Defined Perception
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Defined Perception

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"Defined Perception defies typical definitions"


by ashley wiehle, the southern

CARBONDALE - Just what genre is Defined Perception?
Well, that depends on your perception.
Bassist Josh Beal describes the band's sound as a "fusion of progressive rock, new-grass, Latin, jazz, reggae and techno," but the guys of the Carbondale-based band concede that defining their sound isn't easy.
In fact, they challenge fans and potential fans to come out to Hangar 9 tonight, have a listen and do just that. Defined Perception will be playing at 10 p.m. tonight at Hangar 9 along with local band JoBu.
"Come out to the show and define your own perception," says Steven Kaufman, multi-instrumentalist and band mouthpiece. Kaufman lends his talents to Defined Perception via piano, organ and vocals.
Jesse Payne on guitar, Paul Krajewski on drums and Ryan Beavers on percussion and vocals round out the band that calls Carbondale its home despite the divergent paths that brought band mates to Carbondale Rock City.
However the guys got here, they're grateful it happened.
"I believe I can speak for the band by saying we love it here in Carbondale," Kaufman says. "I mean, the music scene rocks. The entire town is full of college kids dying to have a good time. Also, right to our south we have the most precious thing in Illinois, Shawnee National Forest.
"We also are fortunate enough to have such a productive community radio station, WDBX 91.1. Carbondale is a great town with a good atmosphere. We get smiles everywhere we go."
Four of the band members have had formal music training, and the lone exception is no slouch: Guitarist Payne has been practicing his trade steadily for 14 years.
Defined Perception counts jam bands String Cheese Incident and Phish among its major influences, along with generation-defining acts such as the Grateful Dead, Santana and Pink Floyd. Bands with cult followings such as Bela Fleck and the Flecktones, Weather Report, Particle, Umphery's McGee and Parliament round out the band's shared preference, but really, tastes between members are too various to pinpoint.
"(We listen) to pretty much anything out of the mainstream," Kaufman says. "We don't listen to much 'popular music.' Unless the radio is on 91.1, the radio is not on."
The members of Defined Perception have higher aspirations for the future: They've heard the call of the road and are definitely interested in answering.
"All of us are itchin' to go on the road, see the country and have a blast doing it," Kaufman says.
Still, the band couldn't ask for a more satisfying present.
"As far as the here and now, we'd have to say that the music itself and the crows is what drives us," Kaufman says. "The bigger the crowd, the more intense the show. There is nothing better than seeing people shakedown to what we've worked so hard at."
Tonight's show at Hangar 9 will represent approximately the 50th for a band that started counting its shows only earlier this year: "Do house parties count?" Kaufman jokes. "That'd make the number much higher."
Defined Perception has a lofty goal for its intended audience. The band wants to see only anyone and everyone at its shows.
"If you like music, you will find something you like in our music," Kaufman says. "People who love to dance and laugh and love an amazing crowd full of good people should most definitely come on out."

ashley.wiehle@thesouthern.com
(618) 997-3356 ext. 5807
Defined Perception with JoBu
10 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 28, Hangar 9, 511 S. Illinois Ave., Carbondale; $3 cover; For more information: www.definedperception.com o - The Southern Illinoisian


"Band Wars"

The March 1st Band Wars round II resulted in a victory for

Defined Perception

whose jammed-out art rock brought them the victory over more metal and hardcore oriented competition from relative newcomers Devils Jackpot as well as more established groups Cataclysm and Right Hand Man. - Nightlife Entertainment Guide


"Rockfest 2006: Benifit for Camp Little Giant"

