Phoenix-based band comes a-rockin’
admin - March 12th, 2008Heather Smith
The Lumberjack
The crowds, screaming. The venue, packed. The band, intense. Such is expected when you are a band that has been compared to the likes of Godsmack, Sevendust and Trapt. Digital Summer consists of Kyle Winterstein on vocals, Ian Winterstein and Fish on guitars, Guido on bass and Cooter on drums. The last three prefer their nicknames, listing only those on their MySpace page and Web site. Their genre is a mix of rock, metal and alternative. On Feb. 29, they could be heard rocking downtown with their fast-paced, energy-driven performance.
Their enthusiasm on stage is contagious.
“The crowd does that. We just feed off of the energy the crowd brings,” Winterstein said. “The harder they rock out, the harder we push to put on the best show we can.”
“There’s always a strong connection with the guys and their fans,” said Melissa Baker, a leader of the street team and an attendee at their show in Flagstaff.
As much fun as these guys are having on tour, the band insists the experience on the road has not been easy.
“It’s tough; you’re unsigned, so people don’t take you as serious as you’d like,” Fish said. “So we just forced our three song EP down everybody’s throats until they took notice.”
They are all about the do-it-yourself methods of getting their music out there, trying to be as creative and persistent as possible. So creative, in fact, that Winterstein was once searched by the FBI for breaking into what he thought was Dreamworks Records to sneak in a copy of their demo. Unfortunately, the building was a political office.
The street team is dedicated to their cause, buying CDs at local stores and buying/burning as many as possible to promote the band, further proof of the special relationship the band has with their fans.
As tedious as this work may sound, it has paid off: Digital Summer had the opportunity to open for Godsmack on July 26, 2006. However, the band maintains that they have not let any of this get to their heads.
“Well to be honest, we’re so busy trying to always figure out what our next move is that we still see ourselves at the bottom of the industry food chain…and besides, it never [does] anyone any good to lose focus of who they are and where they came from,” Winterstein said.
The band actively communicates with fans and their street team online. They keep their professional lives, band lives, friendships, relationships and all other “ships” in line.
Their raw inspiration resonates through their songs. Their lyrics and music come from everyday experiences.
Winterstein said their material comes from “the same things that everyone goes through and gets pissed-off about or has some kind of emotion about. [The] only difference between us and them is that we make a song about it.”
The new acoustic EP provides a more emotional tone, reflecting a side of the band not usually heard during their energy-packed shows, while still carrying the same “edge” that can be heard in their heavier songs.
Digital Summer’s fan base has grown not only in Arizona, but nationwide. Their Acoustic EP/DVD Hollow will be available April 1 at Zia Records and Lithium Clothing, as well as on online music stores and their Web site. They recently released a music video for their song “Rescue Me” that can be seen on their MySpace and Web site.
For more information, visit www.myspace.com/digitalsummer.