Antennas Up
Encyclopedia
Antennas Up is a rock band
from Kansas City, Missouri
. Their music has been described as a "blatant and jolly appropriation of funk, disco, rap, synth pop and goofiness without apology."
Since forming in 2008, the four-some of self-proclaimed nerds has performed alongside national acts such as Girl Talk
, Electric Six
, The Gay Blades, Ha Ha Tonka
, Tommy and the High Pilots, Via Audio
, and Cloud Cult
.
Their independent, self-titled album, which was released in 2009, was reviewed as:
Three songs from the album ("Don't Wait Up," "On the Line" and "PSA") are featured on the game Tap Tap Revenge 3
.
In 2010, Antennas Up was selected to perform in an official showcase at SXSW in Austin, Texas
. Later that year, The Boston Phoenix chose Antennas Up as the "Best New Band in Missouri."
In 2011, "Don't Wait Up" was featured in the independent film Falling Overnight
. Additionally, the band's new single "December" was featured in a video for The Buckle (clothing retailer)'s fall 2011 women's clothing line.
Later that year, the band was chosen to perform in KRBZ
's The Night the Buzz Stole Christmas show alongside Company of Thieves (band)
, Matt & Kim, and Flogging Molly
.
2012: Anticipated release in Spring
Rock Band
Rock Band is a music video game developed by Harmonix Music Systems, published by MTV Games and Electronic Arts. It is the first title in the Rock Band series. The PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 versions were released in the United States on November 20, 2007, while the PlayStation 2 version was...
from Kansas City, Missouri
Kansas City, Missouri
Kansas City, Missouri is the largest city in the U.S. state of Missouri and is the anchor city of the Kansas City Metropolitan Area, the second largest metropolitan area in Missouri. It encompasses in parts of Jackson, Clay, Cass, and Platte counties...
. Their music has been described as a "blatant and jolly appropriation of funk, disco, rap, synth pop and goofiness without apology."
Since forming in 2008, the four-some of self-proclaimed nerds has performed alongside national acts such as Girl Talk
Girl Talk (musician)
Gregg Michael Gillis , better known by his stage name Girl Talk, is an American musician specializing in mashups and digital sampling. Gillis has released five LPs on the record label Illegal Art and EPs on 333 and 12 Apostles....
, Electric Six
Electric Six
Electric Six is a six-piece metro Detroit-based band that plays what has been described as a brand of rock music infused with elements of "garage, disco, punk, new wave, and metal." The band met recognition in 2003 with the singles "Danger! High Voltage" and "Gay Bar", and subsequently recorded...
, The Gay Blades, Ha Ha Tonka
Ha Ha Tonka
Ha Ha Tonka is a band originally formed in Springfield, Missouri and currently signed to Bloodshot Records out of Chicago, Illinois. Named after Ha Ha Tonka state park in southern Missouri, their music is steeped in Ozark folk, bringing the passion, spirituality, hardships, and roots of the people...
, Tommy and the High Pilots, Via Audio
Via Audio
Via Audio is an American indie pop band from Brooklyn, New York. Their first full-length album Say Something, was released in 2007 by Sidecho Records, to glowing reviews from prominent independent music publications such as Pitchfork Media, Alternative Press, Spin Magazine, & Tiny Mix Tapes...
, and Cloud Cult
Cloud Cult
Cloud Cult is an experimental indie rock band from Minneapolis, Minnesota led by singer/songwriter Craig Minowa. The name originated from the ancient prophecies of indigenous North Americans.-History:...
.
Their independent, self-titled album, which was released in 2009, was reviewed as:
A combination of "Yaz-era power pop, hook-filled synth, and skittery guitar with urgent vocals... [It] sounds like the result of cross-pollinating the lyrical prowess and hottt moves of Flight of the ConchordsFlight of the ConchordsFlight of the Conchords are a New Zealand-based comedy duo composed of Bret McKenzie and Jemaine Clement. The duo's comedy and music became the basis of a BBC radio series and then an American television series, which premiered in 2007 on HBO, also called Flight of the Conchords.They were named...
with the pop-electronica of CSS. It's fun, unselfconscious, and hedonistic."
