was from Cincinnati. Out of those acts – love them or hate them – almost every person reading this article could attest to how each has impacted pop music and changed our world in some way.


I recently pointed this out to a friend who works in Los Angeles as we discussed my potential move out West. As I made the case for why I am dedicated to the music scene in Northeast Ohio, I reminded him of the numerous musicians who've originated in this great state. In response, he said to me the one thing most of them had in common was that their careers took off after they had left Ohio. This is true, but every one of them had small beginnings in some local scene. 


At the time when most of those groups or individuals "made it," an artist had to pursue a career in a major music hub to be heard. In today's tech-centric world, kids and adults who are still making music in their basements, living rooms or bedrooms can upload their tunes and videos to the Internet for the world to hear and see. Location barriers have been broken down. Just as I am reaching you from the sofa in my apartment to wherever you are, musicians have at the tips of their fingers the opportunity to amass a following through the Internet. The challenge many local musicians face is the lack of wider appreciation for the live shows they play in their home towns. It's disheartening. 

Artists build careers from NEOhio home base

In 2009, Cleveland-based hip hop band Vitium released "Never Looking Back" on the Goon Trax label in Japan. The single produced by re::plus hit No. 3 on the country's iTunes hip hop charts. You're probably asking yourself, "Who the hell is Vitium?" It's one of the many professional bands that can be seen playing in the Northeast Ohio area. Sadly, one of the last times I saw this band play at Beachland Tavern, the venue was nearly empty.


Another terrific band on the bill that night was Winslow, a group which originated in Kent and is now based in Akron. Earlier this year, the soul-rock fusion ensemble recorded its latest single "Quarter Life" with Grammy-award winner Edwin "Tony" Nicholas. The song was released nationwide on a Sony RED promotional album. But you didn't know that, did you?


The Greater Cleveland and Akron areas have a plethora of artists who are making great music. Some of them are paving their way into the national and global scenes. Daytrotter took interest in The Lighthouse and The Whaler of Cleveland and recorded a session with the band in July. If you don't know Daytrotter, it is a music project in Rock City, Indiana that has recorded hundreds of live session with independent artists; a short list includes Death Cab for Cutie, Adam Arcuragi, Ingrid Michaelson, The National, OK GO, Scars on 45 and Tegan & Sara. In addition, this past October, The Lighthouse and The Whaler was a feature act at Paste & Rdio's Afternoon Delight party during the CMJ Music Marathon in New York City. 

Bethesda, another Kent-based band, signed a major licensing deal with Discovery Network, which operates in 187 countries. The band's music will be featured on more than 30 original shows on Discovery Channel, the Oprah Winfrey Network, Military Channel, Animal Planet and more.


Do you know what each of these bands have in common? 
They comprise a diverse representation of Ohio music and can frequently be seen in the "non-exsistent" Northeast Ohio music scene. There are plenty more from where they came, so support the local music in your home town. 


Come out to a show at Beachland Ballroom & Tavern, the Grog Shop, Happy Dog, The Winchester, Kent Stage, Musica, Auricle Venue or any other venue supporting the live, local music.


For God's sake, Cleveland is the home of The Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. Do you really think we're not making music here? Wake up!


And don't forget about the people and businesses behind these artists. Bad Racket Recording Studio, Cellar Door Records, Buzzbin Magazine and, of course, The Rhythm Report are among those that stand behind the scene to cultivate and capture the culture and art being created here and share it with you. Tune in. 

Hear the music

Paste Magazine highlights Cleveland's The Lighthouse and the Whaler - "Venice" premiere

Song Premiere: The Lighthouse and the Whaler - "Venice" :: Featured Audio :: Paste

In case you missed it last week, Cleveland's own The Lighthouse and the Whaler (TLATW) was featured on PasteMagazine.com in an exclusive premiere of the band's "Venice" studio recording. "Venice" is the first single off of the TLATW's This Is An Adventure album, pending release. This Is An Adventure was recorded at Seattle-based Bear Creek Studios with producer Ryan Hadlock. 

The band leaked a recording of "Venice" earlier this year as part of its Daytrotter session in July.

This Friday, Oct. 21, TLATW is on Paste & Rdio's roster for the three-day Afternoon Delight at the Living Room event in New York City.

Are you paying attention to Northeast Ohio's music scene yet? Share this article and spread TLATW love.

Local artist Rob Geer’s last show at Grog Shop signals beginning of new life out West

Written by Priscilla Tasker

Photo courtesy of
Kathleen Grace Kazsmer  

Rob Geer made his final Grog Shop appearance as The Conductor and The Creator Sunday, September 18, before he traverses the nation to settle in Denver, Co., in October. Ever-loyal friends and fans appropriately gathered for a send-off show, which featured Humble Home, who organized the event, and The Lighthouse and The Whaler. 

