Biography
With a sound that walks the line between today's singer-songwriters and painful, emotional rock like Ryan Adams, The Micah Walk Band is poised to make a run to the top of Chicago's music scene. Having first planted his roots in weekly open-mic nights and solo shows, Micah has managed to grow a respect and admiration within the city's vast underground songwriter circles. With guitarist John Cardoni, drummer Darin Holthaus and bassist Dan Hartman, the band have established themselves as a credible member in the music scene. Their most notable show so far being at Martyrs opening for Blue Rodeo (one of Canada's most popular and successful country-rock bands).
The band's approach to music is subtly hinted at in their own name: simple and to the point. Nostalgic songwriting that brings about feelings of home and family, love and relationships, and those hard-learned mistakes is the first attraction to Micah Walk. Each song tends to float in your head after you first hear it, creating the sense that the song has always been there. Walk's personal epitaphs are voiced with passionate authority and artfully supported by the other band members' playing. All former college roommates, Cardoni, Holthaus and Hartman have a keen awareness of each other that helps elevate the intensity and excitement of every performance.
Since forming in 2005, the band has developed a growing sense of knowing how to say the most by playing the least. That of itself is a philosophy that has always stood the test of time, if done right. It's a never-ending goal, both personal and within the group. The Micah Walk Band isn't striving to be progressive; they would prefer to concentrate of how to play something, rather than what to play. This outlook on music is evident throughout their recently self-recorded and self-produced album, Bright Side Fantasy, which was independently released in July 2008. The Alt. Country tendencies in the songwriting marked an obvious departure from the pop/rock style that characterized most of their debut album, Change (2006).
In March 2009, the group recorded a live 7-track EP titled Goodbye Austin in Matt Talbott's studio (of HUM fame). It features alternate versions of songs that originally appeared on their first two albums. A new full-length album should be done toward the end of this year.
Bright Side Fantasy was chosen among thousands of independent releases as a CDBaby.com Editor's Top Pick in 2008 and considered one of Chicago's best in 2008 by Richard Milne of WXRT.
Micah Walk has been recognized by fans in his hometown who voted him Best Singer in 2007 and Best Musician in 2006 in the Illinois Time's annual "Best of Springfield" awards.
booking@micahwalk.com
309.532.0871 (John)
217.691.0481 (Micah)
Instrumentation
Micah Walk
[vocals, acoustic guitars]
John Cardoni
[guitars, vocals]
Dan Hartman
[bass]
Darin Holthaus
[drums, vocals]
Discography
Goodbye Austin (2009 - 7 track EP)
Bright Side Fantasy (2008)
*CDBaby.com Editor's TOP PICK*
Change (2006)
"a funky feel and great grooves that emphasize the lyrics, supporting and carrying them."
- Tom Irwin
(Illinois Times, July 2006)
Awake (2004 - Solo EP)
Links
| http://www.myspace.com/micahwalk |