Music
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Among the various influences cited by this Phoenix-based band on its MySpace page, the band describes its sound by telling a story of various alt-rock musicians meeting in a dive bar as they drown their sorrows to Pearl Jam. The Seattle band is indeed the most obvious of all names mentioned, as vocalist Nick Mulholland's voice bears a passing resemblance to that of Eddie Vedder. That's not to say that he is an imitator, for Highwire Fiction does attempt to incorporate other elements in its sound, even if they try a bit too hard. For instance, in "Eugene," they emulate The Rolling Stones' "Sympathy for the Devil" a bit too closely via its bass line, background vocals and guitar solo, and on "The Friends Song," they ultimately come out like a grungy Bon Jovi. What one feels when listening to In a Crowded Room is that these musicians are trying to find a sound of their own. The CD's mix is a mystery in itself — did they choose that muddy, compressed sound, or was that caused by their studio's limitations? Highwire Fiction are obviously talented, but they lack the focus that comes from experience — according to a Good Morning Arizona interview posted on YouTube, they have only been playing together for less than a year. Still, there are quite a few enjoyable moments here, such as the folkie-tinged "Gone," which allows guitarist Jake Cunningham to show his fine chops, and the rock ballad "Cricket Kingdom," which is arguably the disc's most concise tune. - Phoenix New Times
Discography
EP's - In a Crowded Room
Divide, Pump it Up, Dangerous Being
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Bio
Any good work of fiction includes enough truth to be believable.
Highwire Fiction, based in Phoenix, AZ, calls upon more than the classic rock 'n roll formula to portray the life experiences of its members. While often compared to piano rockers the Fray and Coldplay, the band differentiates itself with raspy vocals and methodical melodies set against hard-driving, groove-laden drumbeats and bass rifts. While the subject matter of Highwire Fiction’s songs varies in both tone and urgency, the storylines explore everything from heartbreak to hangovers to time travel. Major influences cited by the band include Kool and the Gang, Lynyrd Skynyrd, the Beatles, Jeff Buckley, specials on Miller Lite, and heartless ex-girlfriends.
Building on their success from a series of live performances at Sugar Daddy's Bar and Grill in Scottsdale, Highwire Fiction sought to substantiate their local presence and capitalize on the overwhelming response. By continuing to hone their live act at some of the most popular venues in Scottsdale and Tempe, a following emerged, eager to hear more. Aside from being featured in Tempe's GetOut! magazine in February of 2007, the band has headlined Martini Ranch's SLAM (Support Local Artists and Music), and was selected from hundreds of local bands to share a bill with national touring act the Samples at Last Exit in Tempe. They have recently started playing gigs in California at such places as the reknown Viper Room.
In April of 2008 Highwire Fiction qualified out of 300 bands for the Live Indie Rock Wars in Lake Las Vegas. Although they did not win the event, ex-Twisted Sister drummer AJ Pero, remarked their performance was "Powerful".
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