The Bright Light Social Hour
Encyclopedia
The Bright Light Social Hour is a rock band from Austin, Texas
. The band features Curtis Roush on guitar and vocals, Jack O'Brien
on bass guitar and vocals, Joseph Mirasole on drums, and A.J. Vincent on keyboards and vocals.
Roush and O'Brien began playing together in a four piece art-rock collective with O'Brien as the lead singer and keyboardist while at Southwestern University
. After juggling vocal duties and adding Mirasole and Vincent, The Bright Light Social Hour evolved, experimenting with post-rock before melding funk
, soul
, and psychedelia into a high energy rock group.
The Central Texas band built their reputation through consistent high energy live shows in southern states, including opening up the 2009 Austin City Limits Festival. They proved their creativity through a series of comic videos released on their website, and by providing organic cookies at their shows. The band released their debut full-length album in late 2010, entitled "The Bright Light Social Hour".
2008–2010
The album was recorded in five studios around Austin during summer 2010 with producer Danny Reisch, of "Good Danny's", utilizing vintage and modern recording to achieve a sound evocative of 1970s hi-fi.
Momentum built for the band, and in April 2011 they swept the 29th Annual Austin Music Awards during SXSW, the international music festival, with an unprecedented 6 awards, including Band of the Year, Album of the Year and Song of the Year (for their song "Detroit").
The Bright Light Social Hour released "New Year's Live," a 4-track live EP recorded at The Parish Austin on New Year's Eve 2011. Re-teaming with producer/engineer Danny Reisch, "New Year's Live", captures the band's raw live energy, video directed by Hussain Pirani.
The Bright Light Social Hour began their first nationwide tour in support of their debut album and live EP in 2011.
Former members
.
The Bright Light Social Hour first received a 2010 AMP Austin Music Pundit for their self-titled album "The Bright Light Social Hour" in 2011. They then won six awards during the 2011 South by Southwest
including Band of the Year, Album of the Year, Best Bass Guitar, Best Keyboardist, Best Producer (Danny Reisch) and Song of the Year (for their song "Detroit"). Roush placed second for best guitarist after the world renowned Austin
guitarist Eric Johnson
.
Austin, Texas
Austin is the capital city of the U.S. state of :Texas and the seat of Travis County. Located in Central Texas on the eastern edge of the American Southwest, it is the fourth-largest city in Texas and the 14th most populous city in the United States. It was the third-fastest-growing large city in...
. The band features Curtis Roush on guitar and vocals, Jack O'Brien
Jack O'Brien
Jack O'Brien may refer to:*Jack O'Brien *Jack O'Brien , American baseball player*Philadelphia Jack O'Brien , American Boxer, former light heavyweight boxing champion of the world...
on bass guitar and vocals, Joseph Mirasole on drums, and A.J. Vincent on keyboards and vocals.
History
Formation and Early Work 2005-2008Roush and O'Brien began playing together in a four piece art-rock collective with O'Brien as the lead singer and keyboardist while at Southwestern University
Southwestern University
Southwestern University is a private, four-year, undergraduate, liberal arts college located in Georgetown, Texas, USA. Founded in 1840, Southwestern is the oldest university in Texas. The school is affiliated with the United Methodist Church although the curriculum is nonsectarian...
. After juggling vocal duties and adding Mirasole and Vincent, The Bright Light Social Hour evolved, experimenting with post-rock before melding funk
Funk
Funk is a music genre that originated in the mid-late 1960s when African American musicians blended soul music, jazz and R&B into a rhythmic, danceable new form of music. Funk de-emphasizes melody and harmony and brings a strong rhythmic groove of electric bass and drums to the foreground...
, soul
Soul
A soul in certain spiritual, philosophical, and psychological traditions is the incorporeal essence of a person or living thing or object. Many philosophical and spiritual systems teach that humans have souls, and others teach that all living things and even inanimate objects have souls. The...
, and psychedelia into a high energy rock group.
The Central Texas band built their reputation through consistent high energy live shows in southern states, including opening up the 2009 Austin City Limits Festival. They proved their creativity through a series of comic videos released on their website, and by providing organic cookies at their shows. The band released their debut full-length album in late 2010, entitled "The Bright Light Social Hour".
2008–2010
The album was recorded in five studios around Austin during summer 2010 with producer Danny Reisch, of "Good Danny's", utilizing vintage and modern recording to achieve a sound evocative of 1970s hi-fi.
Momentum built for the band, and in April 2011 they swept the 29th Annual Austin Music Awards during SXSW, the international music festival, with an unprecedented 6 awards, including Band of the Year, Album of the Year and Song of the Year (for their song "Detroit").
The Bright Light Social Hour released "New Year's Live," a 4-track live EP recorded at The Parish Austin on New Year's Eve 2011. Re-teaming with producer/engineer Danny Reisch, "New Year's Live", captures the band's raw live energy, video directed by Hussain Pirani.
The Bright Light Social Hour began their first nationwide tour in support of their debut album and live EP in 2011.
Discography
- Love Like Montopolis (2009)
- The Bright Light Social Hour (2010)
- New Year's Live (2011)
Band members
- Jack O'BrienJack O'BrienJack O'Brien may refer to:*Jack O'Brien *Jack O'Brien , American baseball player*Philadelphia Jack O'Brien , American Boxer, former light heavyweight boxing champion of the world...
– vocals, bass (2005–present) - Curtis Roush – vocals, guitar (2005–present)
- A.J. Vincent – vocals, keyboards (2008–present)
- Joseph Mirasole – drums (2007–present)
Former members
- Ryan O'Donoghue – bass (2005–2008)
- Thomas Choate - drums (2005-2006)
Awards
Transit Lounge described O'Brien and the band as his generation's answer to Led ZeppelinLed Zeppelin
Led Zeppelin were an English rock band, active in the late 1960s and throughout the 1970s. Formed in 1968, they consisted of guitarist Jimmy Page, singer Robert Plant, bassist/keyboardist John Paul Jones, and drummer John Bonham...
.
The Bright Light Social Hour first received a 2010 AMP Austin Music Pundit for their self-titled album "The Bright Light Social Hour" in 2011. They then won six awards during the 2011 South by Southwest
South by Southwest
South by Southwest is an Austin, Texas based company dedicated to planning conferences, trade shows, festivals and other events. Their current roster of annual events include: SXSW Music, SXSW Film, SXSW Interactive, SXSWedu, and SXSWeco and take place every spring in Austin, Texas, United States...
including Band of the Year, Album of the Year, Best Bass Guitar, Best Keyboardist, Best Producer (Danny Reisch) and Song of the Year (for their song "Detroit"). Roush placed second for best guitarist after the world renowned Austin
Austin
Austin is the capital of the U.S. state of Texas.Austin may also refer to:-In the United States:*Austin, Arkansas*Austin, Colorado*Austin, Chicago, Illinois*Austin, Indiana*Austin, Minnesota*Austin, Nevada*Austin, Oregon...
guitarist Eric Johnson
Eric Johnson
Eric Johnson is an American guitarist. Though he is best known for his success in the instrumental rock format, Johnson regularly incorporates jazz, fusion, gospel and country and western music into his recordings...
.
External links
- http://www.ajvincent.com/
- http://www.jacksmoustache.com/
- http://dannyreisch.com/