Other Side of Clearview

Who's Making Noise: Other Side of Clearview

Wednesday, May 05, 2010by Charlie Sullivan


What a great act this outfit has become. An animated stage presence, hard-hitting Rock with a Progressive twist and dash of old-school flavorings, stellar musicianship, melodic original compositions, and personable band members who really dig what the group is about. Put it all together and you have Other Side of Clearview. This act has been on my radar for about a year since their freshman release Sweet Release, which is aptly titled. The album is a great listen, but to truly realize this band you have to see them, live. Their music is in your face; you can’t help but get caught up in the energy they’re churning out on stage.

Matt Luizza (guitar, vocals, and what a set of lungs this lad has), Matt Simms (guitar, vocals), Evan Shelton (bass), Corey Smith (keyboards), and Brian Leavitt (drums) have been performing locally since December of 2006, fine-tuning their technical abilities. Their music is masterfully layered with the songs building to crescendos that just sneak up on you, and well-crafted lyrics about life experience, a poetic storytelling: music is what feelings sound like. Matt S, Corey, and Evan are classically trained with Matt L breaking the mold. “We don’t want to get to caught up in everything being so perfect, we want to be able to just cut loose and do our thing,” states Matt L. “We do band retreats which helps us take the job aspect out of what we’re doing.”

They’ll be taking their act on the road this summer performing throughout the Midwest, and for those interested they’ll be hitting the stage at the People’s Fair in June, among other local shows. They’ll also be tracking some pre-production pieces to get their ideas out and getting into the studio later in the summer with the intent of having either an EP or a full CD release some time in the fall. The band is pretty dedicated to the project, so I’d say chances are we’ll be looking at another CD.

“Music, in performance, is a type of sculpture. The air in the performance is sculpted into something.”
– Frank Zappa

MySpace.com/OtherSideofClearview - Colorado Music Buzz Magazine

by KELLY BLECK
The Rocky Mountain Collegian

DESIGN BY NICK MARRANZINO PHOTO MIKE KALUSH | COLLEGIAN

For most bands landing on a name can be a decisive choice, and methods span from flipping through the phonebook to choosing a favorite book.

But for five local talents, the name came as easy as discussing a move across the street to the "other side of Clearview."

Other Side of Clearview is a band of characters: the father figure, the eccentric dancer, the artistic heart-throb, the happy slappin' bassist and the guy who takes stuff too far.

Matt Luizza, Corey Smith, Matt Simms and Evan Shelton live in the Fort Collins area, while Manuel Pacheco usually makes the trip up from Greeley.

But distance can't keep the up-and-coming local band apart, as they try to keep music the main focus in their lives.

Now stamping through the music scene in both Fort Collins and Denver, the band proudly claimed Scene Magazine's Battle of the Bands title in 2007 and second place in Herman's Best New Band in Denver in 2008.

The band will release their debut album, "Sweet Release," at their album release party May 15 at Hodi's Half Note with special guests Vices I Admire, Improv and members of 20XIII.

The formation of a band

Each of the five band members grew up in Colorado Springs. Their connections can be traced back to high school and middle school, and two met as early as kindergarten. But some didn't meet until college.

Luizza and Simms connected first in Edwards Hall their freshman year at CSU, meeting through a mutual friend. The two immediately began gracing the stairwells with acoustic tunes throughout the night.

"The RA would come shuffling out in her slippers and say, 'Guys, you're good, but please stop,'" Luizza said. "There were really good acoustics in the stairway, but apparently it went through the entire dorm."

Realizing their compatibility, the two generated a commercial jingle.

"I think it was for an investment company?" Luizza said with uncertainty. "But that made us realize we needed to do a band again."

And so the two began creating music for approximately six years before the creation of Other Side, which flourished with the recruitment of mutual friends in 2007.

"We were picky about who we brought in," Luizza said. "We don't want this to be a hobby band. We want to take this as far as we can."Simms brought in bassist Shelton, followed by keyboardist Smith and later, after replacing another drummer, Pacheco.

"We're completely different people; there's never a dull moment," Luizza said.

Shelton echoed a sarcastic sentiment, saying, "We're like a boy band."

Each member listens to a different genre of music, creating a unique blend that Smith classified as modern alternative classic rock.

"We write our parts and Matt (Luizza) writes the lyrics," Shelton said. "We make some tasty grooves man."

