Marina City

hen it comes to the Blinds on The Voice, there aren’t many decisions more important than song choice. Any time you cover someone else’s work, it’s impossible to avoid a comparison, so you want to choose carefully. The right song can highlight your talents while the wrong one might sour the Coaches before you reach the first chorus.


The season premiere of The Voice season 25 was chock full of incredible performances from a wide range of talented performers and each of them took a risk to stand on that stage. None of them arguably took a bigger risk, though, than 30-year-old Ryan Argast from Plainfield, Illinois.

Ryan Argast sings “Speechless” by Dan + Say on The Voice Season 25
Ryan has been “making noise” singing in multiple bands since he was in the fifth grade, and all of that has led him to The Voice. Ryan came to the stage focused and single-minded. He knew what he wanted, which Team he wanted, and set out to make that clear from the jump. “To me, the most important thing as a singer is being a storyteller. There’s no one doing that better than Dan + Shay.”

RELATED: Chance the Rapper Is Making a Big Coaching Adjustment for The Voice Season 25

Married in 2020, Ryan has a special connection with Dan + Shay’s song “Speechless,” which is about seeing your spouse for the first time on your wedding day. Performing a song by one of the coaches, in this case The Voice’s first ever Coaching duo, is always risky and Ryan could only hope it would pay off. “I hope they hear the emotion, believe the story,” Ryan said.

Tension filled the room from the first notes, the Coaches immediately recognizing the tune, and all eyes were on Dan + Shay. The moments, and the melody, fluttered by as Ryan sang to the faceless backs of the Coach’s thrones. Finally, a whispered exchange between Dan + Shay, “I like him,” and “I think we should go for it.” Go for it they did. Ryan earned only a single Chair Turn, but it was the one that counted.

“I love the texture of your voice. I love that it feels like it’s breaking but it’s strong at the same time,” John Legend said, before Reba McEntire jumped in. “You’re going to have such a good time with these two over here. They are knowledgeable, they are such great singers, song writers. So sorry I missed out on it but you’re going to have fun with them.” Finally, Dan + Shay addressed their new Team member.

“That was risky, but it paid off. I knew exactly what I was listening for, and you were the magic we were looking for,” Shay said, before handing it off to Dan. “The beginning of it was super true to form, super sexy, super R&B, and when that chorus hit you made it your own. I’m going to be thinking about that performance every time we sing that song now.”

In case performing for and being selected by your favorite Coaches wasn’t enough, John Legend convinced Dan + Shay to join Ryan for a special three-person rendition of “Speechless.” The three of them tore up the stage together for a couple bars to celebrate Ryan joining Team Dan + Shay. - NBC

The Voice 2024 has entered the Battles phase. And, for two Team Dan + Shay hopefuls, a fight to the end with a twist.

Karen Waldrup, a Mandeville, Louisiana native, all turbo power, and Ryan Argast, a Plainfield, Illinois man with range and gravel in his voice, were sent into the ring with a cover of Dan + Shay‘s 2023 number “Save Me The Trouble”.

The contestants impressed the coaches with their obvious talent, and earned a few hollers with a smoking hot conclusion. “That was just steamy at the end,” Chance the Rapper remarked.



Dan + Shay

John Legend

Reba McEntire
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“That’s better than the original version,” Dan Smyers insisted.


“That was so good. The energy, the passion, the power coming out of you two,” John Legend said. The rasp in Argast’s voice is his “superpower,” he enthused. Though he’s “mad he didn’t turn” for Waldrup, whose tone and vibrato worked magic. Legend would chose the latter, if he had the option.

Reba McEntire did turn for Waldrup. “I think you’re fantastic,” she remarked. And there’s a lot of love for the “growl” in Argast’s voice.

That performance was “awesome,” Chance chimed, though the pair had mismatching “energy levels.” Karen, he continued, has a “true talent. It was like there was a storm around you and you were just shining through it.” The Chicago rapper was quietly kicking himself for not turning for her when he had the chance. The final moments of the Battle were “steamy,” he reiterated, and exactly what the cameras adore.



Dan + Shay had the last word. Argast’s “presence on stage is incredible,” claimed Smyers, while Waldrup “rose to the occasion,” belting out a “guy’s song.”

It’s a voice that reminds Mooney of old country, classic stuff he grew up listening to. “I love that sound, it’s very unique.” Argast’s voice, he continued, is “powerhouse.”

With the kind words out the way, a decision had to be made. They chose Waldrup.

Dan + Shay are the newbies on this 25th season of NBC’s The Voice, joined by returning coaches Reba McEntire, John Legend and Chance the Rapper. - Billboard

Alt-pop trio Marina City releases their funky, danceable new song “I’m So Broke.” The Chicago natives’ new tune comes out just before the band embark on a summer tour.

“It’s about the empty statuses we chase for minuscule amounts of clout or virility,” vocalist Ryan Argast says about the song.

Marina City has some experience on the national stage. The frontman, Argast, made a splash on The Voice and has an uber-talented group of musicians surrounding him. and coming from the alternative haven that is Chicago doesn’t hurt.

“The uninspired and often-uninformed charity we give to feel righteous and spike the algorithm. We build our personalities based on trends and diagnose ourselves on what WebMD suggests,” Argast continues. “When you strip away the verified check, the hashtags, the money, the fashion, and the centralized fame … what do you have left?”

Since breaking into the alt-pop scene, Marina City have opened for Judah and the Lion, Lovelytheband, Joywave, and other major acts. The band will be busy this summer performing headlining dates in Nashville, Green Bay, and Chicago. - New Noise Magazine

Marina City aren’t beating around the bush in their new single; they’re done spending time and energy on the people and things that no longer work for them, and they’re taking action to follow through. Their infectious smooth jam “Addicted” is a pulsing rejection of coasting through life – an embrace of hard, meaningful choices that may be tough in the near-term, but will pay off in the long run.

Marina City - Addicted
Addicted – Marina City
Heaven’s not right
I feel good but I am not fine
Frontman Ryan Argast’s falsetto is sweetly seductive as he croons his lines, injecting layers of feeling in such a way that the notion of being addicted to trajedies truly hits home. There is pain in this track; it is, if anything, more a sorrowful lament than anything else. This is a relationship’s swan song; the melancholic parting of ways on a journey that perhaps should have ended a longer time ago.

Of course, the song’s end still leaves things unclear: The narrator wants to move on and needs to get out of the present situation, but as we all know only too well, it’s far easier to say something than to follow through. “Addicted” leaves us hanging, with the end result up in the air: Will the addiction continue, and keep them together? Or can willpower save the day?

Marina City’s music is sexy and sensual, resplendent and vibey. They’re indie pop with an R&B twist, evoking the best of Prince, Michael Jackson, and The 1975 without sounding like anyone but themselves. Stream “Addicted” exclusively on Atwood Magazine, and stay tuned for more from the Chicago band in the year ahead!

Marina City will headline Chcago’s Chop Shop on April 5.

:
Don’t know if I’ll make it out alive
That’s a worry for another time (another time)
So tell me
Am I getting better? or is it finally working?
I feel as light as a feather
but I keep packing on the pounds
Am I alive?
That’s a worry for another time (another time)
Atwood Magazine is proud to be premiering “Addicted,” Marina City’s debut release of 2019 and their first single following August 2017’s Terminal EP – a record that put the Chicago sextet on the map. The indie pop band of Ryan Argast, Brian Johnson, Matt Gaudiano, Eric Somers-Urrea, Aaron Heiy, and Todor Birindjiev, Marina City are as much about the frills and the thrills, as they are about the dark depths of soul that only come out at night. “Addicted” pulls from both worlds as the band confront emotional complacency.

“Being ‘content‘ is just as much of an addiction as ‘wanting more,'” Marina City tell Atwood Magazine. “We associate being “content” as being fulfilled however, being “content” can hinder us in finding something better. The song ‘Addicted‘ is about being addicted to feeling content with the things that are detrimental. You know it’s bad, but you are always looking for the good in it. We trick ourselves into believing things are good. If something no longer makes you happy, then get rid of it. You will never grow if you always feel content.”

The band come together in high fashion as they explode in a vibing chorus: - Atwood Magazine

Marina City has released their new single entitled “Strawberry”. Radiating with peppy beats and smooth seductive vocals, this Prince-inspired track fuses indie pop with a hint of R&B. Thematically the song details the choices we make and the multiple paths it may lead us.

"I often wonder what my life would be like if I did the exact opposite of my gut feeling," explains vocalist Ryan Argast, "Sometimes it's just 'what if I chose the red toothbrush instead of the blue? Would I have picked the winning lotto ticket that day?' The long answer: Strawberry is about making consequential decisions in the heat of the moment. Short answer: Strawberry is about hooking up with your best friend. Bottom line it's a fun song about consequences but aren't there consequences every time you have fun?"

Collaborating with super producer, Dino Zisis (Lady Gaga), the band had the creative freedom to explore a sound that stays genuine to their artistry. Extracting inspiration from childhood idols like Prince and Queen as well as current artist like The 1975 and Foster The People, they’ve managed to craft their own distinctive style that truly resonates with their listeners.

Marina City’s up-tempo, energetic music is beautiful, funky and extremely irresistible. Undefined by any one genre, the band’s motto rings true, "Sometimes to move forward you have to burn it all down." In 2018 they did just that, stripping down to their roots and discovering the most authentic version of themselves. “Strawberry” marks the next phase of the band’s evolution. - Earmilk

Named for two honeycomb towers that got their own Chicago zip code (for no real reason), this theatrical six-piece has the artistry and determination to give Brendon Urie a run for his money. Marina City, who self-defines as an aggressive pop-rock band, sold out the first show they ever played in 2012 and has since shared the stage with the likes of Amanda Palmer, State Champs, Cartel and Senses Fail. Last year Marina City even pulled a Cady Heron and took the crown at the Vans Warped Tour 2015 Ernie Ball Battle of the Bands.

Headquarters: Chicago, Illinois
For fans of: Panic! At The Disco, Chiodos, three-part harmonies and Justin Timberlake's alluring dance moves - Alternative Press

Chicago -- The completely independent band that people cannot believe isn't big yet, Marina City will be working with Craig Owens (lead vocalist of Chiodos) on an acoustic EP titled Lost Doesn't Mean Alone, out later this year. - MTV News

Midwest pop-punkers Marina City have been working tirelessly to prove themselves over the past four years as a band. Just last year they were crowned the first prize in the Ernie Ball Warped Tour Battle of the Bands, and will follow their summer on Warped this year with a fitting homecoming at Riot Fest Chicago. - Altpress

Chicago natives Marina City have been named one of the "Top 10 Independent Bands You Need to Know" by MTV & Altmusic, but they are much more than that. The 6 piece band is the next big thing in alternative music that simply have not gotten the coverage they deserve. Compared to the likes of Fall Out Boy, the band is electric and poppy with an edgy twist. They have the talent to compete with the best of them, if not surpass them. Lead singer Ryan Argast has a soothing but powerful voice, and when paired with heavy guitar by Brian Johnson and Todor Birindjiev, steadfast drums by Eric Somers Urrea, Matthew Guadiano's theatrical keyboard, and Aaron Heiy's steady bass, their sound packs a huge punch. Marina City is destined for great things, and will without a doubt be playing through your radio in the near future.

1. What is the main inspiration for your lyrics?
Life! It may sound generic but our music is about the struggles and triumphs all of us go through in our lives. There are a lot of themes that consist of hope, determination, never giving up, being yourself, and fighting to live your dream. (Ryan Argast | Lead Vocals)

2. What is it like being a band with a larger amount of members? Is it easier, or more difficult?
We honestly don't know any better if it's easier or more difficult. We never seriously toured in our previous projects and they never lasted this long to do the things we are doing. It's like having 5 other brothers, you fight each other, you love each other, you hate each other, and you look out for each other. (Ryan Argast | Lead Vocals)

3. What are you working on right now?
We've been writing a lot so we hope to start recording early next year for an early summer release. Otherwise we have been focusing on our set list for our tour with BadXChannels that's coming up. (Ryan Argast | Lead Vocals)

4. Have you ever experienced musician's block, and if so, how did you get out of it?
Yeah for sure, usually you just go do something else, listen to more music, play sports, watch TV, hang out with friends and then come back to it later. Usually that always helps us. Sometimes you just need to step away. (Ryan Argast | Lead Vocals)

5. What hobbies or interests do you have outside of playing music?
Personally for me I love watching movies, playing/watching sports, and hanging out with close loved ones. I hope to act one day while singing in this band. (Ryan Argast | Lead Vocals)


6. When did you know that you wanted to create music?
I can't think of a time when I didn't! I was singing the minute I started talking and dancing the minute I started walking! I was always making up silly lyrics and melodies. Music has always been there for me. (Ryan Argast | Lead Vocals)

7. How do you deal with mistakes on stage?
Act like they never happened! Get the crowd distracted and just play through it. I learned to never bring attention to any problem on stage. Most of the time the crowd will have no idea something is wrong until you bring it up. (Ryan Argast | Lead Vocals)

8. What is the best show you've ever played, and the worst?
We have fortunately been able to play so many great shows but it will have to be our CD Release show for Wanderlust but our first Warped Tour, Riot Fest, and Sold Out House Of Blues show is pretty dang close! Worst show was probably at a show in Boston, I'm surprised they didn't boo us. My voice was gone, every one was playing terribly and the crowd was not into it at all. (Ryan Argast | Lead Vocals)

