Cruel Young Heart

Cruel Young Heart possess anything but. Recently when the Langley pop rock trio discovered their practice space had been double booked, they gave it up to another performer who required it for a singing lesson.

It's that attitude - or lack of it - that's brought Mark Armstrong, James Blackmon, and James' brother Andrew to where they are now.

Though only together for a year and a half, Cruel Young Heart found itself a part of Peak FM's West Coast Pop concert series tour in February. Now they're coming home, specifically to Langley City's the Venue (Langley Vineyard), for an all ages show, with Bend Sinister and The Kodiak Nightlife on April 9.

The band plays live upbeat, dance-y, pop rock along the lines of Metric and the Killers with loop-based computer backing tracks, lead singer James said.

"It's pop rock with heart," he added.

Twenty-six-year-old James sings and also plays synthesizer. Armstrong, 21, plays lead guitar and synthesizer and provides backing vocals. Andrew, 24, drives the beat on drums and runs the band's "nerve centre" - the backing tracks and light show.

The guys hope to bring their arena-sized rock stage presence to the Venue's intimate performing space.

"It's about bringing that big experience," James said. "With larger stage shows like U2 or Coldplay you have hundreds of people doing lighting and sound and ground crew and pyrotechnics. We're going to bring that to a smaller show. We're going to bring out a few things that you wouldn't expect from a band that's only been around for a year and a half," he said.

"It's going to be a roller-coaster," he added.

The trio said they'll be mixing and mingling with the crowd and throwing in some things they learned from playing a Luvngrace-Redworld fashion show in Vancouver.

"It's making sure people are involved. It's not like you're going to watch Norah Jones play piano," Willoughby raised Armstrong said.

They're excited about the upcoming concert - calling it a mini-homecoming.

"We're going to show [Langley] what we're all about," noted James, who grew up with his brother in Murrayville. "People will recognize us from our previous bands. We've all been involved in Langley."

A shared love of four-on-the-floor dance beats brought the trio together after several years of playing in different groups.

"A lot of our ability to hit the ground running comes from our experiences... it was a lot of time figuring things out in the early stages so we could get to points where we'd be more professional-minded," Andrew said.

"Having no guarantee that it's going to work is one of the most difficult things as well, but also it's going to drive you," James said. "I'd rather be a poor musician than a rich businessman."

"This is our profession. This is our passion. But this is also our job. We're willing to treat our passion like our job as well. That means being willing to put in eight hours of your day into your passion and into your band," he said.

In September 2010 the band released a four song EP and played to 50 people in the upper room of the Langley Vineyard venue.

"We nailed it," James said about the live performance.

The buzz created from the show locked them into the Peak's concert tour and back into the Venue - this time on the main stage.

Armstrong said once people see them live they want to see them again and again.

Andrew said the Langley show would leap-frog them towards their next concert in Kelowna on April 22.

And after that, who knows.

"The sky's the limit," he said.



Read more: http://www.langleyadvance.com/entertainment/PHOTOS+AUDIO+Hometown+boys+rock+ages+show/4542320/story.html#ixzz1e68WQErJ - Langley Advance

Second to grace the stage was electric rock band, Cruel Young Heart. This band sounds similar to 30 Seconds to Mars and Angels and Airwaves. The futuristic sounds from the band lingered into the audience’s ears as members tapped their toes to the catchy chorus. They had matching suits and colour coordinated with black white and red. I couldn’t help but reminisce about the White Stripes. Additionally, the bands song “Nighttime Glow” has the potential to become a radio hit. Cruel Young Hearts closed their set with fog, starry lights, choreographed dances and friends jumping on stage. The band left the crowd in a high and was the perfect introduction to the final act of the night. - The Runner

Oct. 30, 2011. Joseph Richard nightclub, Vancouver -- Electronic pop band Cruel Young Heart open the show at Joseph Richard for the official Judas Priest afterparty featuring Lady Starlight. Left to right: Mark Armstrong, Quin Jenkinson, James Blackmon.

They’re a young Vancouver electronic pop boy-band. Though they certainly wouldn’t ordinarily fit in to an official Judas Priest afterparty with their bubbly, hook-heavy synth music, they were in their element Sunday; Judas Priest fans, who might have disagreed with Cruel Young Heart’s bright, non-threatening pop, were largely absent from the proceedings. Singer James Blackmon, drumer Andrew Blackmon, lead guitarist Mark Armstrong and session bassist Quin Jenkinson played their upbeat songs about heartache and partying with cheek and charm. The carefree energy with which the catchy music broaches matters of the heart evokes a male-led Dragonette or a young, unpolished version of The Killers. With a little guidance from a major label executive, the band could be immensely marketable. Practice and maturity will bring a depth to the lyrics and a professionalism to Cruel Young Heart’s performance that is currently missing. - The Province