They like to bring the energy

Proudly flaunting their newly founded group, Other Side graced the alley of Chipper's Lanes for the first time in 2007 where they blew the sound system out.

"We had to go a capella for about five minutes as they figured it out," Luizza said. "We had about 35 to 40 minutes of material only. People were bowling around us, and Evan and Corey had never played a live show, ever."

From that point on, however, Other Side has moved up to play the American Motocross Association's Nationals at Thunder Valley Motocross Park in Lakewood, a NASA convention and many local venues.

"We try to get in front of diverse crowds, and they've been really receptive," Luizza said.

Summer Alameel, the group's manager, emphasized seeing Other Side live.

"I think everyone should see their live shows before they judge. You listen to a CD and you go to the live show, and what you see is nothing close. But these boys are spot on."

When Pacheco joined, he said was unprepared for the energy Other Side emits at shows.

"I used to do rock stuff in high school. But, in January 2008 I played the first show after three practices. I was so shocked after that performance; it was completely different than what (rock) is in the springs."

Simms laughed, replying, "Apparently we're reserved during practice."

Manny recounted the Road 34 performance, saying, "After the first tap, four guys just jumped up and kept jumping. I could feel the stage wanted to bust. Simms disappeared for a second until I saw him walking across the bar station. I was like, 'What is going on?'"

A hazy future

"We don't really have a clear view of where we're going," Luizza said.

The band hopes to make a career out of playing their music, something that will at least pay the bills and keep them from day jobs.

"I mean, a limousine and 50 mill. could help," said Pacheco.

When it comes down to it, however, Other Side is focused on the music.

"It comes down to money because it is a business. But, we can just be making it and able to do it. We love playing more than anything else," Smith said.

Pacheco said money sometimes corrupts bands.

"You see bands and artists constantly having to reinvent themselves. Others can do it with ease, but you can't let money get between what you're doing and what you enjoy."

After playing with prominent local artists like Tickle Me Pink, members of the String Cheese Incident and Rosehill Drive, the band hopes to broaden their horizons.

"We want to play with bigger bands, get exposed to other crowds," Alameel said. "We already have a big crowd, but we want to get theirs interested."

With the release of a debut album, and recording the follow-up this summer, Other Side hopes to pin down a tour next summer and possibly some festivals.

"This summer is pretty limited, but we hope to eventually do two to three-day weekend warrior tours in California or New Mexico," Luizza said. "We want to start getting exposure out of the state."

The band is discussing doing a university tour in the fall while adding in mountain town tours in places like Steamboat and Vail.

"If I could play music everyday and get paid I'd never be happier," Shelton said.

Staff writer Kelly Bleck can be reached at verve@collegian.com. - Rocky Mountain Collegian

By Chris Galis

Every faction of the music world saw representation at the 16th annual Scene Magazine Battle of the Bands: the pop-rock sensibilities of Other Side of Clearview, the hate-it-at-first-love-it-by-the-end comedy antics of Magic Cyclops, the aggressive crooning of What About Pluto?, and the world grooving of Tuatha. It was all there. Perhaps this year’s BOB was the perfect contest – though I shouldn’t make rash claims. Chris K., emcee for the
event and DJ for KRFC 88.9 FM had some thoughts on the night: “It was a little talent showish, with performers like Magic Cyclops and Improv, who aren’t really bands, but overall the talent was highly diverse…an eclectic mix. It was just a good list of ten bands.” A new local band Belladonna opened the night to a small, but energetic crowd.
What About Pluto? (last year’s second place finishers) performed a rather energetic
show of their indie pop-rock. They debuted some new material to a very receptive crowd but came up just short of placing. Magic Cyclops gave a performance that stuck
in my mind as perhaps the most bizarre thing I have ever seen on a local stage.
Complete with turf and blue tarp sky, Magic Cyclops rocked the suburbs, shield and sword in hand ready to do battle. He was finally slain by the last band Opposing
the Arrow performing as a raucous closer to the night. Rapper Improv was the only representative from the hip-hop arena. He put on a good show, slowing down at no
point despite the lack of audience involvement. Local veterans The Lost Decade performed their quiet, brooding prog-rock in lieu of Mashhadar's absence.
Each of the ten bands had their merits, but here are the ones that the judges thought most noteworthy: (Skipping to Other Side of Clearview)

