Indie rock band Via Audio is set to play in Athens tonight with local friends Grade School at The Union.
Via Audio formed in 2003 when David Lizmi and Jessica Martins met at Berklee College of Music in Boston, but their current lineup is a little over a year old. While Lizmi is from Texas, the other members are from New Jersey and Via Audio has since relocated to Brooklyn.
The New York band plays indie pop and their songs are catchy but serious. Each of the four members sings and takes influence from bands as diverse as Radiohead, Andrew Bird and Blonde Redhead.
We all come from different places musically
but we do have collective interests Lizmi said. We listen to a lot from old-timey country music to '90s grunge rock.
Their first self-titled EP was recorded in 2004 and had a similar sound to Death Cab for Cutie, Lizmi said. Their newest album, recorded in 2007, was a different direction for the band.
While at a concert, Martins, the band's lead singer, approached Jim Eno, a music producer and the drummer for well-established indie band Spoon, and gave him a Via Audio CD. He liked their music and offered to record the band's next album, Lizmi said.
The result was Say Something, an album influenced by Fleetwood Mac, Devo and, of course, Spoon. The album received favorable ratings from the music criticism Web site Pitchfork Media, as well as praise from Death Cab guitarist Chris Walla.
Within a year, Via Audio was signed to SideCho Records out of California. Since then, the band has played in Japan with Spoon and at the Austin music festival South By Southwest, as well as the CMJ music festival in New York. They are scheduled to again play SXSW later this month.
Via Audio has played twice before with local indie rock band Grade School. Their connection is what made Via Audio first come to Athens, Lizmi said.
We sent out a bulletin online asking for shows anywhere in Ohio
Lizmi said. Grade School responded and we've been good friends since.
3
Culture
27493a.jpg
Indie rock band Via Audio will perform at 9 tonight at the Union with Grade School. (PROVIDED PHOTO)
