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Written by AZ Weekly Magazine
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Scottsdale- Digital Summer, one of the most successful bands Arizona has seen in years, reaches beyond their heavy angst-rock persona and dives directly into unplugged waters in Hollow, an acoustic EP/DVD featuring two songs from their highly successful debut album Cause and Effect, re-done in an acoustic format as well as some previously unreleased studio tracks. In addition, they have included a DVD featuring the music videos for “Rescue Me”, “Disconnect” and more. Although Hollow may just be a side tangent for hard these hard rockers, they certainly don’t disappoint and serve it up in the only way they know how: leaving you begging for more. April 1st is set to be the official release date for the disc. The record will be available at all Zia Records and Lithium Clothing stores (Arizona and Nevada) as well as online at i-Tunes and CDBaby for now. To celebrate the album, the band has scheduled a show Friday, May 9th at the Venue of Scottsdale located at 7117 3rd Avenue in Old Town. For more information, call (480) 945-5150 or log onto www.thevenue.homestead.com.
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Hard rockers Digital Summer will release acoustic EP
Valley hard-rock band Digital Summer will throw its fans a curveball when it releases an all-acoustic EP, “Hollow,” on Tuesday, April 1. The disc will include two tunes from their angst-ridden debut LP, “Cause and Effect” (2007), redone in an acoustic format as well as a few unreleased tracks. Included in the package will be a DVD featuring videos for such Digital Summer tunes as “Rescue Me” and “Disconnect,” and the band will celebrate the release with a show on Friday, May 9 at the Venue Of Scottsdale, 7117 E. Third Ave. We’ve got tracks by Digital Summer on our MP3 Player at getoutaz.com. More band info is at digitalsummer.net.
This past Friday night, the streets and sidewalks of Old Town Scottsdale were absolutely overflowing (as they usually are on the weekends) with nightcrawlers in the midst of kicking off their weekly routine of drinking, debauchery, and debasement. But while the usual crowd of Fembots, douchebags, and $30k millionaires were bound for more ostentatious joints like Next and Dirty Pretty Rockbar, the cooler cats were chillaxing at the Venue of Scottsdale, where renowned Valley recording engineer and producer Larry Elyea was feting the 15th anniversary of his studio, Mind’s Eye Digital.
It’s also where myself and kickass concert photog Luke Howlwerda found ourselves, as we sought to document the party for suckas like yourself who somehow couldn’t pry themselves away from Friday Night Smackdown! and get the hell out of the house. The setup was fairly simple: Elyea -- who’s cut records for such marquee-level performers as the Beastie Boys, Eminem, and Capadonna (of Wu-Tang fame), not to mention Valley bigwigs like Jimmy Eat World, Authority Zero, and Bionic Jive -- assembled a lineup of five local, hard-charging rock groups he’s previously worked with (as well as his own outfit, Giantkiller) to come out and show off their shit. Although all the bands on the bill fit comfortably into the field of hard rock/nü-metal, Elyea hoped each outfit would show off their own particular flavor of the genres -- from brooding melodic-style jams to more balls out, concussion-inducing kinda stuff -- in an attempt to blow out the back wall of the one-time Cajun House. And they did, in spades. The raucous rock lineup even prompted Giantkiller vocalist Jared Woosley to describe the event as “a big rock sandwich,” a quote we used for the title of this blog post.
Due to the usual Friday evening Old Town traffic snarl, I arrived a half-hour late to the shindig and met up with Master Luke just at the first band, the thunderously melodic hard rock outfit Awaking the Fallen was finishing up their 30-minute gig. According to some of the smokers doing the puff thang outside between sets, they didn’t disappoint. Following a rather thorough and impersonal pat down by the hulking security guards -- who did everything but snap on the latex and almost dropped Holwerda’s camera while digging through his backpack of equipment -- we headed inside the packed venue to join the crowd (which numbered nearly 900 at one point). A wide cross-section of rock fans came out to the event, including aging hippies, dazed and confused burnouts, posturing teenyboppers, rock hotties, trailer park rats, Al Jourgensen clones, frat boyish preps, tatted-up thugs, cowboys from hell, and grungy indie kids.
