Alternative Hard Rock band Gemini Syndrome kicked off their fall headlining tour on September 24th in Sanford Florida with Exotype and 9Electric as supporting acts. Exotype, who hail from Orlando, opened the show to a supportive local crowd who enthusiastically sang along to songs ‘Wide Awake’ and ‘Relentless’. Singer Steven McCory had the crowd involved from the start of their set by encouraging the crowd full of fans in Exotype shirts to sing and mosh to the music. Exotype who is out supporting their self titled album released in October of 2014 are a band on the rise and one to check out if you can.
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Next up was 9Electric. The self-proclaimed Electronic Hard Rock band hailing from Los Angeles opened with ‘Time Bomb’ and had the crowd jumping and singing until their closing song a spot on cover of the AC/DC classic ‘Dirty Deeds’. The band features Ron Underwood on vocals, Mikey Lopez on Guitar, Casey DC on Bass and Micah Electric on drums. Singer Ron Underwood kept the high energy pace of the music going by jumping around the stage, going out in the crowd and encouraging fans to sing and dance along to the high energy rock music. Looking like a throwback to some of the metal bands of the 80’s 9Electric is out in support of their current album Control and are a band I will be definitely hoping to see in the future.
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Gemini Syndrome closed the night to a full house of fans who were thrilled to see them back in Florida. From the moment Drummer Brian Steele Medina came out on stage and did his entrance to his drum kit, the fans were cheering. Singer Aaron Nordstrom had the crowd singing along to songs from the current album Lux as well as introducing several new songs form the upcoming second album including recently released single ‘Eternity”. Bassist AP Paveri and guitarists Christopher Babbitt and John Sulkowski Rounded out the band which is now back to a 5 piece after the departure of guitarist Mike Salerno. According to Nordstrom, the band will be heading back into the studio after the current tour end in Scottsdale, Arizona on October 9th to put the finishing touches on their sophomore release with a hopeful release date of March 2016. Synners everywhere are eagerly awaiting the release and hoping the band comes to a city near them soon. If you have the chance to see them live, they are a band not to be missed and once you see them live you will be converted.
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Now that you’ve seen the pics and enjoyed the show with us, we were able to sit down with Gemini Syndrome and pick their brain about what is yet to come!
Aaron, do you have a release date for the new album yet?
Aaron: Not officially. We are shooting, because its not done yet, we are shooting for March 1st. But it’s gonna be a tight fit to get in it but March 1st is the goal. Early next year for sure. As soon as we are done here, we go into the studio.
Now do you have a favorite song so far?
Aaron: No, I am happy with the whole thing and that we are writing new music and recording new music and they all kind of have their own feel to them kind of like LUX did. Kind of goes along with the manner of what we have always done. As far as having some heavier stuff, having some more melodic stuff.
Now is it Similar/different to Lux?
Aaron: I mean, it’s similar in the sense that its Gemini Syndrome. It’s us doing music, so it’s different because it’s new. We have kinda grown and changed over the years. This will be whatever, wherever we are now.
How do you guys go into writing and figuring out what is actually going to go on the album?
Aaron: As far as writing, everybody has ideas they come up with, and we have ideas that just kind of manifest when we are all together, and whatever has gotta hit us to finish it out. When it comes time to pick, what goes on the album that is the hardest part. It really just comes down to what are our favorite songs
The tour you are on currently in a few smaller venues. Do you prefer the smaller shows or the larger scale more festival type shows?
Aaron: I don’t have a preference. They both have their own unique qualities to them. There is something special about playing to a huge field of people and having all of those people there and that energy. Then there is something about playing smaller venues where you can literally touch all the people. It’s just comparing two completely different things, it’s impossible.
If you could do anything you wanted with the stage show, if you were given a blank check to design it however you wanted to, what would be your dream stage set up?
Aaron: I don’t even know. I would have to take some time to brainstorm. Nothing pops to the top of my head. Play on a space ship or something?
How do you handle criticism or critics?
Aaron: Ruins my day. Totally kidding. I mean there are going to be critics, there are going to be haters. And then there are going to be people who love it. That’s just the way it it. I mean, if you aren’t prepared for that as an artist in any genre then you need to be, because its just part of the game. You gotta know there are going to be people who won’t like you. People who compare it to other stuff, to your other stuff, who say it’s better or worse, at the end of the day I know we try to create the best music we can. We make the music we like as artists and if you don’t like it, that’s tough. I mean that’s the business and I am gonna keep doing what we do.
A few people would love to know, when do you plan on touring overseas?
Aaron: Next year. We have wanted to for a long time. The timing wasn’t right or we didn’t have the release over there. A lot of factors weren’t right. Definitely shooting to get over there next year.
Would you ever do Shiprocked again?
Aaron: Yeah. We were asked to do it this year and we were gonna be in the studio. Well I don’t know, I take that back, if we were asked by shiprocked or requested by a lot of the fans to do it again. But Yes we would love to do that again.
How do you define the success of an album or a tour?
Aaron: I guess ultimately its by the response from the people. The fact that we are still able to do this and they still keep asking us back. People keep talking about us, asking questions, and fans are putting their time and energy into it as much as we are. They like us.
Of course I have to ask. Where did all the ducks end up?
Aaron: At my house. I have an insane collection now. I have hundreds of them. i keep getting more ducks. We gotta come up with something new. (laughing). Its a trip. Some of them became really personal and have really meaningful stories attached to them. Its not just something silly anymore and people really put some love into it so that changed the whole atmosphere of it. It’s just ridiculous at this point how many there are.
