Margate
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In the modern music landscape, how does an indie band separate itself from the tens of thousands of other bands clamoring for the spotlight? For Margate, a high-energy three-piece rock band in the vein of Foo Fighters, Rise Against and Bad Religion, the answer may have been easy but the road has been long and arduous.
The band formed in LA in 2003 after the members had spent years perfecting their craft with other groups, and the guys immediately recognized that they had a unique, original style that needed to be shared with the world. I knew we had that intangible quality, that it factor that everyone is always talking about, says lead singer and drummer Alex Helbig about the early days of Margate, but back then we always seemed to be that great little local band that was unknown outside of our LA circle of die-hard fans.
So what has changed between then and now? The band has been working hard, sticking with their vision and people are starting to take notice. Margate recorded and self-released two full length albums 2006s Songs In The Key Of Awesome and their most recent release, the already critically acclaimed On The Other Side which debuted in August of 2009. They have played a slew of live dates including a stop on the Warped Tour in San Diego in 2009, the biggest clubs in LA and the Southwest including the Roxy, House Of Blues, Viper Room and Hard Rock Café, and the occasional oddball gig such as being the house band for a Comedy Show and playing inside a functioning power plant at the Redondo Beach Power Of Art festival.
In 2007, terrestrial radio discovered the band and even the world-famous KROQ in LA joined in, spinning the single Rising off Songs In The Key Of Awesome on their Locals Only segment. Radio personalities Frosty, Heidi and Frank jumped in the mix by choosing the band for the first ever live segment of Should I Stay Or Should I Go, a fixture on their popular FM-talk show on 97.1 Free FM. Since then, terrestrial and internet radio stations alike from California to North Carolina to Germany have been picking up Margate tunes and exposing them to the masses. Their songs have also been prominently featured in a couple of indie films - Outside Sales which ended up with a major distribution deal and Georges Intervention which is currently making the rounds on the Film Festival circuit.
What lies ahead for Margate? The sky is the limit, bass player Steve Weil says jokingly. You see, the boys in Margate dont take themselves too seriously . They know the day of the big rock star has come and gone, and theyre quite content with being that little band that wouldnt quit. Guitarist Doug Mitchell says, all we ever wanted was to get our music out there, to let other people hear what we created. Were happier than ever making music and well continue to do so until someone physically stops us from rocking.Admin
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