9. Have you ever had an unusual touring experience?
I don't think we have ever NOT had an unusual touring experience, then again, there probably is no such thing as a usual touring experience. Our first tour ever we were lied to by a booker who told us we were playing South By Southwest in Austin Texas but when we got there we found out it was all a lie and he just stole a bunch of money from us. (Ryan Argast | Lead Vocals)

10. What advice would you give an up and coming band?
I have tons! But never release anything half-ass, don't oversaturate your hometown with a bunch of crappy shows, every great accomplishment came from huge set backs, rehearse until you can't get it wrong, and never stop believing in yourself. (Ryan Argast | Lead Vocals) - Musiqtone.com

Conquering an August EP release and basking in a triumphant victory in the Ernie Ball Battle of The Bands, Marina City are sure to become a familiar name with the Warped Tour crowd in the upcoming year.
This Chicago six-piece creates a sound that’s accessible for the loyal alternative listener and impressive and unique to the critical ear. Their ability to stand out and their amazing work ethic is undoubtedly why they’ve reigned victorious above thousands of hopeful locals. Thanks to their contest win, they’ve earned a spot on the Vans Warped Tour this summer.
The band’s latest release Wanderlust was produced by Casey Bates, known for his work on notable albums by Foxy Shazam, Pierce The Veil and Portugal. The Man among many others. Bates has a history in working with bands with a more dynamic nature and making sure that every intricate musical part through comes through on the album – making him a perfect match for the powerhouse that is Marina City.
“There is so much to be proud of with this EP. We wrote 15 songs, then narrowed it down to five and took the cool parts of the other songs,” Marina City vocalist Ryan Argast told Noise Creators about working with Bates, “This really stretched our creativity and definitely made it a stronger EP for us. Casey made us sound amazing!”
When describing their sound, there are a ton of comparisons you can make to Marina City’s influences, but that would definitely sell them short. On top of the post-hardcore skeleton that carries the band’s sound, there is a ton of multi-genre fusion throughout their catalogue. You can find elements of jazz in the keys, nitty-gritty soulfulness in the vocals and a general pop sensibility in the song composition.
Apparently how to describe their music is a hot topic amongst the band, as Argast explains, “We call our music Aggressive Pop Rock. We aren’t afraid to do something inspired by Frank Sinatra, Bruno Mars, Fall Out Boy or Avenged Sevenfold. We want to write music and that’s it.”
That’s no exaggeration. Mere months after Wanderlust, Marina City took to Facebook earlier this month to let their fans know that they’re already brainstorming for their next release with a goal of writing two new songs every time they get together. Since their Battle of the Bands win includes studio time with John Feldmann, vocalist of Goldfinger and legendary producer for well known acts including The Used, Panic! At The Disco and All Time Low – they’re not taking this next one lightly.
On working with Feldmann, Argast shares, “Some of our favorite albums of all time were produced by John Feldmann. Since he’s basically the creator of the sound we go for, this may be the EP we’ve always dreamed to make.”
Dreams are a huge part of the way Marina City operates, and they back it all up with music business smarts and motivation. When preparing to enter the Ernie Ball Battle of the Bands, the band made a list of things they wanted to accomplish in 2015 – and have achieved all of them. They’ve worked incessantly to book shows and build a fanbase who they constantly engage with. When it comes to a competition where votes and fan comments matter a lot, that effort definitely paid off. “We work really hard for our fans and this time our fans worked really hard for us,” Argast told us, being sure to share the credit with the band’s family, friends and fans for Marina City’s growing success.
As for their upcoming stint on the 2016 edition of Vans Warped Tour, Marina City are actively gearing up for the long, hot challenge ahead. “We are training now. Yes, training!” Argast told us, “We need to put on a show every day that will make people want to see this unknown band on the Ernie Ball stage.”
You can catch Marina City on tour with Jillian Jensen, This Is All Now, and Royal Street this December. They will also be opening Craig Owens’ upcoming performance at The Bottom Lounge. As for 2016, the band tells us they have a surprise for their midwest fans coming this January. To keep up with Marina City on their road to Warped Tour head to their website or their Facebook page – and of course, check out their music here. - Noise Creators

What do you do when you find out your band has won the highly coveted Ernie Ball's Vans Warped Tour Battle Of The Bands 2015 title? You don’t quit. At least, that’s the mindset of Chicago-based pop rockers Marina City, comprised of Ryan Argast (lead vocals), Todor Birindjiev (lead guitar), Brian Johnson (vocals/guitar), Aaron Heiy (bass), Matt Gaudiano (vocals/keys) and Eric Somers-Urrea (drums). Fresh off a successful run at New York’s CMJ Music Marathon, the six-piece recently wrapped the journey on the road back to their hometown, but not without playing a string of shows along the way. AP had the opportunity to catch up with the band before their show at Stony Brook University in Long Island to talk about their big win (just one week after they were “crazy people in the streets of New York” upon hearing the news) and what comes next, namely two weeks on Vans Warped Tour and a recording session with well-known producer/musician/songwriter John Feldmann (5 Seconds Of Summer, All Time Low, The Used).



For 19 years, the Ernie Ball's Vans Warped Tour Battle Of The Bands contest has provided bands with a unique chance to showcase their music to a much broader audience outside of hometown shows and the wide landscape of the internet, where the competition to get noticed has become increasingly high. Along with two weeks on the Vans Warped Tour, winners also score 3 song EP with producer John Feldmann, a feature in Alternative Press Magazine, a $15,000 Guitar Center shopping spree and over $20,000 in music gear from DW, Zildjian, LP, Blackstar, Mark Bass, Electro-voice, TC Electronic, 1964 Ears, Ernie Ball, and Ernie Ball Music Man. Quite the prize package for a band that prides themselves on grassroots marketing and an infallible work ethic! According to lead vocalist Argast, an opportunity like this “means everything” for an DIY band like Marina City. “In a world where music is more popular than ever, where people are just bombarded with new bands every day, something like this can separate a band,” he says. “This opens the doors to almost every opportunity we've worked for these past three years. This can change a band's career and its members’ lives. We couldn't be more thankful for this opportunity and plan to take full advantage of it.”



Argast says he was exchanging emails with Ernie Ball Director of Event & Entertainment Marketing, Ryan McLain, who told him “something [was] up” with the band’s contest page before he suddenly dropped a bombshell and asked Argast if he and the rest of Marina City would like to record their next EP with John Feldmann. “I don’t think I actually said anything but ‘What? What? What?’ I kept saying ‘what’ over and over again,” Argast recalls, laughing. “And [McLain said] ‘Yeah, John Feldmann,’ and I was like, ‘What does that mean?’ [McLain] said, ‘You guys are the 2015 Ernie Ball's Vans Warped Tour Battle Of The Bands winner.’ … Everyone erupted—cheers happened. Hugs happened. It was a lot of fun.”



Their success could have been derailed before it even started though, with the group contemplating not even entering the competition. With other shows and projects to focus on, Marina City felt like many bands put so much focus into promoting Battle Of The Bands that they forget about everything else, and they were determined not to let that happen. They signed up but didn’t initially make it their priority. “We went into it that way, and we ended up getting on [Vans] Warped Tour for the Chicago date, and then this happened,” Argast says. “The moment when we basically were going to give up on this, it actually ended up happening. It’s crazy.”



While the band readily admit they did not pay much attention to their contest page at the beginning, vocalist/guitarist Johnson said fan comments began pouring in at an unimaginable rate, which gave them hope that they might actually make the top 100 category, where Ernie Ball staff, Vans Warped Tour founder Kevin Lyman and John Feldmann would actually have to listen to their music. “The comments that came in on our page were incredible. Our fan base went all out and poured their hearts out on there about how they felt about us. It was really, really cool,” Johnson says. “All of us were blown away by the things these people said about us, and we were just like, ‘Man, I can’t believe they feel this way about us.’ It really turned our heads to the point like we might really have a shot of getting on this thing. Lo and behold—we got on it, so it was really cool.”



Now, with producer John Feldmann at the reigns, Marina City are set to take its current pop-rock sound, which pulls different elements from their biggest influences (Panic! At The Disco, the Used, Good Charlotte, D.R.U.G.S.) to whole new places. “I can only imagine what it will be like to actually have the music we’ve been wanting to write come alive,” Argast says.



Feldmann, who has been involved with Battle Of The Bands for five years, has worked with previous winners like Night Argent and Beautiful Bodies, many of which have gone on to land record deals. He has not even seen Marina City in person yet, but calls them a mix “between Fall Out Boy and Avenged Sevenfold” and looks forward to their studio time together. “This’ll be interesting meeting a band live in the studio and going immediately to work—seeing how the bands will adjust to my work ethic and immediately changing melodies, rhythms, everything like that. Typically, I only have three or four days with bands, and we work fast. So it’ll be interesting to see how they deal.”



Though Marina City wield a melodic Top 40 sensibility fused with a heavy punk-rock edge that fans adore, they believe it’s the lyrics, rather than their sound, that keep fans coming back for more and sticking around for the long haul. According to drummer Somers-Urrea, the band talk a lot about struggles in life and trying to achieve dreams, which he thinks people really connect with. “It resonates with a lot of people, so I think that’s where we get a lot of the heartfelt messages from [fans] that are just incredible. It’s weird to think we write almost selfishly the music we would like to hear, and to have such a great response from a fanbase is the coolest thing ever,” he says.



“I think we’re very motivated and very, very excited for this opportunity … we want this to be the start of something beautiful and something we’ve always wanted to do,” Argast says. “It’s going to be crazy. That’s all I can say. We’re going to give everything—blood, sweat and tears.”

Can’t get enough Marina City? Check them out in our Google Hangout tomorrow (10/28) with Marina City at 6pm EST—go to youtube.com/altpress - Alternative Press

There’s many bands out there that I know locally. But when I was made editor for Krater Promotions the 1st band that came to mind that I wanted to review was Marina City. 3 years ago a very good friend of mine played me their CD “In the Wake of Dreaming” and from that time on I was hooked. This aggressive pop punk band consisting of 6 young men started their career in 2012 playing a sold out show at the House of Blues located in downtown Chicago and since then Marina City developed a very large intense fan base not only in their hometown of Chicago but all over the US, as they’ve toured the Midwest and East coast, that they refer to as The Lost Boys. Ryan Argast: lead vocalist, Brian Johnson: Rhythm guitarist/vocals, Aaron Heiy: Bassist, Todor Birindjiev: lead guitarist, Eric Somers-Urrea: Drums, Matthew Gaudiano: Keyboards/vocals all make up Marina City. With the release of “In the Wake of Dreaming” in 2012 all of their songs connect not only with the band but with their fans. Some of the bands major influences are Fall Out Boy, Sleeping With Sirens, and A Day to Remember. Being an unsigned band most people would think that having a lot of success is impossible, but Marina City proves that if you work hard enough and chase your dreams, even through difficult times, you can achieve them. This is a group of 6 young, talented, hardworking guys that actually have normal jobs, but at the same time they are motivated and dedicated to doing what they love the most and creating music not only they love but so does the audience. They talk about working hard to achieve your dreams, they talk about heartbreak, falling in love, going through difficult times, everything that not only they have been through but things that people can relate to or have even been through personally.
After years of dreaming about playing Warped Tour they ended up playing the 2015 Chicago date. Marina City’s biggest dream came true and they couldn’t be more grateful for the success of their band. But that wasn’t the end!!! Soon after something even bigger happened. They were still in this huge competition for Warped Tour, but it wasn’t their main priority. They were busy touring, playing shows, and working on the band. And in the end by some crazy miracle they won!!!
“Many of the bands take the competition so seriously that all they do is ask people for their votes and don’t focus on other band things, the reason why we won is because they noticed we were doing a lot of work outside the competition such as non–stop touring, writing, recording, releasing music, releasing videos and more.” –Ryan Argast
Marina City had hundreds of fans, family, and friends posting inspiring comments on why this band deserved to win the Ernie Ball Battle of the Bands. Many of them were paragraphs describing what the band meant to them, how they’ve helped them through difficult times, and how this band not only shows but proves how much their fans mean to them. That this band considers their fans more than just fans but a family. Because of the love and support they’ve received they have gotten this far. They won the Battle of the Bands which includes:
2 weeks on Warped Tour
3 song EP with John Feldmann
AltPress interview/feature
Ernie Ball String Endorsement
Ernie Ball Music Man Guitar/Bass Endorsement
DW Design Series Drum Kit
Mark Bass amp head and cab
2 Blackstar guitar amp head and cab
EV microphones
LP percussion pack
Vans band pack
Journey’s gift card
$15,000 from Guitar Center


WHAT’S NEXT FOR MARINA CITY???
The band will be going back on tour with Jillian Jensen, This Is All Now, and Royal Street on the east coast December 8-13. You can check out their tour dates on marinacityband.com When they get back they will be opening up for Craig Owens December 18 at Bottom Lounge. In January they will be hitting the road again and then in February they should be recording with John Feldmann. From there Marina City will have a lot to work on to make sure it is a strong release and gear up for Warped Tour!!!! - Krater Promotions

Acentric Magazine had the chance to speak with Chicago-based self proclaimed “Aggressive Pop Rock” band Marina City, who were named last summer’s Ernie Ball Battle of the Bands Winner and just a few months ago, they released a live acoustic EP. Check out what they had to say about their crazy last two years!

