So Many Dynamos
is a rock band from Edwardsville, Illinois, USA. Their music is generally classified as indie rock, combining aspects of pop, dance-punk, and math rock. They take their name from a famous palindrome. The band signed a contract with Vagrant Records in late 2008.
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SO MANY DYNAMOS TICKETS
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History
So Many Dynamos was formed in late
2002 when two
St. Louis area groups broke up;
bass guitarist/
vocalist Aaron Stovall and
guitarist Ryan Ballew were members of Children's Audio, while guitarist Ryan Wasoba and
drummer Clayton "Norm" Kunstel were members of Saving Boy Wonder. The four had known each other since 2000, when the two bands began playing shows together. Saving Boy Wonder disbanded in August 2002, and a few months prior, Wasoba joined Children's Audio. On September 22, 2002, Children's Audio broke up. The same evening, Stovall, Ballew and Wasoba decided to start a new
band.
Shortly afterwards, the group began
practicing and
writing, initially with drummer Corey Smale. Smale was soon replaced by Kunstel after a few practices. Aaron Stovall played bass guitar, but began using a
Realistic synthesizer on most songs to play the basslines (to this date
[when?], only three songs by So Many Dynamos have used bass guitar). The band's first performance was at Sally T's in
Saint Peters, Missouri, on January 2, 2003.
The band's first recording, a five-song
EP entitled
Are We Not Drawn Onward to New Era?
, was released by now-defunct St. Louis label Ambivalent Records. The album was recorded by John John on
Pro Tools at Red Light Studios in St. Louis. Like the band's name, the name of the EP is also a
palindrome.
Shortly after recording, So Many Dynamos bought a 1993
Chevy G-Van 20 and went on their first self-booked
tour on the
West Coast of the United States in June 2003. Griffin Kay, who later replaced Ballew in the band, came along on the tour to sell
merchandise. In
Seattle,
Washington, the group met Robbie Skrocki, owner of Skrocki Records, who later released the band's first album. In July 2003, the group toured again, a week-long midwest trek with The Texas Chainsaw Mass Choir from
Columbia, Missouri. Around this time, Stovall began using a second keyboard to play melodies in addition to basslines.
So Many Dynamos recorded their first full-length,
When I Explode
, in February 2004 at Semaphore Studios in
Chicago. The album was written in Stinson's basement during a session called Camp Dynamo, where Stinson was the camp counselor. The album was recorded onto 2" tape by Jeremy Lemos and was mixed on 1/2" tape by former
Dismemberment Plan member Jason Caddell at Inner Ear Studios in
Arlington, Virginia.
When I Explode
was released by Skrocki Records in June 2004, and the band toured the U.S. for six weeks, playing most shows with Houston band
Bring Back the Guns. In August, before a tour with
HORSE the Band, guitarist Ryan Ballew quit the group. Stinson filled in for Ballew on the tour, and former merchandiser Griffin Kay became a permanent guitarist in the group on September 11, 2004.
In summer 2004, Kunstel, Kay and Ballew started a record label, Aim and Fire Records. They released music by
Target Market,
The Happening and Dancing Feet March to War. Around the same time, Kunstel and Wasoba began playing as an instrumental two-piece entitled Chunnel.
During a short tour with HORSE the Band in October 2004, Kay injured his knee in
Columbus, Ohio. This developed into a near-fatal
staphylococcus infection, and Nathan Bernaix of St. Louis band Target Market replaced him for two shows in November.
In February 2005, the band recorded "It's Gonna Rain" for a
split 7" single with Bring Back the Guns. The song was recorded and mixed on 1" tape by Chris Deckard at Radio Penny Studio in St. Louis. The record was planned for immediate release on Aim and Fire Records, but the release was delayed because of insufficient funds. The band spent most of 2005 touring, attempting to play all 48 continental states within the year, but ultimately only playing in 35.
In October 2005, the band toured as backing band for
Emperor X, a solo project of Chad Matheny. This tour also included more dates with Bring Back the Guns, and Matheny released the "So Many Dynamos"/"Bring Back the Guns" split 7" on his Discos Mariscos label in December 2005.
So Many Dynamos began recording their second full-length album,
Flashlights
, with Chris Deckard at Radio Penny in March 2006. The band spent more time in the studio than with
When I Explode
, and consequently was able to experiment wildly with instrumentation; the record utilizes a horn section and a choir, and incorporates instruments such as thumb pianos and toy accordions. This resulted in a more intricate and "live" sounding record, expanding on the band's existing sound and showcasing new influences (
Broken Social Scene,
Steve Reich,
Talking Heads).
In April and May 2006, the band (excluding Aaron Stovall) went on a second tour as backing band for Emperor X. The tour included a few dates with singer/songwriter
John Vanderslice.
Flashlights
was released on CD by Skrocki Records in June 2006, and
Hello Sir Records released the vinyl in early 2007.
Architecture Label released the CD in Australia and New Zealand in June 2007.
Around the initial release of
Flashlights
, the band was recruited by booking agent Skinny Touring, and as a result So Many Dynamos began an extensive tour schedule that put them on the road for over 100 shows between June and November. This included a Midwest and East Coast tour in September with
Harvey Danger. On October 21, outside the Paradox, a Seattle venue, the band fell victim to a robbery; all of the group's guitars were stolen, along with a cell phone and a wallet
[1]. Fortunately, the band had become friends with
Death Cab for Cutie member
Christopher Walla, who lent them guitars to finish the tour.
In early 2007, the members of So Many Dynamos began playing in triumphant instrumental rock band Thor Axe along with guitarist Phil Ring and keyboard player Kyle Work. Shortly afterward, the band finished a tour with HORSE the Band,
Heavy Heavy Low Low,
The Number 12 Looks Like You and
Light This City.