By Veronica Hilbring
Issue date: 10/12/06 Section: Events
A little bit of help can go a long way.
The first Rockfest to benefit Camp Little Giant is Sunday with local bands and businesses sponsoring the fundraiser to help raise money for camp scholarships.
As one of the first programs at the Touch of Nature Environmental Center at SIUC to serve people with disabilities, Camp Little Giant has provided summer camps for the disabled since 1952.
The idea for the benefit is the brainchild of activity coordinator Nathan Hopkins and co-director Nicholas Williams.
"It's raising money to provide lower income disabled children and adult campers who might not initially be able to afford the expenses and tuition to go to camp, to actually have the opportunity to go to camp," Hopkins said.
The proceeds will develop scholarships for those campers in financial need.
Hopkins said the benefit was originally going to be held on the steps of Shryock Auditorium, but the event got so big they had to find a different venue, and Hangar 9 was the obvious choice.
Hopkins said all admission proceeds are going to the camp. Some of the bands performing have even offered to sell merchandise and donate some of the profits.
The camps range from six to 12 days during the summer, and participants vary in ages from eight to 80. The camps serve individuals from a variety of special needs including cerebral palsy, attention deficit disorder and multiple sclerosis.
"We pretty much do any activity that any camp that serves the regular population does, only we serve individuals with disabilities," said Vicki Lang-Mendenhall, the camp's Therapeutic Recreation Specialist.
The campers are housed in old army barracks about six miles from campus, and they participate in programs like arts and crafts, hiking and aquatics. The cost of the program varies depending on the disability, the amount of supervision required and the amount of time spent at the camp.
The owner of Hangar 9, Sally Carter, said she hosts about six benefit concerts every year and is happy to host the various fundraisers.
Rockfest has nine bands performing, including Defined Perception.
Jesse Payne, the guitarist of Defined Perception, says his band has participated in other benefits and loves to help out a good cause.
"This benefit is especially close to us because everyone in our band does a lot of camping, and we know how much good it can do for everyone," he said.
The benefit will bring an eclectic variety of bands together for a good cause.
The local band Exhusband combines a variety of genres to create rock they describe as high-energy. JoBu consists of four students from SIUC who blend rock, reggae and funk for a distinct musical style.
The recently formed Mathien is also performing at the benefit show. After recruiting a group of students from SIUC's Music Department, Chris Mathien formed the band and began performing locally. Mathien is known for its originality in fusing influences of reggae, soul and hip

- SIU Daily Egyptian


Discography

"Open Your Eyes" 2007 (Payne, Kaufman, Beal, Krajewski)
Identify 6:42
Villanuevo 9:47
Right 7:55
Autumn 7:08
Hodge Podge 11:02
Molecule 6:55
In Between 7:00
Switch 13:05

Photos

Bio

With the release of their debut album �OPEN YOUR EYES� and an extensive and nomadic touring schedule throughout 2007, progressive jam quartet Defined Perception has become one of the most anticipated acts to hit the Midwest music scene. Over the course of the past three years, fans in hometown Carbondale, IL have been dancing the night away at crowded performances in local venues such as The Hangar 9 and Booby's Beer Garden.

On the road, DP (Defined Perception) has been putting down the miles, performing at this years' Wakarusa Music Festival as well as traveling all over Illinois and to other Midwestern states such as Missouri, Iowa, Wisconsin, and Arkansas. DP has shared bills with nationally known acts such as Vince Herman of Leftover Salmon, Billy Nershi of String Cheese Incident, and Otiel and the Peacemakers, as well as awesome regional touring groups The Station, Cornmeal, Madahoochi, 56 Hope Road, Groovatron, Euforquestra and Backyard Tirefire.

DP has also performed at nine festivals at the largest music venue in Southern Illinois, The Shawnee Natural Amphitheater. During the summer of 2006 DP headlined the weekend performing Pink Floyd's entire album Animals before playing a full set of originals. This past fall the guys did it again, playing an hour and a half of Floyd material before playing their own set. Both shows were set to a spectacular display of lasers and intelligent lights. Before many of the Cave events DP was invited to play live acoustic sets in the studio of WDBX 91.1 FM to promote the festival.

The quartet draws from a variety of genres such as rock, funk, newgrass, reggae, Latin, techno, and jazz to create their fusion of music. Along with their extremely well written and complex original material, DP uses the diversity of its member's individual styles to explode into a frenzy of improvisational grooves comprised of screaming guitar solos, raging organ, pianos and synths, block rockin' beats and funk/punk driven bass.