Acentric Magazine: Your live acoustic EP just came out not too long ago. How has the response been?

Incredible! We took a chance on something and it worked. Not many people are willing to bend your genre and we were able to do that and have our fans back us 100% of the way. (Ryan Argast | Lead Vocals)

You guys chose to play in five different studios to five different audiences, which was such a unique choice. How did the decision come about? What made you decide to not just record one live studio session?

We really wanted to record an acoustic record. But that by itself is kind of boring. So we brainstormed for a long while how to make it super cool for all of our fans and the concept for LDMA was created. That was even before Craig was involved with it. We saw Craig post about wanting to work on some new projects so we threw a dart in the dark hoping maybe he’d be interested and he was immediately on board. When we got the news about Craig being down for it, I had goosebumps. This idle I’ve had since I was younger is going to produce our project that we just put together on a whim? God yes. Incredible. And it worked out so much better than we could have dreamed. Everyone including our fans were so stoked just to be included on such an innovative idea. (Brian Johnson | Guitar/Vocals)

How were the performances different than your regular shows?

They were so intimate. Maybe too intimate.. haha But very, very intimate having 20 people huddled in a studio just listening to some MC acoustic jams. At first people were very afraid to make noise which was what we were scared of. We wanted the feel of a live audience but I got the feeling everyone was so awestruck just to be in the room that they didn’t want to screw anything up or ruin a good take. Like, stomp your feet, sneeze, cough.. do something! Haha But they made some noise after each track so it worked out great and the fans were amazing. (Brian Johnson | Guitar/Vocals)

In 2015, the band was named the Ernie Ball Battle Of The Band’s Grand Prize Winner. What was that like? And what was it like to play two weeks of Warped Tour?

Being named the winner was absolutely surreal! It was a truly life changing moment for all of us. I remember we were on tour in New York when we got the phone call. We put it on speaker phone and erupted into craziness and tears of joy! Having the opportunity to play Warped Tour was such a dream come true. It was the most fun and most exhausting two weeks of our lives. We knew going into it that we had to give it everything we got so we spent all day every day working and talking to people making sure people would see us and remember us. It’s been a true honor and such a wild ride! (Eric Somers-Urrea | Drums)

Do you feel like your time on Warped Tour helped gain fans from other music genres?

Yes, Warped Tour definitely helped gain fans from any band from Motionless In White to State Champs and Mayday Parade. The great thing about Warped Tour is that the kids go mostly for the experience of seeing tons of bands in one day. They usually just love music in general so if you put on a good show and give them attention and actually talk to everyone after the show at your merch table you’ll most likely gain fans for life because you showed that you actually cared about them taking 20 minutes out of their day to give you a chance. (Aaron Heiy | Bass)

Are you excited to be going on tour with badXchannels? What has it been like working with Craig Owens?

We are all so incredibly excited for this tour! We’ve all been such fans of Craig’s work so working with him has been amazing. He’s been so great to us in helping to develop and push us creatively as musicians and artists so it really means a lot to us to have this opportunity. He’s really become a great friend to us! Plus just as fans we’re excited to watch badXchannels perform every night! (Eric Somers-Urrea | Drums)

If you could describe the band in three words to someone that has never heard your music, what words would you use?

Aggressive Pop Rock (Ryan Argast | Lead Vocals) - Accentric Magazine

Chicago based pop rock band Marina City have been dubbed as a mix “between Fall Out Boy and Avenged Sevenfold" by multi-platinum record producer John Feldmann (5SOS, Fall Out Boy). With the creation of their own genre, aggressive pop rock the quartet have been letting their voices be heard with the release of two EP’s to date. Amandah Opoku sat down with the band to talk about their unique sound, latest release and upcoming tour. Check out the interview below!

Amandah Opoku: Hey Marina City, it’s great to be sitting down with you! Before we kick off this interview, please introduce yourself, role in the band and favorite song or record released these past three months
Ryan Argast, Lead Vocals, best album to me that just came out right now is Too Close To Touch’s sophomore release I Haven’t Been Myself. I’ve been jamming that a lot.
I’m Matt Gaudiano and I play keys/sing in the band. In general, I think the favorite thing I’ve listened to has to be a cover. It’s Bruno Mars’ rendition of Adele’s All I Ask. I am a wholehearted Bruno fan.

AO: John Feldmann has dubbed you as a mix “between Fall Out Boy and Avenged Sevenfold". Would you say that’s true of your sound?
Ryan Argast: We never thought of ourselves that way but we loved that he said that. After thinking about it more it definitely made sense with all over our influences together. That’s why we say we play Aggressive Pop Rock.

AO: You were able to work with Feldmann who’s worked with 5SOS and Fall Out Boy. While working with him, did he offer you an advice that you use to this day?
Ryan Argast: Tons! We loved working with him. We learned how to think differently when writing songs. He is just a machine when it comes to writing songs and he helped us find ways to crank out music and get out of writers block.

AO: Following the prior, when you first put together the band did you know immediately what kind of sound you wanted to achieve? Or was it a work in progress that formulated on it’s own later on?
Matt Gaudiano: It’s a current work in progress I feel. When we wrote our first EP, In the Wake of Dreaming, we just wrote a bunch of songs that we thought were cool and let the fans decide what they liked! We’ve been refining ever since and I think we’re still striving towards a new sound that we and the people who listen to us both enjoy!

AO: It’s very evident, the unique sound you’ve cultivated for yourself. Besides your sound, what else do you think makes you stand out in someone’s playlist and the countless musicians releasing music daily?
Matt Gaudiano: I say it’s the diversity that the band has. Everyone brings something different to the table, and everyone gets a moment to shine. We also have great hair if you didn’t know haha (insert sarcasm).

AO: Going back to the very beginning, how did Marina City come together? How did 6 separate individuals come together to create the band?
Brian Johnson: I originally worked with Ryan with his old band before joining his solo project, Ryan Alan right before we created Marina City. Matt was in musicals with Ryan and we met Eric through Craig’s List. That was the base foundation of the band before Aaron joined a few months after our first show in March of 2012 and Todor joined early 2014. After the addition of Todor, we’ve really been able to keep our focus on moving forward and getting better as musicians and as a band. Every member of this band understands his role and works very well as a well oiled machine. It’s pretty incredible.

AO: Going back to your name of Marina City, if you were able to create your own city which one of your songs do you believe would make the perfect anthem?
Matt Gaudiano: I would have to say, Falling Up and Breaking Down. All of our songs have an undertone of hopefulness and determination to accomplish dreams. I say Falling Up and Breaking down is a great anthem for what we stand for as a band.

AO: Following, if you were to create a city based off of your music what would that ideal city look like? How would people function? How would the day to day be like for your average citizen?
Matt Gaudiano: I think it’d be a motley crew of a city! People would be really emotional in this city, and everyday life would be pretty abnormal. I would picture our city being kinda like Gotham, but that’s just me.

AO: Let’s turn to your latest release, ‘Lost ≠ Alone’ which is a live acoustic EP of the songs featured on your EP 'Wanderlust’. Firstly, what inspired the EP’s name?
Ryan Argast: The Lost Boys is what we call ourselves and our fan base. People believe that when you grow up you have to give up on your dreams to live a normal life. We don’t believe that. We aren’t ready to give up on this dream. Just like the characters in Peter Pan, we won’t grow up then. For this EP, Lost Doesn’t Mean Alone, we traveled to 5 cities and recorded the songs in front of a live studio audience every night. We couldn’t have done this EP with out our fans, so this time, these lost boys weren’t alone. We may not know where we are going but we know we won’t be alone in this adventure.

AO: I love the concept of traveling to multiple studios to create 'Lost ≠ Alone’. What inspired this unique recording idea?
Ryan Argast: We always wanted to do an acoustic EP but we didn’t want to just play our music exactly the way people know it but just with acoustics. Most of the time people will pick the original version then. We wanted to recreate the songs so you debate with yourself which one you like better! While on an acoustic tour we joked around on all the crazy things we can do to make this EP interesting and we were crazy enough to do them all. It honestly started as a joke and then we did it.

AO: Secondly, 'Lost ≠ Alone’ is a re-imagination of the songs on your EP 'Wanderlust’. How did you come up with the new versions of the track? Did you sit on them and see how you could make them unique, different, draw some life into them? Or did you look at it like a clean state -starting a song from scratch?
Ryan Argast: It kind of went like “these are the versions we can do, jazz, swing, country, soul, pop, flamenco, etc” lets get the chords of the songs and lets try to make this one Jazzy or whatever. Many didn’t work but these few did!

AO: As we move into the future of streaming, and less emphasis on physical commodities such as CD’s. What kind of purpose do you think physical CD’s will serve?
Brian Johnson: Personally, I could see CDs only being used as collectors pieces at some point down the line. They’re still hanging on right now, but it may not be for much longer with how music has been obtained by listeners as of late.

AO: You’ll be heading out on tour with badXchannels this fall in support of your EPs 'Lost ≠ Alone’ and 'Wanderlust’. What do you look forward to on the tour? And what kind of set and show can fans expect from you?
Ryan Argast: There is so much to look forward to on the tour! We get to end the year touring with some great musicians and people, we get to meet tons of new fans, we get a chance to play a lot of places we wanted to end our year at, and we get to play a brand new set we’ve never done before! We are really pushing the envelope on this show and doing some interesting and new things.
AO: As the near draws close, there have been a lot of records released this year. What has your favorite record been released this year and why?
Brian Johnson: A Day To Remember’s 'Bad Vibrations’. I’m personally a little biased because of how much I love anything ADTR puts out, but that album takes the cake close behind Panic At The Disco’s 'Death of a Bachelor’.

AO: Thank you for sitting down with us Marina City, before we go is there anything you’d like to say to your fans?
Ryan Argast: We love you all so much and thank you for letting us do our dreams. We don’t have a manager, booking agent, or label yet you wouldn’t even know that by the support we get from our fans to let us do the things we want to do. We will be writing and recording after this tour! Can’t wait to show you what we have in

Check out Marina City on their upcoming tour and connect with them on the websites below:
http://www.marinacityband.com/
https://www.facebook.com/MarinaCityBand
https://www.instagram.com/marinacityband
https://twitter.com/MarinaCityBand - Umusicians

In anticipation of their next tour featuring their EP Lost Doesn’t Mean Alone [Lost ≠ Alone], Tour Press Force (TPF) caught up with the Chicago sextet known as Marina City. If you don’t know them already, multi-platinum record producer John Feldmann,* has dubbed them as a mix “between Fall Out Boy and Avenged Sevenfold.” Marina City has introduced their rapidly growing audience to a genre they didn’t even know they craved—Aggressive Pop Rock!

(TPF) Tell us about your Aggressive Pop Rock sound; what makes it stand out above the rest?
Aggressive Pop Rock is a term we made up since most people ask us what genre we play. We fuse aggressive instrumentals and tones with poppier/catchy melodies sung by emotional raw vocals, and sometimes put a funky groove behind it. The six of us listen to different styles of music so we just put our influences in our song writing. (Ryan Argast | Lead Vocals)

Alternative Press Magazine called Marina City the #2 band to watch at Warped Tour 2016 saying, “This theatrical six-piece has the artistry and determination to give Brendon Urie (Panic! At The Disco) a run for his money.”**

(TPF) How was it being placed #2 by Alternative Press Magazine for the band to watch at Warped Tour 2016?
It felt amazing. As a young teen growing up reading Alternative Press, it was awesome to see our name in there. Being placed #2 for the band to watch on Warped 2016 was definitely a pleasant surprise, only having played one warped date the year before. It also drove us to put on the best live show we possibly could! (Matt Gaudiano | Keys/Vocals)

"They had the entire venue screaming at the top of their lungs, singing along and smiling throughout their entire set. Each one of them has the gift to make people feel so many positive emotions all at once, and not very many people can say that.”***

(TPF) In what ways, have you guys grown this year, and how does it compare from when you first started to now?
We are definitely more tour ready than we have ever been. We've been touring since 2013 and we didn't really "get it" until we did this year’s Warped Tour. Now we understand how to take care of ourselves on tour, how to play better, and how to save money. We are definitely a strong act now. (Ryan Argast | Lead Vocals)

The sextet features lead vocalist Ryan Argast, guitarist and vocalist Brian Johnson, keyboardist and vocalist Matt Gaudiano, drummer Eric Somers-Urrea, bassist Aaron Heiy, and lead guitarist Todor Birindjiev.

(TPF) When did you all start playing an instrument and how old were you when you decided to do music as a career?
For me, I started playing piano at a very young age, maybe 5 or 6 years old, and I truly started to pursue music when I was 14. (Matt Gaudiano | Keys/Vocals)

At the end of 2015 Marina City was named the Ernie Ball Battle Of The Band's Grand Prize Winner. "Their ability to stand out and their amazing work ethic is undoubtedly why they’ve reigned victorious above thousands of hopeful locals."**** Competing against nearly 10,000 bands across the nation, Marina City was the band chosen to work with John Feldmann on their new EP, play 2 weeks of Warped Tour, and be endorsed artists of Ernie Ball Music Man.