We also rubbed shoulders with a slew of radio and music industry types who were there to celebrate Elyea’s success as one of the top knob-fiddlers in the Valley, including Edge 103.9’s weekend jock and local alt-radio legend Larry Mac, who was serving as emcee at the party. Rocking the Stone Cold Steve Austin vibe with a shaved head and goatee, Mac was in the company of the Kim LaRowe, booker at The Sets in Tempe.
Since the Mac Man knows a thing or two about P-Town’s music scene (per his current gig showcasing local jams on his weekly “Sunday School” program, as well as previously helping run bygone AM alternative station KUKQ back in the mid-’90s), we asked his opinion on which band’s performance he was most looking forward to seeing.
“It’s an awesome good lineup, it’s solid, but I’ve never seen Giantkiller before, so I’m anxious to see them,” he says. “I’ve heard nothing but great things.”
Mac had to shove off and return to his emcee duties, so shutterbug Luke and I got our eardrums quaked up by the next band, Versed in Grey, whose sludgy alt-metal sound was thick with gristly guitar chords and the hollering of mountain man look-alike Augie Palacio. I was an already digging them throughout most of the set, but they cemented my permanent allegiance by whipping out a cover of Tool’s “46 & 2.” We even heard that night that guitarist Norm Wall’s wife had given birth to their child two hours before the show and the proud papa still managed to make the gig. That’s dedication to your craft, biatch.
Afterwards, I was hoping to track down Larry Elyea to get some face time with the belle of the ball, but he was too busy preparing for Giantkiller’s set. The dood’s a serious axe-master, having jammed with Bionic Jive and Gift, and displayed his skills at the party on songs like “Son of Sam.” Meanwhile, dreadlocked singer Jared Woosley (who looks like the lovechild of Ethan Hawke and Adam Duritz) used not one, but two mics -- one modern and the other a kind of retro ’50s deal -- to pepper Giantkiller’s melodic, hard-edged rock (somewhat akin to A Perfect Circle) with his vocals. As the band ripped through their song list, a mist of fog drifted across the stage, causing the array of colored spotlights to pierce the vapor like lightsabers (only fitting, since Elyea and crew are like rock ’n’ roll Jedi).
The audience, for the most part, was rather subdued for a hard rock show, probably because they were mostly made up of folks in their late 20s to mid 30s. There was nary a mosh pit to be found, only a few lighters being held up during Giantkiller’s set. These were serious rock fans who rock out seriously.
Arguably the biggest band on the lineup, DS flipped the switch on the crowd’s juice with their somewhat slick-sounding, punk-tinged pop metal (à la Chevelle), causing many fists to pump and heads to bang, and inciting the formation of a rather weak pit populated by about four fuckheads (I hate moshing). Humorously, one gent in a blue bandana perched himself on the waist-high security fence and continuously flipped off the band through the first couple songs. The five members of DS probably mainlined some Red Bull in the Green Room, as they both stoked and fed off the mojo, climbing on different amps and speakers or leaping into the air like a herd of alt-rocking spider monkeys. Tremendous.
Both Holwerda and myself figured the lion’s share of those in attendance were made up of Digital Summer fans, as once the band wrapped up their 45 minutes of stage time, half of the throng disappeared from the venue. It was quite a shame, actually, since the remaining bands, Signs of Betrayal (Korn-esque nü-metal) and Denial Method (think Breaking Benjamin colliding with Deftones) were quite good. By the time 1 a.m. rolled around, Denial Method’s fans were outnumbered by the amount of discarded beer cups on the floor.
From the opening tracks of unintelligible noise, to final chords of Digital Summer's trip of pop/grunge/punk/angst rock - there is an undeniable pre-launch to mainstream music success that's being nurtured and tapped into by this talented four-piece from Arizona. The record from start to finish is a finely polished gem of pop rock beauty
Phoenix-based band comes a-rockin' by Heather Smith
The crowds, screaming. The venue, packed. The band, intense. Such is expected when you are a band that has been compared to the likes of Godsmack, Sevendust and Trapt. Digital Summer consists of Kyle Winterstein on vocals, Ian Winterstein and Fish on guitars, Guido on bass and Cooter on drums. The last three prefer their nicknames, listing only those on their MySpace page and Web site. Their genre is a mix of rock, metal and alternative. On Feb. 29, they could be heard rocking downtown with their fast-paced, energy-driven performance.
