Spring Break
Morning State tours South, sees new cities
SCOTT REID
Issue date: 5/1/07 Section: Variety
Every summer, bands of students pack into vans to travel the country playing to unknown cities and unsure crowds.
This summer, a band comprised of University alumni will uphold the tradition by touring throughout the South.
A 2005 graduate, Russell Ledford, and 2006 graduate Joel Stevens play in Morning State, a band they formed in 2004 with two friends attending college in Atlanta.
"A lot of these towns we are hitting for the first time," Ledford said. "Sometimes we play to no people, and sometimes we play to plenty of people. That's OK, though, because we are building relationships with clubs and promoters."
In between these Southern mini-tours, the band will make a quick jaunt north to play at New York City's famed Knitting Factory.
"Our new management was able to put that together, and it was too good of an opportunity to not do," Ledford said.
While guitarist and vocalist Ledford and bassist Stevens attended the University, two other members of the band, guitarist David Williams and drummer Zach Sharenko, attended school in Atlanta.
"It was definitely an interesting experience and often a bit difficult," Ledford said. "It was way more of a hobby then."
It wasn't until Ledford and Stevens graduated and moved to Atlanta, said Ledford, that "I thought, 'I think we can do this more seriously.'"
Morning State released an EP, "Retreat!!!" in 2006, but has not been able to tour to promote it until now.
Ledford said the reaction to it has been good and serves as a good introduction to the band, but he is looking forward to recording again this summer.
Between playing shows around the Southeast, the band will be recording demos for an album at the Downtown Athens Recording Company studio.
The band is looking forward to playing shows to new crowds in new cities.
"We've only been on the road a bit," said Ledford. "Now people can see what Morning State is really all about."
This summer, a band comprised of University alumni will uphold the tradition by touring throughout the South.
A 2005 graduate, Russell Ledford, and 2006 graduate Joel Stevens play in Morning State, a band they formed in 2004 with two friends attending college in Atlanta.
"A lot of these towns we are hitting for the first time," Ledford said. "Sometimes we play to no people, and sometimes we play to plenty of people. That's OK, though, because we are building relationships with clubs and promoters."
In between these Southern mini-tours, the band will make a quick jaunt north to play at New York City's famed Knitting Factory.
"Our new management was able to put that together, and it was too good of an opportunity to not do," Ledford said.
While guitarist and vocalist Ledford and bassist Stevens attended the University, two other members of the band, guitarist David Williams and drummer Zach Sharenko, attended school in Atlanta.
"It was definitely an interesting experience and often a bit difficult," Ledford said. "It was way more of a hobby then."
It wasn't until Ledford and Stevens graduated and moved to Atlanta, said Ledford, that "I thought, 'I think we can do this more seriously.'"
Morning State released an EP, "Retreat!!!" in 2006, but has not been able to tour to promote it until now.
Ledford said the reaction to it has been good and serves as a good introduction to the band, but he is looking forward to recording again this summer.
Between playing shows around the Southeast, the band will be recording demos for an album at the Downtown Athens Recording Company studio.
The band is looking forward to playing shows to new crowds in new cities.
"We've only been on the road a bit," said Ledford. "Now people can see what Morning State is really all about."
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