The Blueflowers

Artist Information

Biography

The husband and wife song writing duo of Tony Hamera and Kate Hinote, began their creative experiment in 2004. Hamera, a veteran of the Detroit music scene as a studio engineer and musician, and Hinote, a neophyte vocalist brimming with raw talent, first appeared together in the short-lived dream pop act, Ether Aura, independently releasing two records between 2005 and 2007. However, It would not be until 2008 that the couple would find their creative centers, as well as the critical pieces which would make up The Blueflowers. After many months of writing, member changes, rehearsals, and live shows, their debut album, Watercolor Ghost Town was released in 2009 - a cinematic mélange of alt-country, gothic Americana, 1960’s psychadelia, and indie pop. Metro Times Detroit had this to say :

"Watercolor Ghost Town is a genuinely beautiful and touching piece of work, from the opening title track to the melancholy "Helpless and Hopeless" album closer. Hinote's voice remains note perfect and goose bump-inducing throughout; the musicianship is finely executed and lovingly arranged."

The Blueflowers released their sophomore effort on March 25th, 2011 entitled In Line With The Broken-Hearted. As with their debut effort, it was independently recorded and produced by the bands guitarist and co-songwriter, Tony Hamera, out of Tempermill Studios in Ferndale, MI.

Elements of Americana, folk, '60s girl-pop and psychedelia can be heard throughout the disc. Hamera cites the vintage sounds of Roy Orbison, the Shangri-La's and the Zombies along with modern groups like Mazzy Star, Neko Case and Nick Cave as influences for the group. "We were going for a dark, moody, yet song-oriented record, utilizing as much analog gear and period instrumentation as possible," says Hamera. "Think Phil Spector meets David Lynch."

Rounding out The Blueflowers maudlin quintet is drummer Jim Faulkner, bassist Erica Stephens and David Johnson on acoustic guitar.

Instrumentation

Kate Hinote - Vocals
Tony Hamera - Electric Guitar
Erica Stephens - Bass
Jim Faulkner - Drums
David Johnson - Acoustic Guitar

Discography

Watercolor Ghost Town (2009)
In Line With The Broken-Hearted (2011)

Links

• Facebook
• Twitter
• Last.fm
• MySpace

Audio

• In Your Shadow
  Listen  
• Fragile
  Listen  
• Watercolor Ghost Town
  Listen  
• Any Three Words
  Listen  
• When It Started
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Video

The_Blueflowers_-_Hole_of_Sorrow_720p.mov

Photo Gallery

Press

• Ether Aura changes to The Blueflowers [+ Show ]
  

  "Detroit-based ambient pop group Ether Aura has changed its name to the Blueflowers. Next month the ..."Detroit-based ambient pop group Ether Aura has changed its name to the Blueflowers. Next month the band will also release a CD under the new moniker, titled "Watercolor Ghost Town."
  
  Ether Aura/Blueflowers frontman Tony Hamera (who is best known for his work as engineer and producer at the famed Tempermill Studios in Ferndale) says the reason for the name change is because Ether Aura had gone through some lineup changes over the past year that influenced the band's sound and recording process.
  
  "Three-fifths of the band is new, so we became a totally different band since we released our second album two years ago," says Hamera. Visit the Blueflowers' new MySpace page for more info on the CD and upcoming shows."

• Local bands celebrate new sounds, new CDs [+ Show ]
  

  Spring has sprung and along with the change in seasons comes a batch of new local music to celebrate...Spring has sprung and along with the change in seasons comes a batch of new local music to celebrate:
  
  • The Blueflowers: "In Line with the Broken-Hearted" is the title of the band's second disc, with a CD-release party planned for Friday at the Loving Touch in Ferndale.
  
  Elements of Americana, folk, '60s girl-pop and psychedelia can be heard throughout the disc. Guitarist-songwriter Tony Hamera cites the vintage sounds of Roy Orbison, the Shangri-La's and the Zombies along with modern stuff like Mazzy Star, Opal and Nick Cave as influences for the group.
  
  "We were going for a dark, moody, yet song-oriented record, utilizing as much analog gear and period instrumentation as possible," says Hamera. "Think Phil Spector meets David Lynch."
  
  Led by the songwriting duo of Hamera and Kate Hinote (vocals), the group also features Erica Stephens on bass, Dave Johnson on acoustic guitar and Jim Faulkner on drums.
  
  -Rachel May, Metromix editor
  Detroit Free Press
  
  Most of the disc was recorded at the Tempermill in Ferndale, where Hamera works as an engineer, and was mixed and mastered at Hamera's home studio.
  
  The first single, "Fragile," has been getting airplay on "Ann Delisi's Essential Music" program, which airs on WDET-FM (101.9) from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays. A second song, "In Your Shadow," and one unreleased song have been picked up by "The Homes," a Web series created by John Cabrera.

Setlist

We usually play 35 - 45 min sets.

Basic Requirements

Calendar