Chris K. called Other Side of Clearview’s (OSOC) set one of the “stand-out moments of the night. They were surprising.”
Just a year old, OSOC has made their claim on the Fort Collins music scene: They recently opened for Rose Hill Drive at the Aggie and will perform with Chevelle this month.
To top it all, they took first place in the 16th annual Battle of the Bands. Matt Luizza, lead singer for the band, attributes their success to their network of support. “It’s because everyone here has faith and likes what they are about. Our fans are the best and most
loyal fans in Colorado – real troopers.”
The band came out with excitement and energy for the BOB. “Coming into this we didn’t know what to expect, especially on a Sunday night,” said Matt.
Once the band broke into the pop anthem Bishop’s Castle everyone knew they had the contest in the bag. Matt mused of their performance: “toward the end of our set, when the lights came on and we realized how many people were out there singing along with us on a Sunday night, I thought ‘this could really happen to us’.”
What makes this band stand out so much? Perhaps the addition of keys to the band’s sound takes them from being a solid pop-rock outfit to originality. The song, Flood,
is signature of their ability to write provoking music and to combine all their musical elements into a harmonious whole. It also contrasts their pop-driven moods with dark, airy progressions that erupt into urgent rock-outs.
Perhaps it’s the vocalists’ ability to mix melody and intensity, thus summoning the vocal gestures of artists like Dispatch while containing the freestyle syntax of Pearl Jam.
Perhaps it is the emotional depth of their songs: The punk-drama of Flash Dance is in pleasant contrast to the 90s influenced lyricism of Frontera Cristal, both of which were
performed with mastery.
Their performance – the first I witnessed live – was truly eye opening. OSOC’s songs contain an intricacy about them that other bands seem to lack – they created something different. This is exactly, according to Matt, what the band is striving for. “We, as a group
of musicians, look at this from a business aspect. We want to see what we can achieve.
It’s more than a bunch of friends playing music together and having fun – though that’s a very important part of it – but we also want to be successful. There is always room for
improvement and growth both as persons and as musicians. We want to do something original and good in the music industry.” If you missed the Battle, catch OSOC at Road 34
on Dec. 7.




- Scene Magazine

By Jennifer Leigh Johnson

Fort Collins rock band Other Side of Clearview realized they were destined to become rock stars when they recorded a catchy radio jingle for CollegeInvest.

The silly tune about how refinancing could help a college student pay for a steak dinner instead of beans and rice was a "priceless" moment for lead singer/guitarist Matt Luizza.

"We knew in that moment, while the recording staff was laughing and we were trying to keep our composure, that a new band has been born." Luizza recalls.

Although the alternative rock group is barely over a year old, its unique electronic-groove sound stands out.

"We are a rock band that pulls out synthesizer and shredding guitar solos topped off with an acoustic guitar," Luizza says. "I don't know who else is doing that."

Luizza also plays rhythm guitar, harmonica and maracas; Matt Simms serves as lead guitarist; Evan Shelton plays bass and cello; Corey Smith is on keyboards; and Manuel Pacheco Jr. brings a Latin and jazz feel to the group's sound with the drums.

"We are an odd bunch...We are kind of like a stereotypical boy band- there's the cute, young one (who dances on stage, but has a tattoo which makes him edgy), the tall one, the dark mysterious one (with a beard of course), the obsessive-compulsive frontman, the dreamy Latino, and the young guy who sports a Mohawk."

Although Luizza jokes about the group's "boy band" facade, he asserts that they are very serious when it comes to music.

"We'd love to do nothing more than focus 100 percent of our energy on writing, recording and performing, but as a new, unsigned and fairly unknown band, there is a lot of legwork involved...There aren't enough hours in the day, "he says.

But the legwork of the self-managed band has already put them on stage in the company of Rose Hill Drive, The Fray and White Water Ramble.

"I was really giddy about opening for Rose Hill Drive...everyone was talking about the World Series and I was just saying 'screw the World Series' (no offense Rockies) but we were playing with Rose Hill Drive, a band I have been a huge fan of for a while."

Even with their instant success, the guys have yet to approach any record labels.

"Let the labels come to you I always say," Luizza says, then pauses, "I've actually never said that."

Still in the process of finishing up some rough cuts of its songs, Other Side of Clearview is planning its first mini-tour this July or August.