Their enthusiasm on stage is contagious.
“The crowd does that. We just feed off of the energy the crowd brings,” Winterstein said. “The harder they rock out, the harder we push to put on the best show we can.”
“There’s always a strong connection with the guys and their fans,” said Melissa Baker, a leader of the street team and an attendee at their show in Flagstaff.
As much fun as these guys are having on tour, the band insists the experience on the road has not been easy.
“It’s tough; you’re unsigned, so people don’t take you as serious as you’d like,” Fish said. “So we just forced our three song EP down everybody’s throats until they took notice.”
They are all about the do-it-yourself methods of getting their music out there, trying to be as creative and persistent as possible. So creative, in fact, that Winterstein was once searched by the FBI for breaking into what he thought was Dreamworks Records to sneak in a copy of their demo. Unfortunately, the building was a political office.
The street team is dedicated to their cause, buying CDs at local stores and buying/burning as many as possible to promote the band, further proof of the special relationship the band has with their fans.
As tedious as this work may sound, it has paid off: Digital Summer had the opportunity to open for Godsmack on July 26, 2006. However, the band maintains that they have not let any of this get to their heads.
“Well to be honest, we’re so busy trying to always figure out what our next move is that we still see ourselves at the bottom of the industry food chain…and besides, it never [does] anyone any good to lose focus of who they are and where they came from,” Winterstein said.
The band actively communicates with fans and their street team online. They keep their professional lives, band lives, friendships, relationships and all other “ships” in line.
Their raw inspiration resonates through their songs. Their lyrics and music come from everyday experiences.
Winterstein said their material comes from “the same things that everyone goes through and gets pissed-off about or has some kind of emotion about. [The] only difference between us and them is that we make a song about it.”
The new acoustic EP provides a more emotional tone, reflecting a side of the band not usually heard during their energy-packed shows, while still carrying the same “edge” that can be heard in their heavier songs.
Digital Summer’s fan base has grown not only in Arizona, but nationwide. Their Acoustic EP/DVD Hollow will be available April 1 at Zia Records and Lithium Clothing, as well as on online music stores and their Web site. They recently released a music video for their song “Rescue Me” that can be seen on their MySpace and Web site.
For more information, visit www.myspace.com/digitalsummer.
First time I have seen these guys, and I was very impressed. They played a great set, and nailed it.
Playing to a full Rox Club these Phoenix Boys showed that they are pro and ready to take on a bigger audience. Expert Musicians with a great groove to their Sound.
Digital Summer is :
Kyle Winterstein - vocals
Ian Winterstein - guitar
Guido Hernandez - bass
Cooter Carlson- drums
Fish Cenfield- guitar
Be sure to checkout their myspace page HERE,
…You can take a listen for yourself.
And their Band website www.digitalsummer.net .
Be sure to get their Cd
Cause and Effect, I got it spinning now, and really am impressed with overall production and sound of these guys.
All in All great Band, nice bunch of guys, who let the music do the talking…
..and the Talking is good!
-Tim
Digital Summer's 'Cause and Effect' angry yet positive
By: Nicki Escudero
Description: Glendale rock band debuts full-length album
Posted by Nicki Thu Mar 1, 2007 11:47:25 MST
Viewed 4 times
0 responses 0 cGlendale, Ariz. band Digital Summer expresses a lot of anger on their new independent album Cause and Effect, though the songs are fun to listen to no matter how harsh the emotion.
The disc starts out with vocalist Kyle Winterstein singing, "There must be a way to cut the cord," in "Disconnect," and goes on with him saying, "I reject this reality."
That's the tone for much of the album, which centers on existential themes ranging from making the most out of life to outrightly despising injustices.
"I am not a machine," Winterstein sings on "Chasing Tomorrow." "I've been chasing after tomorrow for as long as I could remember. If there's a light at the end of the tunnel, then I'll be chasing it forever."
