Destroy Nate Allen
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Destroy Nate Allen

Kansas City, Missouri, United States

Kansas City, Missouri, United States
Duo Rock Punk

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This band has not uploaded any videos
This band has not uploaded any videos

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"Real Life"

“Destroy Nate Allen, a punk-rock husband and wife who made everyone form a circle around them as they danced in the middle, playing a guitar and a tambourine and singing punk-rock songs about loving each other, being uncool, and social justice. It was a very intimate and interactive show." - Real Life - Real Life


"Ledaswan"

“The opening act Destroy Nate Allen played just an acoustic guitar and walked and danced around the whole bar singing with his wife joining in on certain parts. Almost like a musical. Very interesting. They dressed like they were part of a musical as well. Overall it was definitely something you don’t see everyday.” - Ledaswan


"Spokane Inlander"

'It was a singularly odd scene. Last year, in Empyrean's front room, Nate Allen - lone member of DESTROY NATE ALLEN - seemingly unhappy with the stultifying, imperialistic distance the 6-inch stage put between himself and the crowd, stepped down to floor level. Minutes later, visibly annoyed with the way being at the front of the house seemed to prevent the crowd from accessing his hard-strummed acoustic Christian anarcho-punk, he walked out amidst the tables and began yelling and stomping in people's ears *(I didn't stomp in anybody's ear), staring at certain people until they made eye contact. About half the audience was into it. The other half was incredibly put off. No once, I'll wager, forgot the show. - Luke Baumgartner - Spokane Inlander


"East Bay Express"

In a time when there seem to be more indie-folk bands than anything else, Destroy Nate Allen's acoustic musings stand out as authentic without being saccharine. The prolific songwriter (he released five records last year) captures listeners with his effectual lyrics, perfect for the cafe setting. - East Bay Express


"Buzzgrinder"

Lo-fi acoustic sing-a-longs of charm and wit. Nothing too fancy, just enough to separate himself from the countless droves of "singer/songwriter" clones out there. - Buzzgrinder.com


"The Black and White Mag"

The most simple way to describe this record is to call it acoustic folk-rock played in the spirit of punk. For all practical purposes, Awake O'Sleeper is a punk album stripped way down. Nate Allen is the sole musician, save for a great background female vocal on "Don't Walk Away", and his songwriting is at times rivetting ("Ambulance"), redemptive ("Last Call"), and paranoid ("Despite It All"). The 10 songs on this record all seem to resonate with passion and firm belief, and Allen sings and plays like a man near death, wanting to make every second count. The use of basic instrumentation keeps things clean and immediate, leaving you to wonder what direction things might go if Allen got all electric on us. But not to worry, because the organic arrangements are perfect backdrops for Allen's spiritual musings. His ferocious approach to these songs avoids snotty snarls and finger pointing, instead opting to point his finger at himself...and perhaps that is why Awake O'Sleeper rings so true. For those interested in indie cred, Kramer (Danielson Famile) handled the album's mastering. And as a jester of community, in the liner notes of the album, Allen instructs you to "burn & distribute as you see fit." Now, how much more cool can a guy get? - theblackandwhitemag.com


"HM Magazine"

This is one of those "miracle" albums of sorts, that genuinely caught the artist with his guard down, hitting the record button in someone's basement studio in the vampire hours of the morning. Without the aid (or hindrance) of energy to carefully micro-manage the recording process, out comes raw nerves, passion, grit and slightly urgent strumming on the guitar. In other words, he was too tired to hold back or be self-conscious. It's easy to imagine Nate trying to play faster in an effort to finish the song and get to sleep quicker. "Stand By Me" calls out with cracked voice, while "Ambulance" patiently expresses emotions of being "tired of being this wired," and "Take It Easy" almost serves as both a toast and life-sermon – all seeming more believable in the end. Check out either one of these tunes out and you'll have a perfect representation of Nate's musical identity. The 4 bonus live tracks are an accurate testament to his infectious songs, too, as they capture an audience joyfully singing or clapping along – especially during his great and unforgettable older tune, "Don't Walk Away." [Quiver Society] - Doug Van Pelt - hmmag.com


"Emotional Punk"

Optimism seems to be a lost art, something that has been thrown in the gutter in favor of the dark and the depressing. No longer do we hear the cheerful chants proclaiming that tomorrow brings a new beginning. However, folk-punk pioneer Nate Allen and his acoustic guitar have something to say about that. On Allen's new record, "Awake O'Sleeper," he embraces indie-rock and folk-punk in a cheerful, up beat manner. Allen isn't content with wallowing in self-pity, believing always that help is just around the corner, that with the right support one can raise themselves from the ground and make it through.