The indie-folk-inspired rock lineup showcased distinctive talents while keeping with a style of music compatible to the tone Geer set for the evening.

"I loved every second of it. It was a good set of bands. There's always an oddball in the line up but not tonight," Geer told Humble Home's Nick Wise in post-show conversation.

Geer led the night with a six-song set. Waiting in line to enter the venue, I heard the bass and guitars signal the start of the band’s first song – a sound which incited an anxious desire to cut the 10 to 15 people in front of me. I waited patiently. Yet, as if he read my mind, the man ahead of me offered reprieve by holding the door and saying, “You can go ahead.”

Grateful chivalry lives on, I made my way to the stage. Geer’s vocals enveloped the space. Seemingly effortless projection is a talent Geer has honed well – and one of the artistic traits that caught my attention the first time I’d heard him play at Nemeth’s Lounge in Painesville, Ohio, earlier this year. 

Geer was backed by his “Conductor” counterparts, whose soulful flavor enlivens the singer-songwriter's sound. [Watch this video from February 5, 2011 for an extraordinary example of the band's abilities.] Lead guitarist Matthew Augusta and bassist Dan Thompson played a bluesy, soft jazz teaser leading into "It Might Be" and an R&B interlude before "Under Devil's Skin." 

The Lighthouse and The Whaler – Daytrotter Session Download

Illustration by Johnnie Cluney
Source: Daytrotter.com

Earlier this summer, The Lighthouse and The Whaler of Cleveland had the heartening experience of recording at The Horseshack in Rock Island, Ill. for the band's first Daytrotter Session, which was engineered by Patrick Stolley. The result of their visit was four up-lifting tracks recorded straight to tape, converted to MP3 and captured for a lifetime.

The music takes you floating above the shade of life's puffy white clouds. Breezy melodies sweep over syncopated steps – skipping, dancing on the silver lining as the sun bursts through.

The free download of the band's Daytrotter Session includes:

• "The Adriatic Sea"
• "Pioneers" 
• "Venice"
• "White Days"

The Lighthouse and The Whaler performs live Sunday, September 18 – with Rob Geer, Humble Home and Aunt Martha – at Grog Shop in Cleveland Heights. The show starts at 8 p.m. Tickets are $6 and are available here.

Artists review Cellar Door Records Volume III

You’ve read The Rhythm Report’s review of Cellar Door Records Volume III. Now it’s time to hear what the featured artists thought about the album. The Rhythm Report asked a few of the artists which is their favorite song or whom their favorite musicians are on the compilation. This is what they said:

“It’s difficult to pick just one, but Tom Evanchuck is pure talent. His voice and guitar playing have developed so much over the years, and he knows how to write a song. But I’ve also been enjoying Humble Home, Tinamou and David Beans. It’s a great compilation.”

-Rob Geer, The Conductor and The Creator

“'Enough' by Keith Vance. I initially felt guilty choosing this track because it's like picking your brother first for the kickball team. Yet through working with Keith over the past year or so with Division Sound, as well as playing live with him, I've grown a great appreciation for his work ethic. Knowing and being apart of the process that involves Keith writing, recording and mixing all of his own music makes it that much more genuine and passionate.”

-David Beans, solo artist, producer and DJ

“Some of my favorite bands on the CD would definitely be The Lighthouse and The Whaler, and The Modern Electric. Both bands are good friends, and they create great music together. Tinamou's music is very close to my heart as well, for obvious reasons!”

-Anthony Foti, Humble Home, former Tinamou drummer

“That's a hard call. A tie between the Craig Ramsey track and The Lighthouse and The Whaler. I've dug those two bands for some time. Of course, there's a bunch of other stuff on the compilation too, but you made me whittle it down.”

-Joshua Jesty, singer/songwriter

“I was really in to the Tom Evanchuck tune. I think that he is a fantastic singer and songwriter. I also feel like there aren't a lot of younger people playing that kind of music around here.”

-Jeff Sutton, Humble Home

"If I had to pick just one, I'd have to go with Humble Home's 'Ghost.' That song is legit, and they killed it at the CD release show! Tom Evanchuck and David Beans come in pretty hot, too! Tom pours his heart into every note and David creates compositions that just blow me away. I like when I hear something that I know I can't come close to pulling off. The album is full of keepers, how dare you make me pick just one!"

-Keith Vance, Division Sound recording engineer and musician

Cellar Door Records Volume III is available at www.cellardoorrecords.com and at Music Saves independent record store in the Waterloo District of Cleveland. Watch Humble Home and Rob Geer perform live at the release party via The Rhythm Report's video page.

Interviews conducted by Priscilla Tasker, editor and creator of The Rhythm Report