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Interview w/ Local Boston Indies blindspot


Have an interview with a band making some big waves so far this year, local Boston indie collective blindspot. The group just played a sold out EP release show at the Mid East Downstairs that resonated strongly, and exposed their sound to other people in attendance there that weren't familiar with the group but were well aware after the show has concluded. Frontwoman Alexa Economou has a powerful and engaging presence that pulls no punches, and shows that they are a formidable presence in the scene that shouldn't be taken lightly. The group were nice enough to do an interview as we find out more about their beginnings, Alexa's experience studying at Northeastern (Go Huskies!), their experiences recording their EP, and where they see themselves moving forward. Here is the transcript from our interview:

  • Give us your names and roles in the band?

Alexa Economou - Vocals Chris Cormier - Guitar/Keys Austin Ferrante - Drums

  • How did blindspot form and where did you all meet?

Alexa recorded a few acoustic covers with Chris back in high school and he eventually asked her to sing at an open mic. From there, everything spiraled and they began playing frequent gigs with other people as blindspot. They met Austin through playing gigs with other bands and he became a permanent member of the band this past fall.

  • What were some of your influences that helped shape the sound of the band?

Some bands we love that have influenced our sound are U2, The Killers, Kings of Leon, and Paramore. We try to learn as much as we can from the artists that have inspired us so we can in turn inspire other people with what we create.

  • Alexa, how big of a role did studying the music industry at Northeastern (my alma mater) play in your role in the band as general?

A huge one! I had such an amazing experience at Northeastern and learned so much about the industry while meeting so many incredible people. Studying the industry with such great hands-on professors has really helped me to see both sides of the equation when it comes to being in a band - the music side and the business side. The business side is just as important and as much work as the writing, recording, and performing and I am so grateful that I am able to incorporate what I learned at Northeastern into my work with blindspot.

  • How does a usual writing session usually work for you guys, is it ideas being passed back and forth between one another?

We are very collaborative and always give everyone’s idea a try. A song is a compromise so it is important to us to get everyone’s touch on it in some way and work together to find the best sounding final product. Usually, a song for us starts with an instrumental idea or a drum beat and we build melody and lyrics on top of it.

  • What are your thoughts on the Boston music scene in general and the direction it's currently headed?

The Boston music scene is awesome! It is filled with incredibly talented bands that are all so supportive of one another, which is exactly what local bands need. Our fellow musicians are our first fans and help spread the word to others, which is how you begin to gain a following. A lot of people have mixed thoughts about the scene, but people do about any area’s music scene. It is all about what you make of it and how much work you put into it.

  • Let's go behind the shooting of the music video for "Every Time You Close Your Eyes" and what the experience was like and some behind the scenes moments?

Shooting the video for “Every Time You Close Your Eyes” has definitely been one our biggest accomplishments so far in our career. We shot the video with 41st Casanova Productions and it was nothing short of a blast. We chose the song as the lead single for the EP because we feel as if it perfectly depicts who we are as a band and the sound we’re going for, and putting a visual to it was the icing on the cake. The theme for the video is shown throughout with the blindfolds that we wear. The blindfolds are a symbol of the internal struggles holding you back from the person you are meant to be, and eventually the end of the video shows Alexa letting go of the blindfold and filling in that void. The shooting took place over 3 days at 3 different locations, the longest day being 13 hours! The experience brought out so much creativity from all of us and it was so much fun to collaborate and dive into those ideas and make them come to life!

  • Besides music, what do you like to do for fun in your spare time?

We love kicking back and spending time with family and friends whenever we can. Alexa is a big Boston sports fan, Chris produces and records local bands, and Austin enjoys video games.

  • What's coming up next for you guys this year, any more shows or new music to look forward to?

This is our first official EP so all our new and best material is finally being released together! However, we do have some more song ideas in the works that we will be focusing on once all the commotion for this EP calms down a little bit. We have a gig at The House of Blues Foundation Room March 11th, Thunder Road in Somerville March 30th, and O’Briens Pub in Allston April 13th. Other than that, we have a few tours in the works that will take place closer to the summer.

  • Lastly, where do you see yourselves moving forward?

The sky is the limit for us. We really want to take this band as far as it can possibly go. We believe in it with our whole heart and souls and our mission is to reach people through music the same way we have been reached by it. This EP is a huge step for us and we are super excited to see where it can take us! Our goals for the future are to keep writing music and touring new places so as many new people as possible can hear our music and join us on this journey.

Thanks once again to Alexa, Chris, and Austin for being so gracious in taking some time out to do this interview! The band are clearly talented, and are most certainly on a mission to make their presence known to everyone in the New England and definitely yearn to break out of their zone, and take their band nationwide which is what every groups seeks out to do. For more on blindspot, please give them a 'Like' on Facebook at this spot here, follow them on Twitter right here, and check out their official website over here for more in depth info surrounding them, including links to stream their music.

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