Panic Years
A Virginia Beach band moves to Philly with hopes of making it big.
The Panic Years hope that Philly is their launch pad to the big-time.
Listen to the Panic Years on the Umm...Drop Podcast.
The Panic Years’ Amy Miller and Ed Everett put all their eggs in one basket, and moved to Philly from Virginia Beach, Va., six months ago with the sole intention of restarting their band and (hopefully) making it big. “We wanted to move to a big city with a lot of venues to play, and be close to lots of other cities,” guitarist Miller explains, saying they even picked Philly over Portland, Ore. “We visited here and we liked it. We saw that there was a good music scene, and it was growing. We both gave up pretty much everything we had to pursue the music thing and it’s where all of our efforts are going right now. We’re just crossing our fingers and hoping it works out,”
“I don’t think there’s any intention of staying in Philadelphia just to live,” guitarist Everett says with a laugh, tempering the love a bit.
Just before they left Virginia Beach, Miller and Everett recorded a five-song EP, hiring session musicians to fill in the missing instruments. Upon their arrival in Philadelphia, the duo quickly fleshed out the Panic Years to a full-fledged quintet, adding a bassist, drummer and second guitarist.
The resulting live show still retains the foundation of the EP’s songs—a blend of late-‘90s alt-rock, lurching math-rock rhythms and ‘90s emo à la Mineral and Braid—but incorporating three new musicians has changed the mix somewhat.
“I think there’s a lot more texture to the songs now,” says Miller. “The core of the song is still simplistic, but our live performance is a little more complex.”
A more complex show for you, Philadelphia, the musician destination city.
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1. Jarrod said... on Apr 1, 2009 at 08:06AM
“This band is amazing live... but you guys got the link wrong to their myspace page. It should be: www.myspace.com/panicyears”
2. Ernie from Virginia Beach said... on Apr 1, 2009 at 11:35AM
“Enjoyed the session. Your music continues to get better since you left Virginia Beach. All the best for your continued success.”
3. Hans said... on Apr 1, 2009 at 04:35PM
“I think I caught their first show in Philly after they moved here... they kind of sound like the Silversun Pickups mixed with the Foo Fighters... I can't really peg their sound though. Good stuff.”
4. Sophie said... on Apr 1, 2009 at 05:06PM
“the link to their myspace page doesn't work.”
5. T.B. said... on Apr 1, 2009 at 08:55PM
“Can't wait for Friday's show at the M Room. These guys went big at the North Star a few weeks ago and really delivered.”
6. "Aunt Becky" said... on Apr 2, 2009 at 08:56AM
“You all sound great...wish I could hear you in person ! Come to Sonora, California to play !!! Good luck...keep your eye-on-the-prize !!”
7. Phil said... on Apr 7, 2009 at 08:57AM
“Panic! years at the disco is a soft blend of persnickety people and exceptional cheese. Good stuff.”