During live performances the DP works familiar melodies from classic hit songs and film into their own jams and originals. They have been known to perform cover songs sometimes as medleys, finding common themes between different tunes and creating a symphony out of barroom hits. The band owns their own P.A., sound reinforcement, and semi-professional lighting. The group regularly plays four-hour triple set shows.

Below is DP's past show listing for the 2007 season.

2007 Show Dates

05 Jan 2007, Pop�s Blue Moon, St. Louis, Missouri
06 Jan 2007, Hangar 9, Carbondale, Illinois
12 Jan 2007, Illinois Brewing Company, Bloomington, Illinois
13 Jan 2007, Big Muddy Pub, Alton, Illinois
19 Jan 2007, Rude Dog Pub, Cape Girardeau, Missouri
24 Jan 2007, Venice Caf�, St. Louis, Missouri
25 Jan 2007, Tres Hombres, Carbondale, Illinois
26 Jan 2007, Buckner Brewery, Cape Girardeau, Missouri
27 Jan 2007, 10 Mile House, Affton, Missouri
31 Jan 2007, Hangar 9, Carbondale, Illinois
16 Feb 2007, 10 Mile House, Affton, Missouri
22 Feb 2007, Hangar 9, Carbondale, Illinois
23 Feb 2007, Private Party, Carbondale, Illinois
2 Mar 2007, Capital City Bar & Grill, Springfield, Illinois
16 Mar 2007, Hangar 9, Carbondale, Illinois
24 Mar 2007, Rude Dog Pub, Cape Girardeau, Missouri
06 Apr 2007, Off Broadway, St. Louis, Missouri
07 Apr 2007, Buckner Brewery, Cape Girardeau, Missouri
20 Apr 2007, Cavefest 7 Music Festival, Murphysboro, Illinois
27 Apr 2007, EarthTones Music Festival, Eureka Springs, Arkansas
03 May 2007, Wise Fools Pub, Chicago, Illinois
05 May 2007, Bent River Brewery, Moline, Illinois
10 May 2007, Hangar 9, Carbondale, Illinois
19 May 2007, Broussard's, Cape Girardeau, Missouri
24 May 2007, Iowa City Yacht Club, Iowa City, Iowa
25 May 2007, Effit Music Festival, Black River Falls, Wisconsin
26 May 2007, Martyr's, Chicago, Illinois
02 Jun 2007, Booby's Beer Garden, Carbondale, Illinois
07 Jun 2007, Wakarusa Music Festival, Lawrence, Kansas
15 Jun 2007, Buckner Brewery, Cape Girardeau, Missouri
16 Jun 2007, Big Muddy Pub, Alton, Illinois
22 Jun 2007, Summer Solstice Cave Music Festival, Shawnee Natural
Amphitheater, Murphysboro, Illinois
29 Jun 2007, Grizzly Bear, St. Louis, Missouri
06 Jul 2007, Booby's Beer Garden, Carbondale, Illinois
20 Jul 2007, Francine's Gardens,
Cape Girardeau, Missouri
21 Jul 2007, Francine's Gardens,
Cape Girardeau, Missouri
27 Jul 2007, Hangar 9 - WDBX Benefit, Carbondale, Illinois
28 Jul 2007, Shirestock, Carbondale, Illinois
10 Aug 2007, Mojo's, Columbia, Missouri
11 Aug 2007, Big Muddy Pub, Alton, Illinois
17 Aug 2007, IBC - Illinois Brewing Company, Bloomington, Illinois
24 Aug 2007, Booby's Beer Garden, Carbondale, Illinois
31 Aug 2007, Party at the Cave Festival, Murphysboro, Illinois
14 Sep 2007, Broussard's, Cape Girardeau, Missouri
15 Sep 2007, Hangar 9, Carbondale, Illinois
28 Sep 2007, Booby's Beer Garden, Carbondale, Illinois
05 Oct