"We don't have a set vision for the future-- we just want to be playing music as Other Side of Clearview and continually developing and challenging ourselves as musicians", Luizza says. "I'd like to be touring a lot and playing big festivals in the near future and who knows, we might strive to be on a record label...or maybe not." - Loveland Daily Reporter-Herald

By Erica Boniface

Herman's Hideaway has been on the hunt for the, "Best New Band in Denver". This year on April 18, the bands are looking at winning a serious grand prize; $1,000 and 20 hours in a recording studio with Cherry Sound Studio. Even the second place winners get $500 and 10 hours in the recording studio with Macy Sound Studio. And third placers get 10 hours of recording with International Sound Studio. With four bands left, only one goes home empty-handed.

It is the final round for the contest and it's down to the nitty-gritty. So who's left standing? Foma*, Will Rockit, Other Side of Clearview and Sitomi are battling to win the biggest slice of cheesecake. They are all locally grown and let's be honest; winning the contest is all about being a total babe magnet from here on out. Just think about telling people, "Yeah baby. I am actually in the best new band in Denver," as you swing back and puff your chest out like it's no big deal.

Metromix sat down with the lead singer of "Other Side of Clearview", Matt Luizza and the band Foma* to get their thoughts and feelings on the contest...and Lindsay Lohan. (Foma* quotes omitted.)

Metromix: "So how is it going these days?"
Matt Luizza: "It's great. Musically speaking, the city (Fort Collins) is picking up speed. There are a lot of bands in the area and there are plans to build a 4,000 seat indoor/outdoor amphitheatre. We are playing out frequently and getting involved in big local festivals like Ramble on the River, Brewfest and New West Fest. Plus, the new Fort Collins Musicians Association was just created in the fall to be a resource for bands to attend workshops, network and have quasi-union status. I know what you are thinking, and yes, you are right. Fort Collins is a 'hip' town."

Metromix:
"Are you getting nervous about the upcoming finals at Herman's?"

ML:
"It doesn't usually hit me until about 2 minutes before loading on the stage. Then I have a mini-freak out, questioning everything. 'What am I thinking? We didn't practice nearly enough for this show, I'm gonna forget all the lyrics, why did I wear this stupid bandana, only two types of people wear bandanas, bikers and pirates...and maybe metrosexuals (so three types)...Why am I in a band? I could be working a real job with a real salary and real benefits! Oh the sweet glory of benefits..." These are the things that go through my head before I step on stage, but once we're up there it just all makes sense.

Metromix:
"We noticed that you have been commenting on each other's Myspace. Are all of the bands competing in the finals really nice to each other or is it just a bunch of crap?

ML:
"I've only talked with Foma* (I'm curious what the * is for, if you talk to them I'd be interested to know) When I saw we had a message from them I thought 'Here we go...let the smack-talking begin.' But they were really nice. We try not to be jackasses to other bands because it's really awkward when you talk a big game and then get jumped in the parking lot. I also feel like generally bands get into a mentality that 'It's us against the world man' and they often view any other band as competition.

Metromix:
"What kind of things are you doing differently to prep for the contest?"

ML:
"I'm on a high fiber diet and exercising a lot. People are getting sick a lot and I'm trying not to catch anything. It's easier for the other guys considering they can get through a show with the flu. We're also doing a lot of commuting for promotions in Denver. Technically it's the 'Best New Band in Denver' , but we're from Fort Collins.

Metromix:
"Who is your biggest role model?"

ML:
"That's a tough one. I have a few people that really inspire me. In my personal life it's my mom. Being strong and independent, but finding joy in helping others. She also was a rock star too! She would get into see Led Zeppelin front row for free by flirting with a security guard and hanging out with Queen at the show. And she dated Ray Liotta (from Goodfellas) in middle school in New Jersey. How much more rockstar can you be? Musically my role model is Bruce Springsteen. 'The Boss' is the man.

Metromix:
"Have you guys ever had an embarrassing moment during a show?"

ML:
"Our first show ever was in a bowling alley just over a year ago and we blew out the power to the house system because we were so amazing...or loud. So I had to sing acappella, while Matt and Evan (guitar and bass player), kept going through their amps and our keyboardist Corey, just danced. It was a near-embarrassing moment."

Metromix:
"If you could make out with any celebrity, who would it be and why?"

ML:
"Condoleezza Rice. And I want to make it clear up front that is has nothing to do with me being attracted to her. I hear that any physical contact with her gives you some of her power, so I figure making out with her has gotta be worth something...Like being able to see into the future, and I would make out with Condoleezza Rice to see into the future. Also, if it somehow leaked onto Youtube (everything is)...Instant coverage for the band. Now that is multi-tasking at its finest."