(TPF) What are your personal favorite songs that you have produced and why?
I really enjoy I Can’t Love You, I’m proud of the parts I wrote on the song, and as a whole, the song has a great story. I feel that all of the instruments, along with the vocals and lyrics contribute to the story of the song. (Matt Gaudiano | Keys/Vocals)

“The completely independent band that people cannot believe isn't big yet,”***** debuting at a sold out House of Blues show, the sextet since gained an intensely dedicated fan base they call ‘The Lost Boys’. This fan base has opened the door for Marina City to tour over a dozen times across the country.

(TPF) How did you come up with your latest EP title?
The Lost Boys is what we call ourselves and our fan base. People believe that when you grow up you have to give up on your dreams to live a normal life. We don't believe that. We aren't ready to give up on this dream. Just like the characters in Peter Pan, we won't grow up. For this EP, Lost Doesn't Mean Alone, we traveled to five (5) cities and recorded the songs in front of a live studio audience every night. We couldn't have done this EP without our fans, so this time, these lost boys weren't alone. We may not know where we are going, but we know we won't be alone in this adventure. (Ryan Argast | Lead Vocals)

With a degree in music performance, drummer Somers-Urrea creates a strong rhythmic backbone for bassist Heiy’s deep pocket to groove within. Birindjiev, takes each song to new heights with his infectious guitar solos and ripping lead lines. And Hammond artist Gaudiano on keys, teams up with guitarist Johnson to create the hard-hitting and aggressive center of the band. However, the biggest standout factor for Marina City is that it features three (3) lead vocalists— Gaudiano’s smooth R&B style and Johnson’s raw punk sound, compliment the power and emotion of frontman/lead vocalist Argast.

(TPF) Describe your experience working with Craig Owens (Vocalist of Chiodos) recording that EP, Lost ≠ Alone, acoustically live, in five different cities/studios across the Midwest?
Working with Craig was nothing but an amazing experience. Craig encouraged our artistic ideas and helped us become stronger composers, he always gave us tips to improve the performance, and is all around a great guy. Craig helped all of the vocalists with tips and tricks none of us had heard of before, and they were super effective. (Matt Gaudiano | Keys/Vocals)

"On top of the post-hardcore skeleton that carries the band’s sound... You can find elements of jazz in the keys, nitty-gritty soulfulness in the vocals and a general pop sensibility...."******

(TPF) What are your future plans having to do with this new EP?
This EP gives us an opportunity to do some different and interesting sets that we are able to incorporate in shows. Think of them as tricks up our sleeves. This came out just in time for our tour with badXchannels! Expect to see and hear something you've never seen from us! (Ryan Argast | Lead Vocals)

(TPF) So, you guys just got done with The Artists on the Rise tour with 7 Minutes in Heaven and Assuming We Survive, and the fall edition of the So What?! music festival, how was that?
The Artist on the Rise Tour was super fun! All of the guys in all of the bands were great, they quickly became family. 7 Minutes in Heaven, Assuming We Survive, and Coldfront are all great musicians and even better friends.

So What?! was a blast as well, I loved the layout of the fest this year, it was definitely an unforgettable experience. It’s sad to be home, but now we’re touring with Craig Owens’ new project badxchannels and I’m positive that it’ll be a great time! (Matt Gaudiano | Keys/Vocals)

(TPF) And up next, you are going out on tour with badXchannels and Colours, with our friends Weslynn opening for your Arizona show—what excites you most about this tour?
There are so many things that get us excited for this tour. We get to go end our year in our favorite cities, we get to hang out with these talented artists every day, we will be able meet tons of new people, and get to play a different kind of set! This tour will be a lot different than any tour we've ever done. Looking forward to seeing Weslynn! (Ryan Argast | Lead Vocals)
(TPF) What’s up next in 2017?
Our main goal after this winter tour with badXchannels is finishing up writing and start recording for a hopeful spring 2017 release! So keep an eye out! (Ryan Argast | Lead Vocals) - Tour Press Force

Marina City is a Chicago based pop rock band that is embarking on a new tour with Craig Owens and his new band badXchannels. Marina City is touring in support of their recently release EPs "Lost ≠ Alone" and "Wanderlust." They're a band that has blown up recently proving they're a force to be reckoned with. Alternative Press Magazine called Marina City the #2 band to watch at Warped Tour 2016 saying, “This theatrical six-piece has the artistry and determination to give Brendon Urie (Panic! At The Disco) a run for his money”. In addition, they have been named one of the "Top 10 Independent Bands You Need to Know" by MTV & Altmusic, the "Band You Need to See" by Alternative Press for both Warped Tour and Riot Fest 2016, and were declared The 2016 Band Of The Year by Chicago Nightlife Awards . On The Request Magazine writes: “(Marina City) have brought a very real, intense rock flavor to vocals that could easily appear in today's top 40… they are showing the world what real music in popular culture could and should sound like.”
We caught up with the band and they told us all about themselves.

What’s the reasoning behind naming your fan base “The Lost Boys”?
People believe when you grow up you have to give up on your dreams. We aren't giving up on our dreams just because society is done waiting for us to have mansions. The lost boys don't grow up. So if we have to give up we guess we won't grow up. (Ryan Argast | Lead Vocals)

As a band with three lead vocalists, what’s been the biggest challenge that comes along with that? What’s the biggest benefit? How do you determine who sings what lyrics?
Sometimes it's difficult to figure out where someone should sing to keep the aesthetic but honestly there isn't much of a downside to having 3 vocalists. You can do so many great harmonies and vocal tricks along with just doing different kind of songs. Usually we determine who sings by if it's in their vocal range and if their voice fits the part better than everyone else. Matt has a soul and sultry voice and brings the sexiness while Brian brings the harsh punk aggressive tone. Being able to use those vocalists in times my vocals just don't fit makes it really cool. I write all the lyrics and melodies. (Ryan Argast | Lead Vocals)

You’ve toured with a lot of amazing artists from several different genres, I guess that’s a perk of having such a diverse sound, what’s been your favorite tour to play?
It's so much fun playing with so many talented bands! Some of the perks of playing in Marina City is seeing so many amazing shows. One of my personal favorites that we've toured with was the Millenium. I just felt the energy from their show every night and they give it 110% 24/7. Other personal notables would be Sleep On It, Assuming We Survive, Too Close To Touch and 7 Minutes In Heaven. (Brian Johnson | Guitar/Vocals)

Marina City has developed a very unique sound, where do your stylistic choices come from?
We all just have a lot of different backgrounds. Instead of that becoming a problem we believe it's an advantage. We write music that we all would listen to see we all have equal voices in the writing process. (Ryan Argast | Lead Vocals)

You guys have gotten a lot of great publicity: winning the Ernie Ball Battle of the Bands, Atl. Press named you the #2 band to watch saying you could give Brendon Urie a run for his money, “Top 10 Bands You Need To Know” by MTV and AltMusic, and this year’s Band of the Year by Chicago Nightlife Awards - what’s this experience been like for you guys, watching Marina City flourish like this?
It's definitely been an insane and humbling feeling. We couldn't be more happy to hear those things but it just makes us really hungry. We don't have a manager, booking agent, or label! We are just doing this all ourselves so it just validates to us we can make this happen. (Ryan Argast | Lead Vocals)
​
You’ve recently released two EPs: “Lost ≠ Alone” and “Wanderlust,” what was your creative process in writing them? What do you hope fans feel when listening to the music?
Our creative process was very different for both of EPs. For "Wanderlust" we tried to write as much music as we could. We ended up with about 15 songs to send to our producer, Casey Bates, and he narrowed them down to the 5 strongest. Our goal in that writing session was to be heartbroken to say goodbye to whatever 10 songs didn't make the cut and I feel like we achieved that. For “Lost ≠ Alone” we wanted to challenge ourselves musically and revamp our songs acoustically into something completely outside of our comfort zone. When writing we talked a lot about how we could change the style and feel of each song yet still stay true to the songs mood and atmosphere lyrically. And lastly we actually brought in one new song ("Your Song") to that EP that just barely didn't make it onto "Wanderlust". (Eric Somers-Urrea | Drums)

You’re embarking on a tour with badXchannels soon, what are your thoughts going into this tour?
Just excitement! We are playing to a different crowd and we are preparing our set that way. We don’t like playing the same set every tour because it gets boring to our fans and us. This will be a way different set and we couldn’t be more anxious to do it. (Ryan Argast | Lead Vocals)

How has it been working with Craig Owens? What was one interesting thing you learned from working with him?
Working with Craig has been incredible and he helps us in any way he can. One of the best guys we have ever worked with. He helps us musically and on the business aspect as well. One thing we learned is don't lose creativity and just write the best songs we possibly can no matter the genre. Just stay active writing and keep putting out new music as much as we can. (Aaron Heiy | Bass)

With such a bright career already, what's been a highlight you at this point?
Winning the Ernie Ball Battle Of The Bands has been the highlight because it made us feel like we are on the right path to doing great things. So many amazing opportunities have come from this along with hard work everyday to get to where we want to go as a band. (Aaron Heiy | Bass) - Key Percussion

Interview w/ Chicago Based Marina City
November 7, 2016

Starting off your week with an interview featuring Chicago based newcomers Marina City. The guys have a pop/rock sound to them, but with a more aggressive musical pattern established within them, similar to bands like Chiodos of that nature. They also have those indelible hooks buried within that will definitely grasp out at you when the mood is right. Frontman Ryan Argast and keyboardist Matt Gaudiano were nice enough to take some time out of their busy schedule to do a quick chat as we get better acquainted with them, their experiences getting started in Chicago, the process behind recording their EP's, and what they're like away from making music. Here is the transcript from our chat:

Give us your names and roles in the band?
Ryan Argast | Lead Vocals
Brian Johnson | Guitar/Vocals
Matt Gaudiano | Keys/Vocals
Eric Somers-Urrea | Drums
Aaron Heiy | Bass
Todor Birindjiev | Lead Guitar

How did Marina City originate and how did you all come together?
Ryan: I was a solo act signed to a production deal. Eric, Brian, and Matt were all part of my backing band including the original lead guitarist and bassist of Marina City. When I was done being a solo act and I didn't need to resign my contract I wanted to do something different and start over. We became Marina City. A couple months in the project a child hood friend Aaron joined for bass and we met Todor through playing shows with his previous band.

Describe the sound of your band for those who aren't familiar with you?
Ryan: We have no idea what we are. We take inspiration from Rock, Pop, Soul, Metal, Jazz, Funk, Punk, and put it in one band. Often times we refer ourselves to Aggressive Pop Rock. It's really up to you!

What were some of the acts that most inspired you to be a musician and still have an impact on you to this day?
Ryan: For me it was Justin Timberlake, Michael Jackson, Queen, and The Beatles. I loved those artists and their performances. I read everything I can about them and always strived to be as great as them.

Take us behind the recording process of your EP's "Lost = Alone" and "Wanderlust" plus the similarities and differences between the two?
Ryan: Wanderlust: Like any album we wrote 15 songs, brought it down to the 5 best, and traveled to Seattle to record them. It was recorded just like any record. 10 days in the studio, drums first, then bass, guitar, keys, and then vocals.
Lost≠Alone: This one is definitely interesting. We traveled to 5 cities/states in 5 days and recorded 5 songs in 5 different studios in front of 20 kids a show. We took the best sounding recordings from each studio and put it on an EP. Craig Owens (Chiodos/D.R.U.G.S/BadXChannels) produced it. That was tons of fun!

What is your favorite song off of each EP and ones that fans seem to be digging?
Matt: In The Wake Of Dreaming: Oh Chicago, Chimera: Letters to an Old Friend, Wanderlust: Four Letter Lie, Lost ≠ Alone, I Can’t Love You. I think the fans are really digging The Alley Capital Masquerade, as for the rest of the albums, I’m not sure! I’d love to hear all of their favorites!

With the Cubs recently winning the World Series, how much of an impact has that had on your home city?
Ryan: Finally! Someone asking the real questions! Well Brian and I are massive Cubs fans. The guys have become pretty big Cubs fans because of us now. The city is just happy, birds are chirping, love is in the air! For real! For a moment we all came together for something great and dropped all the bad things happening in our world for a little bit. It is electrifying.

Besides music, what do you like to do for fun in your spare time?
Ryan: Watch/Play sports, see movies, hang out with our family, friends, girlfriends, and eat a lot....like a lot a lot! Oh! And explore the cities on off days!

Matt: I have a bunch of hobbies. I love doodling, I do graphic design for the band for the most part, and I love nerdy stuff. Pokemon is rad and Dragon Ball Z is amazing.

What's coming up on tap for the rest of the year, any shows planned in Boston sometime soon?
Ryan: Yeah! We are touring with BadXChannels (Craig Owens new project) and Colours in November and December! We play Middle East in Cambridge on 12/10! Lets hang out!

Lastly, what is the one thing you hope people take away from your music?
Ryan: Dreams come true, never give up, be the best version of you and nothing else, believe in yourself, and be weird/be unique! You're not alone, you can accomplish anything and everything, and always have hope! Sounds like the cliche now but it's something we started preaching when we created the band and it is something we still preach.