While Allen's optimism is refreshing, it doesn't seem properly balanced on the album. There are hardly enough songs that set up an environment where optimism is necessary. The world that Allen chronicles seems entirely too at peace, with little conflict to make hearing about it very exciting. But the manner in which he presents it makes up for these problems. He tends to rely on the fast, chaotic chord-progression of punk rock, sounding like The Ramones with an acoustic guitar. His voice also resembles that of someone more comfortable spitting out words at a rapid pace rather than letting the syllables slowly roll off of his tongue. And on the songs that increase the tempo his voice fits right in, but on the slower songs the shortcomings are made evident.

The strongest song on the album is easily "Holiday." It showcases Allen's interesting blend of folk, indie, and punk while retaining the biblical and religious references that are sprinkled throughout the album. But most of all it makes you feel good. It's a snappy, catchy, good natured song about looking toward the future, trying to let go of the past. Lyrically, it's the strongest as well. Allen spins lines like, "if you're looking for some answers/yes, I'll probably disappoint/ and if you think you found salvation/ you probably missed the point" that feel clever and intuitive upon an immediate listen.

The album feels rough, and it adds a nice feel of the underground, like you're really listening to something that is being shaped and perfected, not intended as of yet to be a final sound, but rather an early build of something that Allen is working to perfect. "Awake O'Sleeper" isn't a selfish album that Allen is trying to seduce people into buying, but rather a gift to the people that have supported and listened to his music in the past, announcing that despite the current shortcomings, it is in fact a work in progress.

- emotionapunk.com


Discography

Welcome To The Future - LP
Davey EP - EP
Take It Easy: On The Road With - LP
Awake O' Sleeper - LP
Resolution - EP
Deconstruction/Reconstruction - EP
Live In Portland - EP
Insomniac Folklore/Nate Allen Split - EP
End of The Rope EP

Our 3 full lengths are up for live streaming on our website. We've had multiple songs on independent and college radio.

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Bio

There’s very little that’s typical about folk-punk duo, Destroy Nate Allen. It’s not just their unique blend of folk, punk rock, campfire songs and foot-stomping country jams that set them apart; it’s their live performances—which are unlike any other bands’ out there.
“At this point pretty much every show involves: sing-a-longs, circles, very personal interactions, improv theater moments, marriage counseling, and as much punk rock as we can sweat out,” says guitarist/vocalist NateAllen, who is accompanied by his wife Tessa on tambourine and vocals.
Right at the onset of the show, the audience quickly realizes they are in for something completely unlike the standard, run-of-the-mill, live-band performance. Nate and Tessa position themselves on the floor—even at venues with a stage—and have the audience make a circle around them, instantly shaking the audience awake, requiring their participation as much as the band’s.
“I don’t like the audience/performer barrier and I want to do away with it when at all possible. We are also trying to empower people to feel more joy and (do sillier things) than they would ever dream of doing at a show,” says Nate Allen.
Things only get weirder from there, as Nate and Tessa run back and forth inside the circle, not using microphones or amps, often singing inches away from members of the audience—in some cases going right up to people and touching them. But the goal for Destroy Nate Allen isn’t to make people uncomfortable—it’s to make them happy. Sometimes that means pulling people out of their comfort zone and reminding them what it feels like to be a kid.
“My favorite live shows were always the ones where I walked away feeling like I’d spent my time well. This often meant wearing home a huge smile. So I guess I’m just trying to be like my heroes and show people a VERY good time,” Nate Allen says.
Since Destroy Nate Allen are trailblazers in a category of their own, they are often left doing everything themselves—including booking tours, promotion, recording albums. They do it all!
“I don’t think DNA has ever really been DIY by choice per say. We’ve self-released most all of our music because no one has stepped up to help us out and so I’ve just gone ahead as best I could,” says Nate Allen.
Being so thoroughly independent has afforded them the freedom to grow and change in ways that has preserved their unwavering uniqueness, something they are extremely proud of.
“Being DIY has made us the band we are… being stretched and hungry has made us an intense live show and lead us to constantly reinvent ourselves over the years. Besides the shows, our tours generally consist of hanging out with as many people as possible and trying to recognize teaching moments as they come along. I guess this is what happens when two extroverts get married,” Nate Allen says.

“Quirky and off-beat and crazy fun” -Huffington Post
“One of those you-gotta-see-it-to-believe-it bands that only comes along once in a great while. - Jersey Beat

Band Members