Coachella ’09 to feature local band
Lisa Kane
Dear and the Headlights is a five-piece indie band with local roots here in Tempe, now headlining their own tour and playing one the largest music festivals in the U.S., Coachella.The band’s five members include guitarist and lead vocalist Ian Metzger, bass player Chuckie Duff, guitarists/keyboardists PJ Waxman and Robert Cissell and drummer Mark Kulvinskas.
As with most aspiring musicians, in their early years the band struggled with situating their lineup and geting the band off the ground but, finally, in 2006, the five elemental musicians came together and began working on their first full-length album.
The album, “Small Steps, Heavy Hooves,” was released in Feb. 2007 on the independent record label Equal Vision Records.
Following the release, Dear and the Headlights toured continuously, promoting their incendiary new sound that the record company calls “Introspective, catchy, piano-laced, country-tinged rock.”
After the success of their first album and a year of touring under their belt, the band became confident in their sound and happy with their lineup.
They headed back to the studio in May of 2008 to record their sophomore album, fresh material that reflected their current states as people and musicians.
The album, “Drunk Like Bible Times,” came out in stores on Sept. 30, 2008, again released by Equal Vision Records.
The sophomore album captured Dear and the Headlights more as they are, with an emotionally-charged mix of layered guitars and pianos, a stepping melody of drums and vocals with swagger.
After the release, the band headed right back out to tour, once again enthusiastic to share their identity with music fans all over the nation.
As the quintet told their label, they’re just five guys who love creating music, no egos, no frills, no exceptions. “I just want to play music,” affirmed Metzger, “I don’t have a strategy for doing so,”
Dear and the Headlight’s headlining tour started Wednesday, Feb. 25 in California, and will be on the road through March, with their last show on April 2 made for local fans in Phoenix, at the Rhythm Room at 7 p.m.
Shortly after a stay at home, Dear and the Headlights will play their biggest venue yet on April 17, Coachella 2009, amongst artists like Paul McCartney, The Cure and Amy Winehouse.