In July 2007, So Many Dynamos began recording the follow-up to
Flashlights
with
Christopher Walla. Sessions took place at the Tiny Telephone Studio in San Francisco, Alberta Court in Portland, and the band's house in Edwardsville, Illinois. The record was mixed by Alex Newport at Metropolitan Sound, Brooklyn, New York, in December 2007. The band recorded another track for the album in February 2008 at Great Western Records Recording in
Champaign, Illinois. This track was mixed by Alex Newport in May 2008. The album is set to be called
The Loud Wars
.
[2]
In late July 2007, a tire blew on the band's van on the highway outside
Lincoln, Nebraska. The van turned over on the highway and was totally wrecked. No other cars were involved, and the band suffered only minor back injuries.
So Many Dynamos has performed at the 2007 CMJ conference in New York and 2008 South By Southwest conference in Austin, as well as performances at festivals such as San Francisco's Noise Pop, Pop Montreal, Athens Georgia's Popfest and The Over The Top Festival in Toronto.
So Many Dynamos released
The Loud Wars
on June 9, 2009.
On August 25, 2009, Ryan Wasoba announced that he was leaving the band. Nathan Bernaix (of St. Louis band Target Market) took his place in the band.
Notable Bands Played With
Category:Articles with sections that need to be turned into prose
2003
The Postal Service,
Cex,
Target Market,
Minus the Bear,
Maritime,
HORSE the Band
2004
Junior Senior,
Blue Velvet,
Emperor X,
Troubled Hubble,
Norma Jean,
Decibully,
Fear Before the March of Flames,
The Octopus Project
2005
The City on Film,
Thunderbirds are Now!,
Murder by Death,
DMBQ,
Oxford Collapse,
Piglet,
Headphones,
Secret Machines,
Foundry Field Recordings,
The Robot Ate Me,
The Show is the Rainbow
2006
Harvey Danger,
Cinemechanica,
The Plot to Blow Up the Eiffel Tower,
Travis Morrison,
Appleseed Cast,
MC Chris,
Supersystem,
Chin Up Chin Up,
Irving,
The Cassettes,
Now It's Overhead,
Parts & Labor,
Ra Ra Riot,
Say Panther
2007
Jumbling Towers,
Ted Leo and the Pharmacists,
Maps & Atlases,
HORSE the Band,
Heavy Heavy Low Low,
Light This City,
Dixie Dies,
Russian Circles,
The Number 12 Looks Like You,
Pattern is Movement,
i against the TOWER,
Asobi Seksu,
VHS or BETA.
2008
The Mountain Goats,
An Albatross,
Tera Melos,
Cursive,
Mahjongg,
Death Cab for Cutie,
Ra Ra Riot,
Calvin Johnson,
Police Teeth,
Heavy Heavy Low Low,
HORSE the Band,
Wrench In The Works
2009
Pattern is Movement,
Maps & Atlases,
Ra Ra Riot
Equipment
Aaron Stovall:
Nord Lead 1, Korg MicroKorg, Ampeg SVT III bass head, Ampeg 8x10 cabinet, and ONLY LP and Toca percussion.
past equipment: Realistic MG-1 synth, Micro Moog, Moog Opus 3, Crate PA Head, Ampeg Sub-Blaster Octave Pedal, DOD Bass Overdrive Pedal, Fender J-Bass, SansAmp pedal
Ryan Wasoba:
Fender Jazz Master, Gibson SG-Z, G&L ASAT Tribute, Casio SK-5 sampling keyboard, Marshall JCM 800, Boss Octave Pedal, Electro Harmonix Big Muff (Russian), Digitech Bass Synth Wah, Boss CS-3, Boss TU-2 tuner, Fender 4x12 Cabinet
past equipment: Squier Supersonic, Electro Harmonix Stereo Memory Man, Digitech Whammy-Wah, Fender Ultimate Chorus, Marshall Mosfet Lead 100
Clayton Kunstel:
Ludwig Classic Maple kick and floor tom w/ 6 1/2"x14" Supraphonic Snare, Zildjian Sweet Ride, 24" Paiste Giant Beat, Ribbon Crasher, modified electronic Roto-Toms, 1985 Simmons SDS-9 hexa-Trigger Pad, Pintech Dual Zone Acoustic Snare Trigger, Pintech pedal trigger, Lots of home made contact mics, Behringer line mixer, Alesis DM-Pro, Alesis Nano Verb, JBL EON 15 Powered Speaker
past equipment: 1962 Slingerland Duco Drum Set, Premier drum set, lots of cracked-ass cymbals
Griffin Kay:
Rickenbacker 330, Fender Telecaster, Sovtek Cudano, Maxon Analog Delay, Electro Harmonix Little Big Muff, Boss Super Shifter, Boss TU-2 tuner, Marshall 2x12
past equipment: Gibson SG, G&L Tribute ASAT Hollowbody, Danelectro French Toast octave distortion, Marshall 4x12
Members
Aaron Stovall -
vocals,
keyboards
Clayton Kunstel (commonly referred to as "Norm") -
drums
Griffin Kay - guitar (since September 2004)
Nathan Bernaix - guitar
Ryan Wasoba - guitar (September 2002-August 2009)
Ryan Ballew - guitar (September 2002-August 2004)
Discography
Name
| Year
| Format
| Label
|
Are We Not Drawn Onward to New Era?
| 2003
| CD-EP
| Ambivalent Records
|
When I Explode
| 2004
| CD
| Skrocki Records
|
So Many Dynamos/Bring Back the Guns split
| 2005
| 7"
| Discos Mariscos
|
Flashlights
| 2006
| CD
| Skrocki Records
|
The Loud Wars
| 2009
| CD
| Vagrant
|
New Bones (single)
| 2009
| 7"
| Vagrant
|
Notes