I caught up with A Will Away before they took the stage at the Rock & Roll Hotel on Friday, July 21. The band –Matt, Collin, John, and Sean– is currently on tour with Dryjacket and This Wild Life. They are making their way across the country supporting their newest release, Here Again.
A Will Away takes the stage at the Rock & Roll Hotel
If describing their vibe as “cool 80s pop rock on acid” doesn’t give you a sense of the music and the boisterous personalities behind A Will Away, I don’t know what will.
AWA have experienced being up-and-coming musicians in Naugatuck, Connecticut, a city without a first-hand scene, so their advice to those just starting out was pretty simple: Be yourself, play what you want to play, and stick with positive energy. Singer and guitarist Matt stressed that there will always be someone out there that likes what you do, so stick with it.
Here Again showcases their growth, maturity, and confidence from their time as a smaller band. This time, producer Gary Cioffi (Transit, Misser) was the man behind the magic. “Coach Gary,” as the band calls him, transformed the guys and pushed them to make the incredible and cohesive record they released in March.
“He lit a fire under us,” as Collin, guitarist and vocalist for the band, put it.
With the recent loss of Linkin Park’s frontman, Chester Bennington, the conversation turned to the connection between music and mental health. As Matt said, “everyone’s teen angst identifies with Linkin Park in some sense,” so it’s clear how this is difficult news for many people to hear. Many musicians realize that taking negative energy and turning it into something positive has a large impact on listeners, and this is something that is becoming much more common in the music scene. A Will Away pushes listeners to forgive themselves and everybody else around you, and to persevere, “because everybody’s one bad day away from having their whole world crumble around them.”
A Will Away played fan favorites such as “My Sitter,” “Here Again,” and “Crochet” with energy and passion during their Friday set. The impressive vocals, hard-hitting instrumentals, and playful demeanor (including a shoutout to Sean Spicer) made the bands new fans among the audience. The crowd was enthusiastic for the openers, and that excitement continued to grow throughout the night. Afterward, headliners This Wild Life rocked the stage with an incredible set that had everyone singing along.
Fans can expect to see AWA on tour at least one more time this year, as well as audio/visuals for Here Again that will allows fans to “re-experience” the album in a new way.
The Set List will keep you updated on upcoming tour dates and other great shows around DC!