Thanks once again to Ryan and Matt for taking some time out to do this interview! It's great to get accustomed to bands from other areas to get a sense of what sounds are percolating from other cities, and ones that will be dropping by our area relatively soon like these guys will be on December 10th at The Middle East. For more on Marina City, please 'Like' them on Facebook over at this link here. They're also on Twitter via this channel here, and check out their music via their official homepage at this spot here. - Music Box Pete

Today we're premiering up and coming act Marina City's new music video for "The Lost Boys." If you dig what you hear, be sure to head over to the band's Indiegogo and help donate towards their new EP, Chimera. People who donate will get an immediate download of the single. Fans of Squid The Whale or Gatsbys American Dream, you should dig these guys. Head to the replies to check it out. - Absolutepunk.net

We had the chance to talk with Chicago’s Marina City about the bands influences, new ep “Chimera” and the bands plans for summer.

Hey guys thanks for the interview! Please introduce yourselves and what you do in the band.
Ryan Argast | Lead Vocalist
Brian Johnson | Vocals/Guitar
Matt Gaudiano | Vocals/Keys
Eric Somers-Urrea | Drums/Vocals
Aaron Heiy | Bass/Vocals
Johnny Russell | Lead Guitar/Vocals


How did Marina City Form?
Ryan Argast (Lead Vocalist): when I was younger I was signed to a production deal with a Multi-Platinum record producer. I was suppose to strive to be the next “Justin Bieber” but I was not really into that scene. Brian, Matt, and Eric were part of my “back up” band. When the contract was over, I wanted a do-over, and wanted to start a band. The guys in the band and I became really close and decided to make Marina City. We wanted a more collaborative project. We knew Aaron and Johnny from their previous bands and when we parted ways with our original bassist and lead guitarist, they were the perfect fit for our family!

Marina City off course is the name of a building downtown is that where the name came from?
Matt Gaudiano (Vocals/Keys): The name Marina City was influenced by the towers, but one of the real reasons on why we call ourselves Marina City is the message behind the Honeycomb towers. The creator of the towers wanted to build a city within a city, and when he was shunned and ridiculed for his ideas, he worked hard and accomplished his goal. Marina City Became so large it got it’s own zip code. The message behind Marina City is to never give up on dreams, when people say you can’t do something, prove them that they’re wrong. We’re a bunch of guys here to make a statement, to make a dream happen. That’s why we’re called Marina City

How did the first show go for Marina City?
Matt Gaudiano (Vocals/Keys): The first show for Marina City was a tough one to beat. A great lineup and a legendary venue, the House of Blues. With a sold out crowd, nothing could go wrong! But I totally messed up the intro to our set…. Bad… We made a recovery and felt like kings by the end of the set. It was an experience that I couldn’t forget.

You describe your influences as Rise Against, Fall Out Boy, Sleeping With Sirens to name a few. What have these artists instilled on Marina City?
Aaron Heiy (Bass/Vocals): The vocals are definitely a mix fall out boy and sleeping with sirens. We also have heavier hitting songs similar to sleeping with sirens but we still have the pop aspect of fall out boy
It wasn’t that long ago when having Internet was a luxury now that not having access to the internet is rare how important do you think it is for you as band to have an online presence?
Brian Johnson (Vocals/Guitar): Being able to be ahead of the curve in the music industry is extremely important and having a strong online presence factors into that. Everyone’s target audience is on the internet because everyone is on the internet so why would you not take advantage of that? Without a band online presence in this day in age is basically saying you aren’t willing to give everything you have into reaching your fans. In short, EXTREMELY important!

Do you think the internet has helped or hurt music?
Johnny Russell (Lead Guitar/Vocals): I think the Internet has helped music more than it’s hurt it. Being in the market of music will only get more competitive whether you like it or not, so it forces most groups to go the D.I.Y. route because of how much cheaper and accessible songs are via download. This leads to a major rise of independent sales for the bands work vs. having to rely on a label to back them with physical album sales being the majority income. Equivalency of efforts by musicians are closer achieved with the current state of the music realm in this “information era” we live in.

Speaking of the Internet you set up an Indiegogo to cover final production/promotion costs for you new ep “Chimera”. I’ve heard both sides of the Indiegogo or Kickstarter method to fund a bands album/tour/etc… both positive and negative. Why did you choose to use Indiegogo and was there any fear of backlash?
Ryan Argast (Lead Vocalist): We wanted a way to promote the album and get people excited about it. We did an Indiegogo a couple years back after someone broke into our car and stole a lot of important equipment before our first show. It was really successful and we knew our fans were familiar with Indiegogo. This time we came in with a different approach. We weren’t a band begging for money. We wanted an outlet where people could get excited about the Ep and pre-order it. It was also another cool way for us to do special things like play at your house, get some cool new merchandise, or fun things like that. We wanted fans to know this is for them rather than something we need to finish this Ep. We lowered the prices a lot. You were able to get our Ep for $1. It didn’t matter to us if we reached our goal. We just wanted a lot of people to have our music in their hands.

Your new ep “Chimera” is out digital now, how proud are you with the finished product?
Eric Somers-Urrea (Drums/Vocals): Technically it’s not released until April 22nd, but we’ve had the finished masters in our hands for a few months now. I think I can speak for everyone in saying that we are all beyond eager to get “Chimera” out into the world! We worked hard to push our boundaries and explore new territory when we were writing this and I think we actually surprised ourselves with what we were able to pull off. Even the single, “The Lost Boys”, is something that I don’t know we could have managed to do musically at the time we were writing our first EP. As a unit we have just grown so much tighter musically and so much closer as friends and I believe it really shines through in these new songs. We’re incredibly proud that we were even able create what we did and it shocks us that it actually sounds great! Shout out to Zack Jablow and Matt Hennessy for that!


What are Marina Citys plan for the summer?
Eric Somers-Urrea (Drums/Vocals): This is an exciting time for us! It’s been two years since we last released an EP so it’s almost like a brand new start. But needless to say, we’re planning on coming out with a bang! Obviously that starts with a lot of local promo for “Chimera” with our listening party (April 13th at Cheesie’s!), CD release show, etc. We have our third east coast tour in the works for mid-late June. So far we plan to hit Rhode Island, New Jersey, Boston, and of course New York (if only to remind them who has the better pizza). After that we’re planning on really laying into the Midwest. Several weekend tours to all the major cities in Michigan, Indiana, Iowa, Wisconsin, and Missouri are in the works. Hopefully if we have a little downtime we can spend some of it writing new material as well. - Chicago Punk Rock Radio

What’s this? A new EP! Well, I never disappoint!
Marina City formed in 2012 and hail from Chicago. This is a six piece pop rock outfit that consists of Ryan Argast (Lead Vocals), Brian Johnson (Vocals and Guitar), Matt Gaudiano (Keys and Vocals) , Eric Somers-Urrea (Drums), Aaron Heiy (Bass) and Johnny Russell (Lead Guitar).
Marina City’s new EP ‘Chimera’ will be released on the 22nd April and is the follow up to their previous EP ‘In TheWake Of Dreaming’.
‘Chimera’ is a five track EP:
-The Alley Capital Masquerade
-The Rise And Fall Of You
-The Lost Boys
-Letter To An Old Friend
-I’ll Sing You To Sleep (ft Maddie Finn)
‘Chimera’ is a brilliant release from the Chicago band, with their great mix of genres, this is an EP with its own unique sound and one that has a little something for everyone. With a dynamic sound and full vocals, it’s worth a listen! Not to mention, the slightly theatrical side to the EP, that just adds so much to the release! - Shout It Loud Reviews

At first listen, Chimera might sound like a new album from Fall Out Boy or Panic! At the Disco. But Chimera is actually the newest from Chicago-based band Marina City. With their debut EP In the Wake of Dreaming that came out in 2012, and its subsequent debut show selling out at the House of Blues, there’s no doubt that Marina City is a gem at the top of the Chicago music scene, ready to take on the world again with the 5-track Chimera, out on April 22nd.

“The Alley Capital Masquerade” starts off the album with a full force of energy, as does second track “The Rise and Fall of You.” Both are incredibly catchy – though really, so is the entire album.

What I can only assume to be inspired by the 1987 film (or possibly Peter Pan’s companions?), the song “The Lost Boys” is a notable track on the album that reminds me a great deal of Avenged Sevenfold’s “A Little Piece of Heaven” – though, don’t worry, it’s not eight minutes long. Keep your ears peeled for lyrics that will sound similar to the “Never grow old” film tagline.

But as always on every album, there’s a song that stands out, one with a different sound that does its best to showcase at least a smidgen of a band’s musical range. For Marina City and the Chimera EP, the final song “I’ll Sing You to Sleep (featuring Maddie Finn)” is that song. Beginning with a beautifully played piano introduction, this is the sole ballad of the album. Maddie Finn is not just pretty vocals; she really belts it out and her voice mixes marvelously with that of Marina City lead singer, Ryan Argast. Even more, the song starts out slow and builds in intensity throughout, wonderfully combining piano with rock elements. While I loved every song on this album, I think “I’ll Sing You to Sleep” is definitely my favorite.

Marina City is a whole lotta fun and entertains you wholeheartedly in only five songs – which I would call great skill. They promote “individual strength, determination, and the power of big dreams” through their music and I believe they are spot on in that task, even with the addition of humor and lightheartedness the band often includes in their own work. I would say Marina City is proof you can follow your dreams and still have a good time in the process. What more could you ask for? - Infectious Magazine

An excess of sex, drugs and nasty relationships occupies the cornerstone of most rock bands. While the punk/rock group-Marina City has avoided such clichés so far in their career, the path to success has not been an easy one.
The Courier sat down with COD freshman Matthew Gaudiano, keyboardist/vocalist of Marina City to talk about the band’s new EP, sold out shows and a near disastrous road trip.

Lead singer Ryan Alan used to be a back-up performer in Gaudiano’s high school band. Alan invited him to join with a newly formed group not long after meeting him. “The first band I played with just didn’t have a solid direction,” said Guadiano. “The new band had more potential.”

Marina City was much more driven, practicing regularly for shows. After an audition for a battle of the bands at Columbia College, Marina City members grabbed dinner and parked their van in a nearby facility. Afterwards, the band came back to their vehicle to find the windows smashed and much of their musical equipment stolen. To make matters worse, the band’s first show was coming up fast.

Screen shot 2013-11-21 at 3.09.40 PM

To recoup from the mess, they used online donation service Indiegogo, a site that let’s people donate to a project or group in exchange for what the party wants to give out (concert tickets, CDs, etc). The service worked well for them. They raised over $3,000 before their debut performance and were able to recuperate from the incident successfully.

This episode was minor, and sadly happens to many bands. It pales in comparison, however, to a near disastrous road trip in Texas.

The band drove 24 hours straight to play unofficially for South By Southwest Festival in Texas, they reached the venue on time, only to see themselves not on the roster of entertainment for the night. Stunned, they asked the owner of the venue to clarify the change. The proprietor told them that Marina City cancelled their performance months ago.

Turns out, the band members didn’t withdraw their names from the venue, but their booker did. At that time, their booker had a gambling addiction and he used their money on his habit without telling them. To add to the problem, the band was broke. They barely had enough money to drive to Texas and were going to use earnings from the shows to travel back home. Desperate, they made calls and sent dozens of emails asking anyone if they needed a band to play at any kind of event.

“It was scary. Everything you think is supposed to happen — everything stable just shattered…” said Guadiano of the experience.

Luckily, Amanda Palmer, who used to play with a band called Dresden Doll, told them they could open up for her at a concert nearby.

Before the band performed that night, Palmer told her fans the troubles the group faced and asked the crowd to donate money to help them get home. And thanks to some awesome Texans, the group received all the funds necessary to drive back to Chicago.

Marina City’s bad luck completely turned around after the event. Not only were they were asked to play additional shows in Texas, but the booker’s family refunded the band once they returned home. Despite struggles on the road, the band’s live shows have been successful. They debuted to a sold out show at the House of Blues last year.

“It was a real adrenaline rush seeing so many people just anxious and ready and excited to see us play,” said Guadiano.

It helps that Marina City has strong ties to their original community; fans came out in droves see the newly formed group. They have played the legendary Chicago venue a few times since then, garnering a good reputation for their live performances.

Marina City recently finished recording their second album, and while the release date is still unknown, the band intends on making notable changes to their sound. “I felt as though we had a better understanding of what we were doing the second time around… expect to be surprised.”

Marina City will be playing the Beat Kitchen in Chicago on Saturday, Nov. 30 (poster above). They may not be rockstars just yet, but they’re definitely getting acclimated to life on the road and overcoming every obstacle that stands in the way of their success.

- See more at: http://www.codcourier.org/2013/11/21/marina-city/#sthash.Gvi3ojOJ.dpuf - The Courier

From stolen equipment to trying to maintain friendships among six young men, Marina City has already experienced its share of hardships in the music industry.
The group persevered to win second place at last year’s Biggest Mouth, a competition featuring Columbia musicians, played two shows at the House of Blues and performed at Michigan’s Rockapalooza. Though the group is primarily described as pop–punk, they said they will soon be flirting with music on the heavier side.
Lead singer Ryan Alan and bandmates Brian Johnson, Matt Gaudiano, Ricky Sutton and Eric Somers-Urrea, talked with The Chronicle about forming Marina City, playing at one of Chicago’s most iconic venues and what’s coming next.



