By Lani Mertes, staff writer
Statewide Emergency, a Boulder- based band, took off in January for Portland, Oregon, in hopes of broadening their fan base and growing as a group.
The founding members of Statewide Emergency grew up in Boulder, Colorado. Originally formed with four members, three currently remain, including Matt Paradis (lead singer/guitarist) Caleb Kronen (bassist) and new member Connor Bent (drummer), who replaced Keith Slack.
Statewide Emergency’s sound has evolved over the years. With Slack’s departure, the band was forced to try to find a new drummer mid-tour. After a series of failed attempts with drum machines and other stand-ins, they settled on Bent, who has added a new dynamic to the band, which in Kronen’s opinion is “More along the lines of bands such as Radiohead or The Kills most recent album.”
Despite these growing pains, the group continues to do well. The group has had much success with their new music video, “The Inside,” which is from their new album “Carnivorous Carnival.” In this music video, the mixture of Paradis’ eccentric tone and the ominous, yet exciting visuals, creates an interesting “must-see” experience. They’ve also had a prominent and successful string of live performances, showcasing their talents in venues such as the Fox on the Hill and Club 156 on the C.U. campus.
On stage, the band has an evident effect on the crowd. Having attended one of their shows, I can testify to the fact that the audience has an in sync head nod, which to an outsider may look completely mad. Although their next upcoming shows are in Oregon, don’t let that stop you from checking out their music and supporting a local upcoming band that one day you may be lucky enough to say you knew.
The Owl 