There are a few bitter heartbreak songs thrown in, such as "Crash," "This Time" and "Sick Inside," which all seem heartfelt due to the intensity of the melodies and Winterstein's singing.
Digital Summer, which has been together for about a year, has succeeded in creating catchy hooks to go with their hard rock vibe. Guitarists Ian Winterstein and Johnmark "Fish" Cenfield provide intricate licks that make the songs resonate, and bassist Anthony "Guido" Hernandez and drummer Chris "Cooter" Carlson contribute to make the full sound.
The band isn't afraid to experiment, though?the group even uses piano for album closer "Outro," a much slower version of "Suffocate," the third track. "Suffocate" uses screaming and a manic pace to convey a sense of urgency that is beautifully slowed down in the last song.
Despite the heavy instrumentation throughout the disc, Kyle's voice is never drowned out. His growly vocal is strong in both his singing and screaming, which is balanced well on the tracks.
Cause and Effect spans several genres, from metal to alternative to rock, meaning many types of music fans will find something to like about it. From beginning to end, Cause and Effect is a high-energy blast of thrashing music that carries the listener through tales of hard times that eventually turn into positivity. Like Kyle sings in "Now or Never," "Don't be afraid to take pleasure with the pain."
Digital Summer
Cause and Effect
CD release show
March 30- 6 p.m.
All ages
With Comfort for Change, Denial Method and Asphixiation
Venue of Scottsdale
7117 E. 3rd Ave., Scottsdale, 85251
www.myspace.com/digitalsummer
Digital Summer...out to make a name for themselves.
by Jerry Manley, The Voice Magazine
A band reincarnated from two great local bands, comes the sounds of Digital Summer. Part of the band comes from former band Shaded Grey, the other half from A.D.L. (A Different Level.) Digital Summers music is full of emotion, raw energy, along with harmonious tunes, that are sure to make anyone hit the repeat button on their CD player. Or as members of D.S. like to say, "a punch in the face."
Members of the band include Guido, 19, who plays bass and does back up vocals, and is currently attending GCC, with plans of being an EMT. Ian, 20, plays guitar, and is an EMT. Cooter, 18, plays the drums, enjoys dirt biking, even broke his wrist a week before their opening show while dirt biking, and still managed to play at their concert. Kyle, 24, is the lead vocalist of the band, and is a firefighter for Avondale. Last but not least, Fish, 25, plays guitar, and is a teacher at a local charter school.
Some may wonder how D.S. came up with their name, and why they settled on Digital Summer. "We decided to let the music stand for the name. Not really care too much about what the name was," said Ian. It was a long process because they'd find a name they'd like and then a band in some other state had that name.
Digital Summers musical inspirations fan from the Deftones, Trapt, Sevendust, and Chevelle. If D.S. had to compare their band, musically to other bands, it would have to be Trapt meets Deftones meets Cold. With no local coverage on the radio yet, D.S. has said to have been heard in New Mexico. D.S. has been doing many local shows, with plans to do some touring in San Diego and Flagstaff.
Digital Summer had their debut show at Cooperstown on January 21, 2006, and had a showing of around 320 people in attendance. The bands EP has been out since January 21, and they have given out about 3000 copies of their EP, with more orders on the way.
In the future, Digital Summer, hopes to do some regional touring, and is currently shopping around for a record label. D.S. likes to take their time on things, just to make sure they're doing everything right.
The band collectively writes their music and practices about two to three times a week for about three hours. D.S. also designs the bands graphics, logos, and flyers. You can find them each on their own laptop before practice, designing, and collectively coming up with new things to do to promote their band. On their free time, the guys like to play Halo, go snowboarding when there is snow, hang out with friends, and go wakeboarding.
D.S. also has parties to promote their upcoming shows, and also attend local concerts to get their name out to the public. Currently Digital Summer is taking any suggestions for a cover song, and hope to record one soon. If you'd like to get your hands on one of Digital Summers EP's, you can visit their website at www.myspace.com/digitalsummer, and email them or post a request for one.
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