From left: Marina City’s Brian Johnson, Ricky Sutton, Ryan Alan, Matt Gaudiano and Eric Somers-Urrea in front of River City on Harrison and Wells streets. James Foster/THE CHRONICLE

THE CHRONICLE: Your Facebook page says you’re built from the ashes of four Chicago bands. How did that turn into Marina City?

Ryan Alan: All of us have been playing in the same venues since back in 2008. When all of our bands ended, we decided to call up all the people [who were left]. We thought, “Hey, you’re the one who made a lot of moves. Let’s hook up.” We ended up going on Craigslist and checked on a bunch of drummers, and it turns out we found our drummer on there.

You guys played the House of Blues a couple of times, which is pretty exciting. What was that like?

RA: It was a dream come true. Basically, everything that you thought would happen, happened. The show we played actually sold out. There were 1,500 people there. We’re just really glad and proud that we were asked back.

On a sadder note, you guys suffered a bit of a tragedy last March when your equipment was stolen. Can you explain what happened?

RA: It was two weeks before the first House of Blues show. We were super excited and trying out for Biggest Mouth at Columbia. Afterward, we decided to go park in a garage, and we went to go get some food. When we came back, the back window was broken into and everything that was in there was gone. We did everything we possibly could to make sure we can get [the equipment] back. We never did, but we were able to start an Indiegogo, which raised over $3,000 for us, and were able [to buy all] of our equipment back. I think that was more powerful than playing House of Blues. The fact that people cared enough to help was amazing.

Your fans really came through for you. You seem pretty active with them on Facebook.

RA: That’s our favorite thing. On our Facebook and our Twitter, sometimes we’re not even promoting. We just like to use it as our own personal thing because we feel we have a personal connection with a lot of our fans. We’re not that huge where we’re getting fans from all over the world. We might, but our fans are really our friends, so we make sure that if you’re not our friend, we become friends with you. I think that’s what’s cool with us. If you’re taking the time to listen to our music and support our music for our dreams, then you’re our best friend.

With so many of you in the band and dealing with school, how do you manage to get together and practice?

RA: It’s hard, but it really comes down to how dedicated you are. I’m the only one in college right now. Three guys have graduated college. Another kid is in high school. With a schedule like that, we’re busy with our school stuff, but we decided that if this is what we really want to do, then we really need to focus on this.

What can we expect from you guys in the near future?

RA: We are recording with Zak Jablow, a professor at Columbia, and his friend Alex Prieto, who actually just worked on the new Pierce The Veil album. Those two have been working with us on a new song called “Falling Up and Breaking Down.” The new song will hopefully be released soon. In December, our plan is to do a little stint of shows and to do a five-song EP. We’re already starting to write for our new EP. So we’re doing a lot of headline shows, especially in Chicago, and just working really hard.

For more information on Marina City, visit Facebook.com/MarinaCityBand. - The Columbia Chronicle

We did a really awesome interview with The Beat Magazine! You have to scroll a few times to the right but you'll find it! - The Beat Magazine

Steve Dahlman spent a day backstage with us and found out what is was like in a day with Marina City! - Marina City Online

Steve Dahlman spent a day backstage with us and found out what is was like in a day with Marina City! - Marina City Online

The Chicago Red Eye did a little special on us!! - Red Eye

Chicago local band Marina City had $15,000 worth of equipment stolen out of a Chicago parking garage last night. Thefts broke into their car as it was parked overnight. The band is working hard to raise money so they can play their debut show at the House of Blues in Chicago on the 31st with The Action Blast. You can watch the video and learn more information here. - Highlight Magazine

Read our interview we had with the awesome Lucy Siddons at Jitty.com! - The Jitty

We were awarded 2nd at Columbia College biggest mouth 2012! - The Columbia Chronicle

6-Mar-12 – (Above) Two t-shirts being sold by the band Marina City. Why? It is a surprise. ’We are printing t-shirts for an upcoming surprise that we’re going to [announce] soon,” the band posted recently on its Facebook page.

The band was asking fans to select the best of five designs. Other shirts included dark but probably true sayings such as, “Dreams only come true when you’re dead” and “I’m not going down this time.”

Marina City will actually play at Marina City on March 31, headlining a show at House of Blues. Gushed the band on Facebook, “This is the biggest show any of us have played and we have the honor to do it on our debut show!”

(Click on image to view larger version.) - Loop North News

Marina City is back once again their new EP that is soon to be release! YAY!

Marina City formed in 2012 and hail from Chicago. This is a six piece pop rock outfit that consists of Ryan Argast (Lead Vocals), Brian Johnson (Vocals and Guitar), Matt Gaudiano (Keys and Vocals) , Eric Somers-Urrea (Drums), Aaron Heiy (Bass) and Johnny Russell (Lead Guitar).

‘Wanderlust’ is the 3rd EP from the band. The band packed up their gear, left their family and friends, and drove 3,000 miles to Seattle Washington to record with producer Casey Bates (Pierce The Veil, Chiodos, Memphis May Fire). ‘Wanderlust’ means "a strong desire to travel" which seems like a fitting title for an EP about leaving and following your dreams.

‘Wanderlust’ will be released on the 11th August and features five tracks, see track list below:

-When You Left Me
-I Can’t Love You
-The Haunting
-Four Letter lie
-Keep Your Faith In Me

Marina City only seems to know one direction, which is up! Having already released two great EP’s, the band are here once again with another EP that continues to take great strides forward!

‘Wanderlust’ is an EP with a raw energy and passion fuelled release, with melodic guitar solo’s, pounding drums, infectiously written lyrics, emotion and striking vocals, with the addition of harmonies you can’t help but love. This is a release that has a lot going for it!

Marina City bring elements of rock, pop and a very at time theatrical feel to the release to create not only a dynamic sound, but one that is their own, that keeps you listen!

This is an EP with a little bit for everyone and one that you should definitely be listening to this year! Go on treat your ears!

Listen to ‘The Haunting’ taken from the EP here.

Keep up with Marina City via their Facebook and Twitter. - Shout It Loud Reviews

8-Mar-12 – The band that named itself after Chicago’s Marina City is asking fans for help after two guitars, two synthesizers, and other gear were apparently stolen Wednesday night, just a few weeks before “the biggest show of our lives,” headlining at Marina City’s House of Blues.

Sometime between 8:30 p.m. and 10:30 p.m., as the band was at dinner, a car owned by rhythm guitarist Brian Johnson was broken into as it sat in a parking garage at 600 South Clark Street. The band had just auditioned for a music competition at nearby Columbia College, where two band members are students. When they returned to the car, they found the rear passenger side window smashed and the equipment missing.

Gone were a Gibson SB guitar and case, a Schecter Blackjack guitar and case, two types of music synthesizers, a MicroKorg XL and a Kaoslilator, a four-channel mixer, and other gear. Lead singer Ryan Alan told Marina City Online the equipment was worth about $4,000.


Calling the loss “the worst thing that could happen to a musician,” the band made a video and took to social networking sites to try to raise money or at least put people on alert for the stolen gear.

(Left) A frame from the video shows damage to a car owned by Brian Johnson, a member of the Chicago band Marina City.

Without the gear, the band says it will not be able to perform at the House of Blues on March 31. They are scheduled to appear with three other bands at a show called “The Action Blast.”

“Playing the House of Blues has been a dream of ours since we picked up a guitar,” the band wrote on the fundraising site IndieGoGo. They say the loss renders useless $3,000 worth of tickets to show.

According to the band, they have sold 200 copies of their first album, In The Wake Of Dreaming, which will be released this spring. They will also perform in June at Metropia Music & Arts Fest 2012 at 4325 North Ravenswood Avenue.

Websites:

IndieGoGo
Facebook
House of Blues
Metropia
Promotional video produced by the band’s publicist, Ruthless Relations
Related stories:

Meet Marina City...the band
You met the band now meet the Marina City t-shirt - Loop North News

30-Mar-12 – After $4,000 worth of gear was stolen from them a few weeks before “the biggest show of our lives,” Marina City did what any modern Chicago band would do – they logged onto social media websites and pleaded for help.

On March 26, with a show at House of Blues just five days away, the band announced on its Facebook page that it had raised more than $3,000.

“We can not thank everyone enough for all the donations, support and love,” wrote Marina City. “We have only been a band for such a short time and what we have already accomplished is absolutely amazing.”

The good news kept coming. On Thursday, the band learned that the HOB show at Marina City – the mixed-use complex – was officially sold out. They are scheduled to appear with three other bands at a show called “The Action Blast.”

“This has been a dream of ours since we picked up an instrument and can’t believe we will be living it on Saturday.”

On March 7, a car owned by band member Brian Johnson was broken into as it sat in a parking garage at 600 South Clark Street. The band had just auditioned for a music competition at nearby Columbia College, where two members are students. When they returned to the car, they found the rear passenger side window smashed. Gone were two guitars, two synthesizers, and other gear.

Calling the loss “the worst thing that could happen to a musician,” the band made a video and took to social networking sites to try to raise money or at least put people on alert for the stolen gear.
- Loop North News

1-Apr-12 – (Above) Lead singer Ryan Alan belts it Saturday night at Marina City’s House of Blues. The new Chicago band, named “Marina City” after the mixed-use complex, performed for about 25 minutes in a sold-out show. They were the second act in The Action Blast, which featured Marina City and three other bands.

At left on bass guitar is Nick Mooneyham. At right is Ricky Sutton. Not pictured are keyboardist Matt Gaudiano and drummer Eric Somers-Urrea.

Up next for the band is Metropia Experience Chicago, along with 24 other musicians from a variety of genres. The experience is scheduled for June 7-8 at Atrium Events, 4325 North Ravenswood Avenue. According to founder Omar Barragan, Metropia is intended to be “more accessible” than bigger festivals like Lollapalooza and Bonnaroo.

And in yet another Marina City connection, a portion of the event’s proceeds will be donated to The Bully Police Squad, a nonprofit advocate for bullied children that was founded by Karen Wojcikowski, a Chicago Police officer assigned to the beat that includes Marina City.

(Below) Left to right are rhythm guitarist Brian Johnson, Mooneyham, and Alan. (Click on images to view larger versions.) - Loop North News

With a certain level of standards established in today’s music industry, it is difficult for up and coming bands to claim their stake. Fierce competition allows only the strong to survive, turning music more into a business then anything. However, I have recently been introduced to a band that may just break such a crafted mold and survive the rough and tumble. Marina City, a Chicago based band, has knocked down some doors with their EP release, “In The Wake of Dreaming.”

Their music essentially speaks for itself. The opening track, “When Friends Become Enemies” demands your attention. Showcasing some tough guitar playing and skill with various other instruments and techniques, talent seems to naturally flow from these six guys. My fear that one element would overpower the other proved false, as time and time again, all of the components combined and created all commanding songs.
Not only do they capture your attentiveness with catchy melodies, but the lyrics become this separate element aiding to what becomes the final product. As the album proceeds, more evidence about the validity of this band shows. The ending track, “Oh Chicago” concludes what has surely been a unique listen. Placing their hearts all over the track, it constructs nothing short of an emotional loop to which one effectively loses themself. The reality of such truths hits the listener while thoughts and feelings, they may also be familiar with, are expressed. Finishing up in such a dramatic fashion certainly makes it hard to forget this album.


My conclusion is this; all aspects work well together, from individual contributions to the group as a whole, which is a major plus for fans and audience alike. This bands wastes no time establishing their intentions, letting the audience know what to expect from the beginning. Their hard work has most definitely paid off, and their future looks really bright from here. Filled with potential and the drive to match, I can’t wait to see what else is up their sleeves.
- Megan Ammer

Our first article on us before we even came out to the public! - Loop North News

CHICAGO — Inspired by Chicago's iconic Marina City Towers, the six members of the Marina City band hope to become an inspirational story of their own.

"This is about us trying to go for our dreams," said lead singer and band founder Ryan Argast, 22, of the South Loop.

Argast, a Portage Park native and Columbia College Chicago graduate, always was impressed by the twin towers, which were the world's first to be constructed with crane towers and are on their way to becoming official Chicago landmarks.

He came up with the name shortly before his band's founding in 2011. The Marina City band's first show was at House of Blues — on the same property as the towers — on March 31, 2012.

The band this month released its third CD, a five-track compilation called Wanderlust. The CD release party was held at Reggies Chicago on South State Street. Argast said many of the songs are about "being a struggling musician in Chicago."

With the exception of Argast, the five other band members — Aaron Heiy, 23, bass; Brian Johnson, 27, rhythm guitar/vocals; Todor Birindjiev, 24, lead guitar; Matthew Gaudiano, 20, keyboards/vocals; and Eric Somers-Urrea, 26, drums — have full-time jobs. Those include window washer, valet driver, landscaper and music instructor.

The "aggressive pop rock" band plays about 50 shows a year — mostly to sold-out crowds in the hundreds, Argast said — across the United States. From Thursday-Monday, they performed in Cleveland, Pittsburgh, Philadelphia, Long Island and Boston.

