Ethan 103

Rider Review: Vegas Edition
Reviewer: TL Belle
Ethan 103 is another band that really just puts on a great show. They make use of the stage appropriately and were able to keep the attention of their crowd even though they were on stage at 4am, which could be why there was a time or two where the energy, while consistent, seemed forced. The fact that they were able to put on as good a show as they did was fucking amazing in and of itself. Consistent complex drums mixed with the shredding guitars and thumping bass line made this show worth waiting that long to hear them. The vocals were on point and if there was a mistake this reviewer sure didn't catch it. There was an even sound throughout and the end of the show saw the drummer from Nomada coming onstage and playing in tandem with Ethan 103's drummer, which wrapped up the evening in an epic fashion. This band is the pinnacle of alternative rock which is why they get the title of Skull Clad Cruiser also. - Underground Magazine Out of the Grave

The Navajo Nation proved to have an extraordinary amount of "fiends" as the Misfits concert went off without a hitch during the Treaty Day fair on June 2.

Even though the wind and dust flew, that wasn't enough to break the spirit of hundreds of Misfits fans as they waited outside the Sports Center last Saturday night.

As you looked down the line of fans you saw almost every person wearing their Misfits gear representing the famous "Fiend Skull."

Fans didn't start piling into the Sports Center until almost 8 p.m. and the opening acts performed shortly after.

Three local bands opened up the Misfits that night - S.O.L., Ethan 103 and Sleep Tastes Pretty - and set the mood as each band played for at least 30 minutes.
...
Following was Ethan 103, pumping up the crowd with their punk rock feel and fast-paced songs. They even threw in a cover song from the southern California punk band Pennywise, giving the crowd a familiar song to sing to.
... - Navajo Times

Ethan 103, a Tempe-based alternative-punk rock band comprised of members of the Navajo Nation, will be competing for a shot to perform on the main stage at this year's Arizona Fall Frenzy Music Festival Sept. 30 at the Tempe Beach Park.

The winner will open for Blink- 182, a popular mainstream punk band, and other headliners such as indie-rock duo Matt & Kim and hometown favorite Jimmy Eat World.

Valley radio station X103.9 FM is sponsoring the contest this Friday.

Wayne Parkhurst, Ethan 103's lead singer, said his, band is one of 24 local bands chosen by the radio station out of an original pool of 60 contenders.

Given the ratio, "I think it's pretty cool that they chose us as one of the bands to play," said Parkhurst, who also plays guitar.

Winning the competition would garner a heap of well-deserved recognition and exposure for the band that has, up until now, only played shows on the rez and in border town and Valley venues.

Ethan 103 originally debuted in 2006, playing their first show at the Navajo Nation Museum.

If you've attended a couple of Navajo Nation Fairs since then there is a good chance that you may have also heard their music as their float drifted past you in the parade.

Inspiration for their heavygrained, high-tempo sound derives from influences such as Bad Religion, Pennywise, the Misfits, Alkaline Trio, and of course, Blink 182.

Joining Wayne Parkhurst in Ethan 103 is younger brother Michael Parkhurst, who plays guitar and provides backup vocals. The brothers are Diné on their mother's side.

Providing the band with its fast, intense punch is Diné drummer and backup vocalist Dwayne Showalter.

All hail from Window Rock and Fort Defiance but currently live in the Valley.

Currently, the band does not have a permanent bass player so they often have Floyd, another Parkhurst brother, or other friends fill in.

Throughout their high school days and since then, the Parkhursts and Showalter played with different bands on and off the rez. As teenagers on the rez, music was a way for them to bust through the lulls of boredom.

Playing in a band also helped the Parkhurst brothers, in particular, stay out of trouble because choices were limited as, "It was either play music or do drugs," one joked.

Their songs cover themes ranging from day-to-day life to stories painted with horror-punk undertones.

The song "War Machine," for example, is about a machine apocalypse that is "kind of like Terminator," Wayne said.

"War Machine," along with "Run" and "Dead and Buried," is available for play on their Web site.

On a more introspective level is "Save Yourself," which, Micheal Parkhurst said, "is a song about realizing who you are."

When the band performs in the first round of competition on Friday night, they will be playing two of their newest songs, one of which is called "American Dream."

This song embodies a political vibe and focuses on the socioeconomic contradictions that exist in the U.S.

The American dream is a commonly held belief that freedom can afford one the luxuries and successes of life if one is persistent and works hard enough.

"They talk about this American dream that you can go and own a house and all of these things, but currently that's really hard to do," explained Wayne Parkhurst.

"You can't support your family on one job," he said. "You have homes where you have single mothers... they have to work multiple jobs to support their kids. Meanwhile, you have these Wall Street bankers who are walking around. They lose billions of dollars and they're free. Nothing is going to happen to them."

Ethan 103 is scheduled to perform at 7 p.m. on Friday at the Marquee Theatre in Tempe.

"The number of people coming to support us will determine if we will be able to continue to the final. So please come down and bring your friends!" states the band's Web site.

Tickets are $10 and can be purchased through the band's Web site.

Even if you are not able to show up to support the band when they play the Marquee, you can still check them out every Tuesday night at the Devi's Advocate Bar and Grill near the ASU campus where they host open mike night. Information: www.ethan103.com. - Navajo Times

The Skate Jam was aimed at encouraging youth to include healthy physical activity into their daily lifestyle. Prizes were provided for the skaters who entered the competition,in addition to the skate demo. The all-Native, 4wheelwarpony skate team and the band Ethan 103 hope to provide the youth in the community some Native role models to look up to. Two other bands were also present at the Skate Jam: Miles to Nowhere and Nomada. Healthy snacks were provided throughout the day by the Health Education Department. - Ak'Chin O'odham Runner

No adults were allowed, it involved food, live alternative punk music and girls outnumbered boys at this year’s Tween Thanksgiving sponsored by Ak-Chin Library. With donations and cooking skills from a variety of Ak-Chin departments, the Recreation Center gym served as the tween retreat of gratitude with platefuls of turkey, and holiday side dishes, including pumpkin pie being served. The band Ethan103 set up on the outside basketball court to provide live music. From the Navajo Nation area, the band sang original music, “500,” “War Machine,” “All the Same,” and “Can’t Believe.” Members are from both the Navajo Nation and Oneida Tribe. Punk rock band Ethan 103 included
jumps as they performed on the outdoor basketball courts. For more info on the band, visit their website at: www.ethan103.com. - Ak'Chin O'odham Runner