Metromix:
"Let's say you bumped into Lindsay Lohan up in Fort Collins. What would you say to her?"

ML:
"Shouldn't you be in rehab? And please stop vomiting on my shoes."

Metromix:
"For all of your fans out there, give out a 'word of wisdom' before we sign off."

ML:
"Be in it to win it! Wait can I try again? That was lame...Don't lose sight of who you are and what drives your passion in life. We are only here for a short time so aggressively live every moment of life, wildly, passionately and at moments with a touch of insanity. That sounds like a hallmark card...Other Side of Clearview rocks!" - Metromix Denver Music (9 News)

Don’t judge a book from its cover. Typically, that’s good advice.

Still, book covers can sometimes reveal a great deal about what’s in store for readers. The same principle can apply in the world of music. Slayer guitarist Kerry King, for example, looks like he's responsible for a speed metal triumph like “Reign in Blood” the same way Yo-Yo Ma just sort of looks like a famed cello master.

Now take the Fort Collins rockers in Other Side of Clearview. After chatting with vocalist/rhythm guitarist Matt Luizza, bass player Evan Shelton and keyboardist Corey Smith over coffee, the tightly woven threads that make up the band’s powerful sound began to stand apart.

Other Side of Clearview’s look is just as diverse as its sound. Smith could be in “Dazed and Confused” with long straight hair and a Led Zeppelin T-shirt; Shelton’s sporting a mean beard and his Deftones shirt is worn like a second skin; Luizza, in contrast to both, wears his neatly cropped curls with modish librarian-style glasses.

This is the look of a band that can rock Zeppelin, Jamiroquai and Rage Against the Machine covers with equal aplomb.

These visual clues are worth mentioning only because Other Side of Clearview’s multi-layered sound comes together so coherently it’s easy to miss at first listen exactly what makes these guys sound so solid: sufficient talent to seamlessly make stylistic leaps from song to song.

Luizza’s soul-rending vocals and lead guitarist Matt Simms’ torrid riffs find deft keyboard and rhythm section support in tracks that range from lighter, hopeful anthems to harder-rocking tunes marked by lyrics filled with longing and frustration.
“More than any one thing our songs are about figuring out our place in life,” said Luizza. “It’s said that one person’s story is the story of human kind and writing lyrics is my way to sort of express my own interpretation of how I see the world. Our songs run a very broad range of emotions from heartache and loss to politics, immigration and the state of the economy.”

Other Side of Clearview is one of the latest in a string of notable Fort Collins bands and will be playing a slew of area shows in the next several weeks, including ones gigs at NewWestFest and Hodi’s Half Note. As Winners of "Scene Magazine’s" Battle of the Bands at the end of 2007, they earned some notoriety and free studio time. They’ve been playing to larger and larger audiences along the Front Range ever since.

They’ve even managed to establish a formidable online presence using OurStage, a sort of virtual Battle of the Bands in the same vein as MySpace where members vote on songs from thousands of bands all over the country. The band’s track “One for the Road” sits at eighth in the alternative rock genre.

Not bad for a group of guys that played their first real show at a bowling alley.
The band was born when Luizza started collaborating with Simms as freshman at Colorado State University.

“We played little private concerts for our friends in the stairwells of the dorms, then got invited to play parties and gradually started to do small functions on campus,” said Luizza, who dabbled with a few garage bands with Simms before parting ways for about a year, only to have work on a radio jingle inspire the pair to make a serious effort at starting a band and writing new material.

Not even two years later, Other Side of Clearview is on the cusp of releasing its first full-length album. Luizza said the band plans to taper off shows after this summer to “focus on taking each song and stripping it down to find out what's working, then taking the fall and winter to hammer this album.”

That means now is the time to check these guys out.

Looks can be deceiving, to be sure, but it looks like the gang from Clearview Avenue is destined to continue their rise to the top of the local music scene.

Upcoming Shows:
July 27 — “Recreate 08” Windsor Youth Benefit, Windsor Boardwalk Park (100 Birch St., Windsor, 3 p.m.Free.)
Aug. 10 -- Bohemian Nights at NewWestFest 2008, (Old Town Square, Fort Collins. Free.)
Aug. 29 — KRFC Live at Lunch Tune into 88.9 F.M. to hear the band live and in studio from 12-1pm.
Aug. 29 — CSU Back to School Bash! at Hodi's Half Note, Fort Collins, $5.
Sept.14 — Old Town Summer Concert Series
- Fort Collins Now