They travel as cheaply as possible, packed into Somers-Urrea's family's gray 2002 Chevy Express conversion van — hauling their equipment in a rented trailer. The six members usually sleep in the van, two in the back seat, which folds out into a bed, and the other four in reclining chairs. Somers-Urrea estimates they have driven about 50,000 miles in the van since the band's creation.

"We made it work," Somers-Urrea said. "This is our home. We're closer than a lot of our family. We know how to handle it when someone gets upset, and that's what makes the band work."

Argast, who eats peanut butter and jelly sandwiches daily to save money, said he hopes the band is on the cusp of greatness — noting the van would look great in a famous rock 'n' roll museum.

"Hopefully it's still alive by then," he said, laughing. - DNA info

PLAINFIELD – As one of the local winners of Ernie Ball Battle of the Bands, the Plainfield-based band Marina City will play Vans Warped Tour on Saturday in Tinley Park.

Ernie Ball was a musician and developer of innovative products for guitars. Nineteen years ago, his company began an annual Battle of the Bands in conjunction with the established music festival, Vans Warped Tour.

“It’s a dream come true,” said lead vocalist Ryan Argast of Plainfield.

Argast said Marina City almost didn’t enter again this year, preferring to concentrate on performances. When the band did enter, promotion was low-key, but the fans’ comments were anything but.

“They said special things, like that we had helped them through really tough times,” Argast said. “I think that’s basically what got us in this tour.”

No signs of slowing down

Marina City has been active and busy since its first show three years ago at House of Blues with five other local bands, a show that sold out, Argast said. In fact, Ball’s Battle of the Bands is just one opportunity in the band’s packed schedule.

Marina City recently returned from a Midwest/East Coast tour and will do a nonstop, 12-show tour from Aug. 13 to 24 to states that include Wisconsin, Minnesota, Iowa, Massachusetts and Pennsylvania, Argast said.

On Aug. 15, Marina City will headline at Reggie’s in Chicago to celebrate the release of “Wanderlust,” aptly titled as Marina City recorded the EP in a Seattle, Washington, studio.

In addition, Marina City has recorded a music video to the EP’s first single, “The Haunting,” which can be seen on YouTube. A second music video for a second single, “I Can’t Love You,” is in production, Argast said.

“Wanderlust” joins Marina City’s previously released EPs “In the Wake of Dreaming” in 2010 and “Chimera” in 2014.

With a main fan base of people ages 15 to 24, Marina City prefers to play all-age shows, Argast said. Three of the members don’t drink, so Marina City isn’t a “crazy, partying band” concerned with bar sales.

“We rely on ticket sales,” Argast said.

Argast: former teen pop artist

At 22, Argast, the band’s manager and booking agent, is no industry novice. When he was 17 and a student at Plainfield North High School, Argast – then known as Ryan Alan – was a pop artist signed to Toxic Productions. His first music video, “Forever 17,” was recorded at the school and is still viewable on YouTube.

Argast said he remained with Toxic Productions for a year and left on good terms for a more collaborative project. In short, Argast wanted his back-up band for Ryan Alan to be a full-fledged touring band that played its own genre of music: aggressive pop rock.

“I felt we could all go a lot farther if we all felt it [the musical act] was ours,” Argast said.

A unified effort

That collaboration extends into songwriting, Argast said. Argast contributes the lyrics and basic melody, and the rest of the band adds their touches, even the drummer, he added.

“Everyone thinks the drummer comes in at the end,” Argast said, “but he is very much a part of the songwriting process.”

Band members are Eric Somers-Urrea of Naperville (drums), Matthew Gaudiano of Plainfield (vocals, keyboard), Brian Johnson of Plainfield (vocals, rhythm guitar), Todor Birindjiev of Arlington Heights (lead guitar) and Aaron Heiy of Shorewood (bass guitar).

Flexible day jobs make touring possible. Argast studied business entrepreneurship and marketing at Columbia College in Chicago, so he is employed by the band to do those very things.

“We want to be able to do this until we’re basically dead,” Argast said. “We want to make a living doing what we love – playing music together and supporting ourselves and our families with it.”

A longstanding dream

Playing Warped Tour has been Argast’s dream since he was 15. Johnson, when he was younger and in another band, even wrote a song about performing in Warped Tour, Argast said.

Of course, Argast would be thrilled if Marina City advanced to the next level of competition – the grand prize-winning band plays every date on next year’s Warped Tour, Argast said – but he is not worried.

“We’re just hoping that something happens and we’re able to go to the next round,” Argast said. “If not, we’ll just keep doing what we’re doing.”

––––––––––––––––––––––––––

IF YOU GO

WHAT: Vans Warped Tour

WHEN: 11 a.m. July 25

WHERE: Hollywood Casino Amphitheatre (formerly First Midwest Bank Amphitheater), 19100 Ridgeland Ave, Tinley Park.

TICKETS: $39.50 + fees

BUY: vanswarpedtour.com/dates - The Herald News

Chicago’s own Marina City are here with their new single ‘I Can’t Love You’ taken from their upcoming EP ‘Wanderlust’!

The band stated "’I Can't Love You’ is a tough song for us. It's about the "we have to talk" moment. A woman sits a man down to tell him that she no longer loves him. Since he is gone all the time for his job she is tired of the stress from the relationship. She is giving up on them. He doesn't have much to say except that he doesn't understand what more he could have done. The crazy thing about love is that it either ends when you both pass away or you break up and lose your best friend. This EP didn't hold anything back. This topic really hit hard for us but we know others have gone through this too. Our message is, and always has been, "no one is alone."

Marina City teamed up with dancer and choreographer, Lyndsey Rohlfs and Wall Bug Films to showcase the emotional song and moment in their newest music video.

Watch the video for ‘I Can’t Love You’ at the bottom of the page.

You can pre-order ‘Wanderlust’ on iTunes and MarinaCityBand.com. Wanderlust is due out on the 11th August everywhere. Along with this you will also be able to catch Marina City on the "It's So Much Friendlier With" Tour with The Millenium, An Honest Year, and Time Atlas. - Shout It Loud Review

EP’s are a tricky thing. With only a few songs, you have to be able to showcase all of what your band can do in a short amount of time. Therefore, you have to have five or six distinctly different songs or fans get bored. Our friends in Marina City did a fantastic job in that regard. Their new EP, Wanderlust, out August 11th, shows their incredible vocal range, progressions throughout all the songs that are crazy good, and just how insane Todor is on guitar.

The six piece from Chicago have categorized their sound as Aggressive Pop Rock, keeping pop aspects with their vocal focus, but holding on to rock influences with in your face songs supported by their relatable lyrics. Their first EP, In the Wake of Dreaming, almost seemed like Marina City was confused about their sound. Focused more on pop aspects, the EP was good, but wasn’t the best version of Marina City. The second EP, Chimera, was the first appearance of what Marina City could do, showing off their vocal harmonies and impressive creativity with new interesting beats. Wanderlust is a whole new ballgame.

The boys start off with “When You Left Me”. This song will cut you to the core if you’ve just been through a breakup. Right out of the gate, the band shows that their songwriting ability has matured drastically in the last year, and it only gets better from there. The second track, “I Can’t Love You”, is dope. Fans may recognize it from their latest music video featuring dancer, Lyndsey Rohlfs. This song shows off Eric‘s drumming so subtly, yet brilliantly all throughout (Thank goodness for Craigslist). Similarly to “When You Left Me”, this song’s vocals are impressive. Ryan’s high notes in the chorus and Matt’s low notes in the verse show off Marina City’s range and maneuverability in songs that is a unique factor to the band’s sound. The song shows you just how aggressive “aggressive pop rock” can be, and only continues with the first single, “The Haunting”. Comparatively, “The Haunting” is actually our least favorite on the EP. It says a lot when your least favorite track is still a quality rock song.

The last two tracks “Four Letter Lie” and “Keep Your Faith In Me” could not be more different from each other. Our favorite, “Four Letter Lie”, is an fiercely aggressive track that shows just why we love Marina City. Todor absolutely slays in this song with a killer guitar solo that will make you break out into air guitar instantaneously. This song will be so much fun live. Marina City finishes the EP with “Keep Your Faith In Me”. This song is beautiful lyrically and vocally, showing off the main aspects of the guys voices and the struggles of a relationship. Fan girls, you will fall in love with this song, and the guys who sing it.

Wanderlust is a wonderful example of a band learning and honing their skills to create something beautiful. Marina City has grown so much over the past few years, and this shows that they have the potential to get even better. The few things we would change are things that smooth themselves out as a band comes together and becomes a solid unit musically, and as they learn more and more about their instruments over time. Marina City has already proved they can grow from EP to EP, so we can’t wait to see where they go next.

We give Wanderlust a 4/5 and expect these guys to go far, don’t forget to check out our interview with them.



You can grab the EP on August 11. Make sure to catch the guys on the It’s So Much Friendlier With… Tour from August 13th to August 24th, and keep track of the guys on their Twitter and Facebook.

Tracklist:

When You Left Me
I Can’t Love You
The Haunting
Four Letter Lie
Keep Your Faith In Me
If you made it all the way to the bottom, tweet us (@UnderdogAnthems) the song your most excited to hear! - Underdog Anthems

Have you ever wanted to add more edge or more grit to the pop hits of today? Well one band knows how you feel, and have brought a very real, intense rock flavor to vocals that could easily appear in today's top 40. One of Chicago's best up and coming bands, Marina City, is set to release their 3rd EP, Wanderlust, and with it they are showing the world what real music in popular culture could and should sound like.

A mixture of Dashboard Confessional, Coldplay and Eve to Adam, the bands self proclaimed style of "Agressive Pop-Rock" is sure to captivate audiences around the world. Their unique blend of hard rock music and emotional, captivating vocals is something that is rarely seen anymore. Whether it's the fast paced action of songs such as "I Can't Love You", or the more toned down, heart-swelling vocals in songs like "Keep Your Faith in Me", Marina City is showing the industry a whole new world of pure rock music.

Fans of both rock and roll and modern pop hits will be thoroughly satisfied when they get to hear the musical stylings of Marina City. It has fast paced, face-melting rock, gut-wrenching ballads and a heart and soul to the music that is reminescent of late 90's, earl 2000's rock.
Marina City is not to be missed, and you guys should definitely pick up their latest EP, Wanderlust, now! - On Request Magazine

Please list all of your band members and their roles in the band.
Ryan Argast (Lead Vocalist)
Brian Johnson (Vocals/Guitar)
Matt Gaudiano (Vocals/Keys)
Eric Somers-Urrea (Drums)
Aaron Heiy (Bass)

What’s your hometown (or what are your hometowns)?
We are all from the Chicago suburbs of Plainfield, Shorewood, and Naperville. However, even though it makes us huge posers, we recognize ourselves as a Chicago band. Most of our time is spent in Chicago anyways and that way we get to avoid the awkward blank stares when we say we’re from Plainfield…

How did the band come together? How long has it been?
Ryan (lead vocalist) was a signed vocalist and Eric, Brian, and Matt were a part of the backing band. When the contract was up Ryan decided not to renew and to focus on writing and creating something new together with his bandmates. The four of them recruited Aaron Heiy and most recently touring lead guitarist, Todor Birindjiev. We had our first show in March 2012 at a sold-out House Of Blues.

How have you grown since you started?
We originally were a bit of a pop-punk band but once we brought all our influences together in the writing process, we all found ourselves drifting into new territory. We were all drawn into really aggressive music but wanted to include a solid groove and strong melody. For simplicities sake we like to call it Aggressive Pop Rock. Once we starting writing with the whole band in a room together we really learned to develop our sound and grow a deeper chemistry between us.

What sets you apart from other bands?
We are a rock band with three lead vocalists and we aren’t afraid to dance! By trying to blend heavy rock with pop/ funk we try hard to make music that makes you want to dance and start mosh at the same.

What’s the best part about being in your band?
We are all best friends. Just irrationally close! We never fight or argue or anything. We consider each other brothers. For a band with six members, we understand and appreciate how lucky we are to have it this way.

More times than not, influences tend to bleed through. What bands are currently inspiring the music that you’re making?
That is super tough because we all come from very different musical backgrounds but the bands that we listen to that are relevant today are A Day To Remember, Bad Rabbits, Nine Inch Nails, Fall Out Boy, Mayday Parade, Chiodos, Panic At The Disco, Hands Like Houses, Pierce The Veil, Paramore, John Legend, Justin Timberlake, Bruno Mars, and Sleeping With Sirens.

What would you say the band has already accomplished and what do you have your eyes set on next?
We’ve done everything ourselves: 6 tours, 2 EPs, played to a sold out House Of Blues, played with our idols such as Go Radio and Cartel, and have created a dedicated fan base from the ground up. Our next goal is to be an opening band for an established national act. We just hope to perform in front of more people and make even more friends.

Thus far, what’s a favorite memory or something quirky that’s taken place with the band (in-studio, onstage, or elsewhere)?
Our first time touring we were told we would be playing three SXSW showcases and a tour with The Wonder Years if we paid this booker $1,400. We had worked with him before and we’re confident he was going to do this for us. Instead, after a 24-hour drive down to Austin, TX, we found out he just took the money and ran. We had little money, no shows, and nowhere to stay. We were humiliated to say the least. But instead of driving all the way back drowning in our own tears we took to the Internet. That night we tweeted… Then out of nowhere, a wonderful woman, by the name of Amanda Palmer, heard… At the end she asked the audience to donate whatever they could to us. Thanks to her we were able to get enough money to cover most of our expenses, we were then offered three more showcases down there, and we ended up going on our own tour. Before all of that happened we were just guys playing music, but now we are brothers who will be with each other through thick and thin.If we can get through that, we can get through anything.

