Article published September 25, 2008
There For Tomorrow ready for Toledo show
There For Tomorrow plays Frankie's Inner City Friday.
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By ANNE ERICKSON
SPECIAL TO THE BLADE
There for Tomorrow is likely the perfect 21st-century emo-pop band.
The Orlando, Fla.-based group’s polished, vibrant sound — at first listen, at least — plays like an answer to the weeps of Fall Out Boy-deprived teens everywhere. The style lies somewhere between power punk-pop and romantic hardcore, with lots of melody. Add to that youth. With members ages 19 to 21, you have a band almost purpose-built for the bright-eyed, quasi-rocker MTV crowd.
Complain all you want about another emo-drenched bunch of youngens staking their claim in the music industry. But if you show up to a There for Tomorrow show (they play Frankie’s Inner City Friday), chances are this band will keep you entertained. After all, the guys have been playing music together since their middle-school days and are considered some of the most talented newbies on the scene.
TFT consists of vocalist and guitarist Maika Maile, lead guitarist Christian Climer, drummer Chris Kamrada, and bass player Jay Enriquez. They’re signed to Hopeless Records, the label that jump-started the careers of post-hardcore vets Thrice and Avenged Sevenfold, so you know they have promise.
“We’ve been big Thrice fans for a long time and saw all the things Hopeless was doing with that band, so when that label was interested in us, we were stoked,” said Maile, chatting via cell from Orlando. “Hopeless really cares, and nowadays in the music industry, it’s hard to find genuine people.”
It’s through Hopeless the guys released their self-titled EP last month. Produced by James Paul Wisner (Dashboard Confessional, Paramore), it’s an accomplished, high-energy collection of seven tracks that pushes the boundaries of the whole emo-pop genre.
That’s another way of saying this band is gunning for stardom.
“We want to be around for a while; we want to make a mark,” Maile said. “We’re really excited to have this EP out there. In the end, we decided to make it self-titled because at this early stage in our career, it’s most important for people to hear our band name first. They aren’t going to care about any creative message we have if they don’t know our name.”
Maile says inspiration for the EP — and his songs, in general — comes from a very personal and not always happy place. Growing up, Maile lost two close family members: first his sister, and later his father. It was a trying time for the vocalist.
And it all comes out in his writing.
“I had an awesome childhood, but at the same time, I had to go through some losses,” said Maile. “We can easily take things for granted, but at times there are certain bumps in your life when you realize we’re here for a limited time, so we should always make the most of it.
“All the things I’ve been through make up who I am today. So I always reflect on past events or what I’m going through now, and I can always relate back to the things I’ve learned from certain situations.”
The 2007 single “Pages” is about making the best of past situations.
“‘Pages’ is about how our past makes up who we are today,” Maile said. “Never neglect your past, even if you don’t like who you were at a certain time.”
Maile lights up when asked about an upcoming full-length. (He guesstimates they’ll get started on it early next year.) In the meantime, the dudes, who played several dates of the Vans Warped Tour this summer, will keep on the touring circuit.
With more than 30 shows posted now through November, what do the guys do for downtime on the road?
“Music is always going in the van,” said Maile, who rattles off picks such as Coldplay, OneRepublic, Rascal Flatts, and 30 Seconds to Mars. “But mostly, we try to catch up on sleep. A lot.”
Four Letter Lie, There for Tomorrow, Our Last Night, Jamie Elsewhere, and Capital Lights will play tomorrow at Frankie’s Inner-City, 308 Main St. Doors open at 6 p.m. Tickets are $13 at the door and $10 in advance at all Ticketmaster outlets, by phone at 419-474-1333, www.ticketmaster.com, and Culture Clash and Ramalama Records. Information: 419-691-7464. This is an all-ages matinee.
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