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music, auTs, kids & pum pesuvai
DouinTouin aniens, ca • uiasHineion STReeT
JUNE 22-26.2011
fou can put us down as anti-war, pro-
V freak. That's my official Defiance, Ohio
I stance." So says the band's drummer/
guitarist/vocalist Will Staler. Since its forma
tion in 2002, Defiance, Ohio has released
four full-length albums under unfalteringly
independent labels like No Idea and Plan-It-X
Records. Moreover, the band puts out music on
its own, making loads of free content avail
able for anyone with access to a computer.
"We encourage people to download our
music for free," says Staler. "(Geoff Hing, gui
tar, vocals] is a computer guy, so he's been
really into applying different software as the
Internet continues to grow and change... The
Internet has changed how people listen to
music and definitely how people buy music so
drastically, even since we've been a band."
As a largely socio-political band, Defiance,
Ohio endeavors to convey meaningful, relevant
ideas through lyrics and actions alike. The
band exults in diversity and individuality, trac
ing its roots back to a desire to separate from
a stale, uniform scene and celebrate people's
differences.
"The whole conception of the band was
this: a bunch of us were living in Columbus,
Ohio, and the only thing that we felt was at
our disposal was hardcore," says Staler. "It
was just one aesthetic and one kind of person
who was into that kind of music. We wanted
to be an alternative to that. And I think that's
why that sentiment of acceptance has per
vaded our whole story arc as a band-all the
songs, all the records."
The band has been labeled folk-punk, and
while the group combines folk instrumentation
with rhythmic rapidity, Defiance, Ohio's sound
can't be adequately described with a label
containing only one hyphen. Four of the five
bandmembers contribute roughly equal num
bers of original songs, adding to the band's
sonic and lyrical diversity.
"The best part about this band is that
it's pretty much entirely collaborative," says
Staler. "We also try and be conscious of that,
because I think that's what makes the band
interesting—it's a blend of so many people's
sensibilities and so many people's thoughts."
Staler counts his anti-war songs among
his favorite and most crucial personal works;
he emphasizes the importance of protest and
awareness, pointing out. that "it's easy to
forget that we're still wrapped up in several
global conflicts. It's become such a normal
state of existence for us, with all this war and
violence going on."
"I think that we live in the most conten
tious age that human beings have ever lived
in," adds Staler. "And you could blame it on a
lot of things—I think it's mostly the way the
media portrays the left and the right—how
people are supposed to think about being a
Democrat or a Republican, a religious person
or a nonreligious person. It's like you can't
simply disagree; you have to disagree and
ridicule the other person or disagree to the
extent that you can't even discuss what it is
that makes you different from one another."
Theo Hilton (the band's other drummer,
guitarist and pianist) works at the Orange
Twin record label/ conservation community,
a compound located in a rural, wooded area
five miles from downtown Athens. With a
newly constructed amphitheatre and a com
prehensive set of unique values, Orange Twin
will host a festival featuring Defiance, Ohio
and Hilton's local band Nana Grizol just before
AthFest begins this month.
"The Orange Twin philosophy is one based
on land stewardship and reverence and respect
for nature and for humankind," says Hilton.
"Our vision is to create a physical community,
here on the land, of people giving each other
space, encouragement and physical help for
artistic endeavors, farming and self-expression
and exploration—and being very present in
sharing this experience."
Hilton's mission statement is a lofty one,
but it certainly seems to be in line with the
values of Defiance, Ohio. While the group
espouses certain socio-political viewpoints, its
members regard those viewpoints as individual
expressions that take a back seat to the com
munal experience of their shows. According to
Staler, the values of acceptance, individuality
and community reign supreme.
"I think that the most important thing
about Defiance, Ohio is that it creates a place
for a lot of kids to come and hang out. It
doesn't matter if you're a weirdo, a queer...
It doesn't matter who you are. We're happy to
have a huge group of people come together
and go crazy for a half-hour. I think that's the
most important thing that we have to offer. I
think that's more important than any message
we could have—that we provide that outlet
for people."
Tickets for the show are available in
advance via www.orangetwin.com. Parking
is available onsite. Full cars get to park for
free. There is a $5 fee for cars with three-four
passengers, $10 if there are two people and
$20 if there is only one person in the car.
Alternatively, there will be free shuttles run
ning from Daily Groceries Co-op (523 Prince
Ave.) to Orange Twin between 5 & 6 p.m. and
back to the Co-op after 11 p.m.
Kevin Craig
FEATURING:
FUTUREBIRDS * CENTRO-MATIC
GUADALCANAL DIARY 30™ anniversary show
JASON ISBELL $ THE 400 UNIT * KEVN KINNEY
NAPPY ROOTS * COL. BRUCE HAMPTON • CZMHJ)®®
plus: OVER 150 BANDS
3 FREE OUTDOOR STAGES ‘ 15 VENUES
FLAGPOLE MUSIC AWARDS
ARTISAN MARKET featuring 45* local t regional artists
Athens Regional
flagpole
TAQUBEU <«l Sg L
^7Charter FwpdMffk
3-NIGHT WRISTBAND
ONLY *15 ADVANCE!
SOME SHOWS WILL BE WRISTBAND ONLY.
AVAILABLE AT SCHOOLKIDS WUXTRY. I OW YO YO STUFF.
ATHENS WELCOME CENTER, CINE S ATHFESTCOM
PROCEEDS OF WRISTBAND SALES BENEFIT ATHFEST, INC
A NON PROFIT ORGANIZATION DEOICATEDTO MUSIC ANO
ARTS EDUCATION
JUNE15.2011-FLAGPOLE.COM 13
Artwork by Jeff Owens