Is there anything in particular that you’d like people to take away from listening to your music?
Follow your dreams, do what you love, and never give up. We write about our personal experiences and what we have done to overcome obstacles, or what we did wrong, hoping the audience won’t make the same mistake.

If you could change something about the music industry, what would it be?
Everyone realizing most bands aren’t rich. We know it’s 2014 and people steal music and honestly, we don’t care if they do. But we just want people to be aware that musicians put a lot of blood, sweat, tears, and money into their art. There’s a lot of sacrifice that goes into that 30 minute or hour-long collection of songs. Most times when you’re stealing music you’re not “sticking it to The Man”, your making it harder for an artist to do what they love and therefore create the music that YOU love. Unfortunately we know people will always steal music. But all we ask is that if you like the music you stole support the band in whatever way you’re able. See a show. Buy their merch. Or at least tell all your friends about the super cool band you discovered and make them buy the album!


How did your band’s name come about?
Marina City are two honey-comb towers in Chicago. The man who created it wanted to build a city within a city. Chicago didn’t believe it could be done and never helped him. All of the news articles and press laughed at him. However, he did it and now it even has its own zip code. That story hit us hard and we named ourselves after those towers to remind ourselves we can do the “impossible.”

What’s the biggest mistake someone’s made while playing?
Most people will always remember the beginning and the end of a show. If you can get those two things down solid then whatever you do in the middle will be kind of a blur. We have two different endings for each show. Depending on how the crowd is reacting to us we will do a certain ending. This time no one was communicating with each other and half of the group did one ending and the other half did a different one. A near perfect set ended in the most horrific fashion. It sounded as if we got to the most climactic part of our set and then decided to collectively throw our instruments down a staircase where they bounced and banged off each other for about 10-15 stories before coming to a rattling, humiliating halt… Then we said “thank you! We’re Marina City” and ran away as fast as we possibly could. Luckily we are older and wiser now and learned to communicate that ending a little better.

Any pre-performance rituals?
Every year we pick a new song to listen to in the van before every show on the way to the venue. First we rocked to Busta Rhymes “One Year Left” and “Everybody Rise”. In 2013 we got weird with “Fatty Boom Boom” by the oh-so-lovable Die Antwoord. And this year it’s “Right Back at it Again” by A Day to Remember. And, to great dismay of whoever’s driving, right when the breakdown hits at the end we have a massive mosh pit in the back of the van complete with crowd surfing usually while driving on the highway. Last but not least, while we are on stage, right before our first note, we all put our hands in “Friday Night Lights” style and Eric (our drummer) yells “Clear Eyes, Full Hearts” to which we respond “Can’t Lose”. Then it’s go time!

Is there anything else you would like to add?
We came out with a new music video for our song “The Rise And Fall Of You” on September 15th! - Property Of Zack

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jxKIO8LUhl0 - The Band Review

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lBzyPv_zttM - Edge On Air

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pvqqBA1BiXs - Ruthless Relations

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5gfC-Fw_cG0 - Common Band Girl

The last band of the night was Chicago pop-punk outfit Marina City. The six-piece used the space on stage as well as on the floor in front of the stage. This provided an even more buzzing and intimate setting as the band tore into their unique blend of pop-punk and metalcore. It was the ideal setting for this music because the bands energy was so close it became contagious to the crowd. The overall performance was astounding, the band engaged the small crowd with vocalist Ryan Argast challenging members of the crowd to a dance contest as well as energetically mixing in with the crowd during performances. In addition, I don’t know if everyone noticed this but the band’s drummer Eric Somers-Urrea was on fire in his performance leading complex stops, fills and flashy stick spins that kept my eye on the back of the stage.

One of the highlights of their performance was the spot on cover of “Tear in My Heart” by Twenty-One Pilots which got the whole crowd out of their seats and moving. An unsung hero of the performance The band’s sound was very captivating with a combination of early Fall Out Boy, A Day To Remember and Panic! at The Disco that pleased every music taste in the room.

They tied the night up in an aggressive, energetic and fun performance that definitely left an impression on the crowd. - StonyBrook Independent

Hey everyone! Jess here!

So, the other night (August 15) I made a last minute decision to head over to Reggie’s Rock Club in Chicago for a local show, and it was probably the best decision I had made all day. Marina City, a local Chicago music group was playing a release show for the EP ‘Wanderlust’.

Now, I was blind going into this-never listening to their music before and unfortunately missing their set at Vans Warped Tour, but I can tell you now, that I’ve downloaded their ‘Wanderlust’ and CANNOT get enough of it. Before Marina City took the stage, they had a few other bands open for them, who were also incredibly talented.

The night started with Ship Captain Crew. Sadly I only caught the last two songs of their performance, but from what I heard, they set a super rad vibe for the rest of the evening.

Next up were Time Atlas. This was their first ever show in Chicago but nevertheless, the crowd gave them a warm welcome. Their energy was over the top and it was obvious they were excited to be there.

The Millennium were the third opener and their stage presence is what really blew me away. They seemed extremely comfortable and interacted with the crowd throughout the entire set. It was heartwarming to see every member of the band give it all they had during their stage time. The dedication and love they have for music and their listeners was clear as day.

The Fall Four, another band from Chicago played before Marina City. These guys had a lot of variety in their music. From soft piano to some crazy guitar solos. They closed out their set with ‘Uptown Funk’, originally written and performed by Bruno Mars, and it definitely set a good tone for the final act of the night. Everyone was pumped!

Reggie’s is a varying small venue, so you can imagine how intimate the rest of the show was; especially for a Marina City hometown show.

The moment the guys set foot on stage you could feel the love and excitement everyone has for this band, and not just by the girls jumping on my feet and screaming in my ear ;). The energy was completely through the roof from start to finish.

About midway through the set, Ryan, the vocalist dedicated one of their slower songs to his grandfather who had recently passed just a few days prior. The single performance was so incredibly touching and made myself, and I’m sure the entire room feel something special. I give my condolences to Ryan and his loved ones <3.

The rest of the night continued on with more of their upbeat jams and they closed out the show with a few encores, giving their fans something to dance about. You see, music is such a powerful thing; it brings family, friends and even strangers together. And that is exactly what Marina City did. They had the entire venue screaming at the top of their lungs, singing along and smiling throughout their entire set. Each one of them has the gift to make people feel so many positive emotions all at once, and not very many people can say that.

Marina City is currently touring the United States and if you have a chance to head to a show near you, it is highly recommended.

You can check dates HERE.

I have also provided a few photos from the show below, so feel free to see how erratic the night really was!

I wish Marina City and their crew the best of luck and safest of travels!

See you soon! - Concert Junkies

We had the opportunity to speak with Ryan Argast, lead singer of the Chicago-based outfit, Marina City, about inclusivity, inspiration, and how he gets through rough times.

Interview by Francis Shervinski

PO: What are your thoughts on our scene and it’s inclusivity?

The beauty of our scene is that it was built by people who felt they were outcasts. The people who listen to this type of music aren't typically the coolest kids in high school or feel extremely confident about themselves. This music and this scene is an escape from the non-acceptant world. This is where people come to find themselves. I truly believe that this scene helps people in someway every day. Does it have its problems? Of course it does! It's not perfect but it is definitely in the step of the right direction.

PO: Do you have any personal anecdotes pertaining to scene inclusiveness or lack of inclusiveness?

I remember when Thomas James Gabel of Against Me! Officially announced he would now be called Laura Jane Grace. The scene was shocked and very interested in everything that was going on but there wasn't a lot of backlash. There was a lot of acceptance and people actually just interested in the whole situation. However, with the Caitlyn Jenner situation people were acceptant but only cared about how good she looked. All of a sudden this incredible athlete who did this brave transformation was being compared to every woman with the usual comparisons; "Is she better looking than Kris Jenner? Would any guy bang her? Look at her tits!" That sucks! Laura Jane Grace just became the new front woman for Against Me! I think that is what is cool about the scene. We accepted the transformation and we treated her just like we have always treated her. That is at least how I saw it.

PO: Are there any pressing issues in our scene that you think should be addressed?

There are two pressing issues that I believe should be talked about: Young people need to respect themselves and their bodies. The same reason why the scene is beautiful is the same reason why it can get dangerous. Earlier I said that outcasts built this scene. This is where outcasts feel they belong. However, you never lose that want of attention from someone, especially since outside the scene you feel people don't care about you. You don't have to dress provocative or drink or do drugs just to gain attention. Gain attention with your talents and hobbies. I know people may not care right away, and it sucks, but just keep working at it, and when people do care you will blow them away. Don't go down a dark hole to gain attention. This leads in to the next thing that needs to be addressed: Don't take advantage of people. A lot of musicians right now are taking advantage of fans. Fans believe that if they do whatever a musician says then they will be cool and accepted. Musicians are asking for disgusting things from their fans and making this safe haven into something scary. Don't take away the one good thing in people's lives.

PO: Have any songs you’ve written been a particulary strong example of self-expression for you?

There is a song called "Oh,Chicago" it is the weirdest song we wrote simply because the song isn't about a specific story like all our other songs. This song is about an emotion and how I feel when I am sad and don't know how to express it to anyone. The song is riddled with metaphors.

Oh Chicago

Can you illuminate the skylines?

And let all the liars come down to your core?

'Cause I'm still debating

Whether if I should be waiting

For something more

Or should I just run back to your heart?

I was born and raised in Chicago. I didn't really like it all that much due to getting in lots of fights and being surrounded by some terrible people. This stanza makes Chicago seem as rock bottom, a hell like place, and all the worse people are there like liars. I'm waiting for me to change to be better but am I really just the same as those people I don't like?

'Cause it's three A.M. on a Monday morning

And I'm still looking for something that will never be found

That will never be found

And the truth just holds cobwebs

And dreams only come true when your dead

And these smiles just hide the frowns

I toss and turn most nights when I'm depressed or sad. It's like, if I stay away and pace back and forth, I'll find something that will change my luck around. But I haven't heard a true thing happen in forever. When you are a sleep your reality is your dreams. So when I am dead does that mean I am forever in my dreams? I smile but only so you don't know I am sad.

'Cause I only write tragedies

That's what I do best

And these words just yell and scream

I must love to be depressed

Oh no

I tend to not write a lot of happy songs for some reason. Maybe it is because when I am happy I am not sitting in my bedroom alone writing music. I am doing whatever is making me happy. Not saying music doesn't make me happy. It really does. It helps me get out of my funk.

I'm Alright, I'm just okay

Wishing on shooting stars have gotten old anyways

And I just got one more prayer left in me

I won't use it on my death bed

I'll die so you can stop crying

I'm fine, really, I don't need my dying wish I'll just let you go now. I'm a sap.

Oh, its winter

And it's as cold as where my heart would be

If it was there that would be saying the least

'Cause I'm just a poet that makes a promise

And then writes songs on how he couldn't keep it

On how he couldn't keep it

I tend to have some regrets

So don't you worry about me

I'm a musician, I erase my problems with a melody

and I've just tried to live in my dreams

so I don't know a damn thing about reality

Oh no

This is why I love music

I stand here alone

With a beating heart in my chest

And this clock ticks and tocks to my dying breath

And I hope it finally comes my ending time

So I could finally say that I timed something right



(I'm Alright)

All I wanted was accomplishment

To show you I was different, I was something, I was better than nothing at all

(I'm just okay)

I've never seen an angel but I swear they look like you

So breath taking

God, I love you

(Wishing on shooting stars have gotten old anyways)

Please don't mistaken me with the man with the words

'Cause you're a swan



And I'm a hummingbird

(I'm alright)

And I've been putting myself down since I was a kid

and it seems that's all I ever did

I needed this song. I needed to get out all the negativity that I had built up in me from being inside my head for too long.

PO: What inspires you to do what you do and connect with people of various backgrounds through your music?

When Marina City first started out this was something for us. We were writing music to help us. As this is getting bigger we are realizing we aren't just helping ourselves but a whole lot of people. Our music has been able to get people out of their darkest times. This music has inspired people to do their dreams. Imagine if we all accomplished our dreams! How awesome would this world be? We probably would have cured cancer, stop world hunger, and be treated equal. We need people to achieve their dreams and if our music inspires people to not give up then we will keep doing it until the day we die.

PO: What pushes you to keep going when things get rough? Has a fan’s story ever really touch you? Or has a fan told you how you’ve made a personal impact?

I've been performing in bands since I was 12 and recently, more than ever, we have been getting people saying we have helped them in some kind of way. Basically what I said in the earlier question. We do this because we are convincing dreamers to never give up. - Punk Out

Midwest pop-punkers Marina City have been working tirelessly to prove themselves over the past four years as a band. Just last year they were crowned the first prize in the Ernie Ball Warped Tour Battle of the Bands, and will follow their summer on Warped this year with a fitting homecoming at Riot Fest Chicago. - Alternative Press Magazine