Chase Atlantic pairs aesthetic with musical beauty at sold-out Webster Hall show
via Ali Fitzgerald, @alfitzpics
From the Owly.fm stage at Warped Tour to the infamous Webster Hall in New York City, Chase Atlantic has been a name to remember and an act to keep your eyes on if you’re interested in all in the edgy electronica emo-pop scene. Maybe that’s not the official genre title, but it’s still pretty fitting.
The band themselves preferred the term “nocturnal bliss” when asked and after watching them on the Phases Tour, it’s easy to see why it fits. Chase Atlantic curates music that hits you with a certain feeling of gliding just above the surface of all your problems, creating an at least temporary escape from all of your struggles.
Chase Atlantic says they hope fans remember “really how disconnected they were from the world for that period. We like to create a whole new universe for them to indulge themselves in.” Everything in their show was laced together to give the illusion of a different space from their music to the energy to the lighting and fog. I left in a haze of calm that I found among the cheering crowd.
Creating this energy can only be done if the music lays the proper foundation. Chase Atlantic commented on how they create their music, saying they “start with an instrumental working on the drums and bass and the main chords as well as melodic ideas in Ableton.” Next, follows the instruments on Logic, but in the end “Mitchel will come up with song concepts with us and finesse some sweet lyrics.”
Going from city to city sharing their music isn’t always easy. Chase Atlantic spoke on “the mental strain of tour”. However, fans shouldn't be worried because they were sure to explain: “It’s a lot of work and it’s very stressful at some times. But we are brothers and we are always open to talking to each other about anything we feel.”
It’s not all stress and strain, though. The band noted that “the energy and excitement of playing creates a whole new dynamic to the songs, and the crowd loves getting involved and experiencing these songs for the first time.”
via Ali Fitzgerald, @alfitzpics
Touring with a new album can be nerve-wracking and while the band was a bit anxious, it’s reception doesn’t seem to have been able to go any better. Fans were immediately invested in what they heard and at the live show it was obvious that every member of the audience felt a personal connection to the sound and energy that Chase Atlantic was delivering.
This particular album was different for the band: “We have never sat down in a studio for a month and just worked on one body of work with the intentions of making an album.” They aimed to bring clarity to their sound versus some of their older work. “That’s not to say we don’t still love the older music, I just think it’s a whole new era and a step for us creatively and songwriting wise.”
The show wasn’t just about this album. Instead, the energy was created from just the very aesthetic. It may have been a concert like any other, but the band seemed to take the term ‘show’ very seriously, creating a visual that enhanced and elevated their show and performance. They paired laser lights with a stunning lit stage design. To younger artists who look up to them, the band says: “Focus on other things besides the music such as your visuals and aesthetics.”
Chase Atlantic’s ability to not only provide an alternative and safe reality but to fully understand the importance of this space and strive to make it possible, is what sets them apart as up-and-coming artists. This energy and dedication to pursuing happiness and helping fans to cope with daily struggles of anxiety and depression is how they’ll be successful in the end. Maybe not everyone paid enough attention to the Owly.fm stage at Warped Tour, but I think that Chase Atlantic is kind of a sign that we probably should have.