"Good lyrics combined with birth-of-rock-and-roll rhythms reel you in, and before you know it you're in deep....Altogether 'Antennas Up' is a very solid album, blending numerous ideas and influences. Definitely worth checking out, no matter your musical orientation."
Three songs from the album ("Don't Wait Up," "On the Line" and "PSA") are featured on the game Tap Tap Revenge 3
Tap Tap Revenge 3
Tap Tap Revenge 3 was the number 1 application in the App Store within the first 24 hours of its release and stayed there for over 2 weeks.Once released as a free application in the App Store, it rose to the 2nd most downloaded application in the App Store within 24 hours with 300,000 new members...
.
In 2010, Antennas Up was selected to perform in an official showcase at SXSW in Austin, Texas
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...
. Later that year, The Boston Phoenix chose Antennas Up as the "Best New Band in Missouri."
In 2011, "Don't Wait Up" was featured in the independent film Falling Overnight
Falling Overnight
Falling overnight is a 2010 American drama film directed by Conrad Jackson and written by Parker Croft, Aaron Golden, and Conrad Jackson. Falling Overnight stars Parker Croft and Emilia Zoryan-Plot:...
. Additionally, the band's new single "December" was featured in a video for The Buckle (clothing retailer)'s fall 2011 women's clothing line.
Later that year, the band was chosen to perform in KRBZ
KRBZ
KRBZ, FM 96.5 in Kansas City, is an Alternative rock station. The station uses the brand name 96-5 The Buzz. It is the Kansas City market's home for the syndicated program Loveline. The station is owned by Entercom Communications, and is based in Mission, Kansas.-History:KRBZ began broadcasting in...
's The Night the Buzz Stole Christmas show alongside Company of Thieves (band)
Company of Thieves (band)
Company of Thieves is an indie rock group from Chicago, Illinois. Their first release, Ordinary Riches, was released digitally on January 6, 2009, with a physical CD release on February 24, 2009...
, Matt & Kim, and Flogging Molly
Flogging Molly
Flogging Molly is a seven-piece Irish-descendant band from Los Angeles, California, that is currently signed to their own record label, Borstal Beat Records.-Early years:...
.
Members
- Kyle Akers - lead vocals, bass
- Bo McCall - guitar, vocals
- Jonny Universe (Ulasien) - guitar, keys, vocals/vocoderVocoderA vocoder is an analysis/synthesis system, mostly used for speech. In the encoder, the input is passed through a multiband filter, each band is passed through an envelope follower, and the control signals from the envelope followers are communicated to the decoder...
- The Ryantist - drums, vocals
Discography
2009: Self-titled (Plastic Artifice)- Mixed by Allen Farmelo (Downtown Harvest, Department of Good and Evil, Time Farmer, Paul Britten)
- Mastered by Bob Power (Tribe Called Quest, The RootsThe RootsThe Roots is an American hip hop/neo soul band formed in 1987 by Tariq "Black Thought" Trotter and Ahmir "Questlove" Thompson in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. They are famed for beginning with a jazzy, eclectic approach to hip hop which still includes live instrumentals...
, CommonCommonCommon may refer to:* COMMON, the largest association of users of mid-range IBM computers* Common , a British Thoroughbred racehorse* Common , a part of certain Christian liturgy* Commoner, someone does not hold a title of peerage...
, Erykah BaduErykah BaduErica Abi Wright , better known by her stage name Erykah Badu , is an American singer-songwriter, record producer, and actress. Her work includes elements from R&B, hip hop and jazz. She is best known for her role in the rise of the neo soul sub-genre, and for her eccentric, cerebral musical...
, Citizen CopeCitizen CopeClarence Greenwood is an American songwriter and producer. His eclectic mix of blues, laid-back rock, soul, and folk has a large and profoundly dedicated following, built over the past decade of touring due to solid word of mouth....
, De La SoulDe La SoulDe La Soul is an American hip hop trio formed in 1987 on Long Island, New York. The band is best known for their eclectic sampling, quirky lyrics, and their contributions to the evolution of the jazz rap and alternative hip hop subgenres...
)
2012: Anticipated release in Spring