After playing over 100 self-booked shows in Michigan, I Became the Sky ventured out on a two-week tour of the Midwest. The progressive indie rock band returned to Saginaw to record its long-awaited full-length album, and shortly thereafter the band knew it was time for something new. In June 2009, I Became the Sky moved to Nashville, TN, leaving its hometown of Saginaw, and along with it, leaving behind friends, family, and fans. Guitarist Joseph Bonham explains, "It was time to take the group in a new direction in a bigger city."
The move also meant the band was able to re-unite with its original drummer, Joe Luplow, who had moved to Tennessee a few years earlier. When the band originally formed in 2006, it was made up of Bonham, Luplow, Elissa Lord (piano), Noah Sawatzki (vocals, rhythm guitar) and Jon Kowaleski (bass). After Luplow left the band, Chris Marks took over on drums, and when Kowaleski left, Mike Conley filled his place. This line-up lasted for about two years, but then Sawatzki moved to Portland, OR, which led to Lord taking over on vocals and the addition of T.J. Dowell on rhythm guitar. Dowell didn't make the move to Nashville, so what was a five piece is now a four piece.
Since arriving in Nashville, things have been going well for the band. With their wide range of influences, they feel at home in the music scene there. Bonham says, "We love it here. The music scene is a giant melting pot of genres." The band has also had great success with the release of its new EP that they recorded at Lakehouse Recording Studios in Arrington, TN, and they are already looking forward to recording again. "We hope to finish writing ten new songs for our next full-length album and to record it in the late summer of 2010."
In addition to writing songs for a new album, the band is also working on building its fan base in Nashville. They've played five shows so far and had anywhere from 50 to 100 people at each. Their favorite Nashville venues are The End, 12th and Porter, and The Muse. They also like The Boro in nearby Murfreesboro. However, Bonham adds that they miss the great venues that Mid-Michigan had to offer: "The Hamilton Street Pub was great because of their attention for the things that a show needs, like an amazing sound system and a professional staff. White's Bar was always home for us, and Rubble's, in Mt. Pleasant, was a home away from home."
They do not currently have plans to return to play in Michigan, but they hope to tour after Bonham graduates with a sound engineering degree from the SAE Institute of Technology in September. For more information on I Became the Sky and how to order their EP, visit http://myspace.com/IBecametheSky.
© Gina Myers, 2010