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About The daily Astorian. (Astoria, Or.) 1961-current | View Entire Issue (March 24, 2016)
‘Spring Sting’ Holiday Friends usher in the season with new EP M Most bands begin recording themselves at home before graduating to proper stu- dios. Holiday Friends did the opposite. After the release of 2014’s “Major Mag- ic,” the upbeat, unabashedly poppy Astoria LQGLHIRXUVRPH¿JXUHGWKH\ZRXOGUHOHDVH a string of singles, and Holiday Friends de- camped to a studio in Portland. “We got a really good sounding record- ing and just sat on it forever,” says guitar- LVWVLQJHUDQGVRQJZULWHU6FRWW)DJHUODQG ³'XULQJWKDWWLPH,ZDVJRLQJIULJJLQ¶VWLU crazy.” Fagerland started recording on his laptop Submitted photo and phone. Despite the pin-hole-sized mi- Astoria indie band Holiday Friends will perform at the Astoria Armory on Thursday, March 31 in honor of their sophomore EP, “SpringSting,” which was released March 16. FURSKRQHV KH ZDV SOHDVDQWO\ VXUSULVHG E\ the results — enough to send them to Kevin WKRVHFRYHUV%UXFH6SULQJVWHHQ¶V³7RXJK process, Holiday Friends are anxious to get 5RELQVRQ D 3RUWODQGEDVHG PXVLFLDQ ZKR er Than The Rest.” Also included along- onstage. produced and mixed “Major Magic.” VLGHWZRRULJLQDOVLV³<RXU/RYH´E\7KH “I just feel like it’s been such a long, ar- 5RELQVRQ RI WKH DFFODLPHG EXW QRZ 2XW¿HOG DQG D UHFHQW KLW -XVWLQ %LHEHU¶V GXRXVMRXUQH\DQGZH¶UH¿QDOO\JHWWLQJWR GHIXQW 9LYD 9RFH OLNHG ZKDW KH KHDUG ³:KDW 'R <RX 0HDQ"´ 7KH UHZRUNLQJV JRRQWKLVORQJRIDWRXU´6FRWWVD\V³,W¶V DQG DGGHG KLV HQJLQHHULQJ ÀRXULVKHV ³+H HDFK WZLQNOLQJ VSDFLRXV EULJKW DQG VRDU just starting to feel more natural. It’s easier PL[HG LW DQG LW ZDV OLNH QLJKW DQG GD\´ ing, glide smoothly into Holiday Friends’ to feel like a part of our lives.” VD\V 6FRWW ³+H PDGH LW VRXQG DZHVRPH´ glossy, arena-sized, synth-pop oeuvre. “I feel like there’s a point, regardless of When the band concurred, Holiday Friends’ 7KHJURXSLVFHOHEUDWLQJWKHUHOHDVHZLWK KRZ VXFFHVVIXO WKH UHFRUG LV JRLQJ WR EH DSSURDFKVKLIWHGDFFRUGLQJO\7KH\ZRXOG a 17-date, West Coast tour that includes ,¶P FRQ¿GHQW LQ VLQJOH VKRZV EHLQJ VXF record themselves. multiple appearances at cessful,” says Jon. In an Astoria hilltop the Treefort Music Fest But it’s about more than generating fans. basement they amassed in Boise, Idaho. Holiday “It just sounds like fun,” says Jon. “I’m more professional equip- )ULHQGV ZLOO SOD\ WKH $V never going to convince myself to spend ment and techniques. The toria Armory on March WKUHHRUIRXUZHHNVGULYLQJDURXQGWKHVWDWHV Submitted photo KRXVH EHORQJV WR 6FRWW¶V 31. It’s a date they have and stopping at clubs if I’m not in a band.” In concert brother Jon Fagerland circled. Once they return, it’s back to the base- Holiday Friends’ sophomore EP “SpringSting” is an album full of ‘80s pop-rock throwback sounds. — the band’s jack-of- ³$VWRULD GH¿QLWHO\ ment. with Los Angeles indie-pop band all-trades utility player. IHHOVOLNHRXUKRPHWRZQ´ TUFT There, Holiday Friends 6FRWW VD\V ³$OO RI RXU 8 p.m. Thursday, March 31 recored the majority of the friends are here ... It feels Astoria Armory MXVWUHOHDVHG ³6SULQJ6W like the majority of our LQJ´ (3 ,WV ¿GHOLW\ LV HY fans are in Portland. But 1636 Exchange St., Astoria ery bit as crisp, sparkling this is our home.” 21+ after 10 p.m. and robust as the profes- “There is an incredible holidayfriendsmusic.com sionally recorded “Major sense of community in this Magic.” WRZQDQGLW¶VKDUGWR¿QG ³7KH µ6SULQJ6WLQJ¶ other places,” says bassist (3ZDVDGLUHFWUHVXOWRIDQREVHVVLRQZLWK Zack O’Connor. WKH¶V´6FRWWVD\V³7KDW¶VZK\WKHUHDUH ³,Q$VWRULD,FRQVLGHUDQ\RQHZKRPLJKW songs that sound like the ’80s, and that’s EHDIDQDIULHQG´6FRWWDGGV VISUAL ARTS • LITERATURE • THEATER • MUSIC & MORE ZK\WKHUHDUH¶VFRYHUV´ A year-and-half since releasing “Major 7KH³6SULQJ6WLQJ´WLWOHSOD\VRQRQHRI Magic” and reinventing their recording Story by ANDREW TONRY Hear Holiday Friends the arts March 24, 2016 | coastweekend.com | 9
