The Armory

Rock group The Armory ready to take Atlanta music scene by storm
Posted on May 5, 2012 by danielleoc3
By SAMANTHA KEMMER

They may have been a band for a while now, but the members of Atlanta’s own The Armory are set on making 2012 their big year.

Where It All Started

This quintet of rockers are a group of guys that go way back. Brothers Ben Harris (drums) and Marc Harris (bass) met vocalist Sean Wheeler and guitarist Matt Powell during high school. Years later, they were introduced to guitarist John Patton through a mutual friend — and so began what used to be the band Armored in Grace.

In June 2009, the band felt a necessary name change and became The Armory. Its first guitar-heavy, post-hardcore EP “Sleepwalking to the Ends of Earth” was released later that year. The name change also brought on a change of sound. The band’s second EP “Dynasty,” released March 2011, presented its fans with a new ambient, indie-rock sound.

Since recording the latest EP, the band has been big on one thing above all else — touring. The Southeast holds a majority of its fan base, spreading throughout Georgia, North


Photo Taken by: Kaitlyn Pack
Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Alabama, and Florida. The band members don’t just stick to their home base, though. They have toured the East Coast and Midwest as well, sharing the stage with bands such as The Almost and Hawthorne Heights. The band also held a spot on the 2010 Vans Warped Tour, where it shared the stage with many of their favorite artists.

Current Happenings

The band is currently in the process of writing a good amount of new material. It plans to spend the rest of this spring and the majority of this summer polishing off a number of new songs and completing pre-production to prepare for entering the studio to record.

Lyrically, the band’s main influence comes from everyday things, personal or not. Its biggest goal while writing is to write songs that the listener can relate to. Each band member takes part in the musical writing process, either collectively or individually. Lyrically, Wheeler and Marc Harris do most of the writing.

The chorus to the recently released single off of “Dynasty”, “Burn the City Down” was written by each member collectively while in the studio putting the finishing touches on the song.

“Sometimes it surprises us how a song will come together,” said Patton.

As if all of their touring and writing wasn’t enough, the members of The Armory are also known around the Southeast for their somewhat of an alter ego, Bearfight! Bearfight! was created in early 2012 by The Armory as a party/cover band. The band plays parties and restaurants in the area and cover anything from the ‘70s up to the present, and play a 50 to 60-song set list featuring a wide variety of songs from rock ‘n’ roll and country to even pop and rap.

“Both shows are equally as enjoyable — everyone is having a good time and singing along, no matter where we play,” said Patton. “But with The Armory, we take more pride in what we do. It’s our baby.”

A Bright Future

So where are they going next with their “baby?”

For the remainder of this year, The Armory plans to keep writing music and touring as much as possible. They intend to get into the studio by late August or early September with the new material that they’re currently working on to record a new EP, or ultimately, a full-length album.

The band doesn’t have any upcoming shows confirmed yet, but they are currently in the booking process. To stay up-to-date with tour dates and album info, visit their Facebook page.

Rock group The Armory ready to take Atlanta music scene by storm

Atlanta artist The Armory reaches Expo-nential success

Local Atlanta artist The Armory was one of the 10 finalists in this year’s Southern Talent Expo, put on by Kennesaw State University’s Music and Entertainment Business Program, Sony Music, and PlayPro Media.

It all began in November 2011, when the band found out about the Expo through a friend’s Facebook page. They saw the post and decided to give it a chance. After being chosen by Sony as one of the 10 finalists from the 60 artists that auditioned, it proved to be a chance well-taken.

Since being chosen, the band has worked directly with Sony representative Duane Hobson and PlayPro owner Brad Todd in all areas of the music industry, ranging from promotion and artist development to live shows and touring.

A group of students from KSU’s Music and Entertainment Business Program worked with The Armory over the past school year as a team of representatives for the artist, helping them in various areas of the industry.

“Working with The Armory has really given me insight as to what it’s like to work in the live music industry,” says student Spencer Bobo. “And it’s also made me realize that it’s what I’d like to do with my life.”

The band has gained a significant amount of new fans and support through the entire process. Their f - Samantha Kemmer

Before I get into the actual music performances of the four bands that played last night, let me share with you an observation from the outside observer. I usually go to three to five concerts a week. I talk to most of the bands, fans, and have had the pleasure of becoming close to the owners and staff of both The Vollrath and The Irving. Of course, the owners want to make money, but if they were not huge fans of music, they would not be opening their businesses up to this form of entertainment. The sad truth is sometimes no matter how talented you are, a crowd of 20 fans, mostly other band members may be a good night.
The majority of bands understand this. They know they are going to make a trek into venue, hopefully play to a largish crowd, sale a few CDs and t-shirts, cull a few new fans, and pocket a couple bucks for gas money and move to their next destination. These are the bands that know how to connect to not only a fan base they are trying to build, but their fellow musician peers regardless of the genre, and the establishments that will invite them back again and again; if you can rock the joint and you are a pleasure to deal with.
Then there are the other bands, which I am thankful the numbers are few. They walk in with their nose turned up as if they are beneath the venue. First, I am excited when a band I am getting the opportunity to see has some awesome press reviews to recommend them. Unfortunately, the Verizon Center has not booked them yet to headline. They are making their bones on the small scene until that day comes. Then they have the audacity to attack the other bands, who I doubt have spent the afternoon listening to as I have. These out of town bands have the same dreams, regardless of what type of music they play. They deserve the same chance and respect I as a listener give all who perform.
In this time of intense social networking, young bands should take note. You know the dumbass that airs personal drama on Facebook like no one is paying attention, except the person they are flaming? Yeah that dumbass whom you deleted from your friend’s list because you were sick of hearing them bitch. Real life is pretty much the same way.
You will not be invited back to the venue you thought you were too good to play in. Indianapolis seems like a big city but there are a shit tons of bands and a limited number of venues. In addition, the next out-of-state tour you attempt and are not getting the love or funds you think you deserve, you might need a little love from your fellow artists. When you are running low on gas money and need a quick add on to a bill, these shitty bands you were forced to play with, oh yeah they will remember you. They will remember you enough to pass the word on to their friends who happens to be other venue owners and bands. It is as simple as the golden rule, stupid. Treat people as you want to be treated. Then we can all be happy, have a beer, and listen to some damn fine music. Now on to the review.
The Glass Accident is an Indianapolis band who understands how the system works. En route to the show, two members of the trio broke down and were unable to make it. Kyle Turner the lead singer called and explained what had happened. Then he offered to perform an acoustic set, since he was already in town and did not want to leave The Vollrath hanging with an incomplete bill. Unfortunately, he started early and I missed his performance. I did get this entire story by the owner, and staff when I first walked in. Professionalism goes a long way; I looked forward to their next appearance at The Vollrath. In the meantime check out their internet presence on http://www.facebook.com/theglassaccident// .
Indian City Weather from Indianapolis was up next. Members are Finch – bass, Tyler – drums, Josh – vocals, Niqolas – vocals, Jonah – guitar, and Joey – guitar. I had looked them up about a week ago and enjoyed their video on making their way to the recording studio. Their music is with duo lead vocalists Josh and Niqolas are a slick combination of hip-hop and pop. They are young and seem to have an excellent time together. Unfortunately, they did not quite meet my expectations live. Their music drowns out their lyrics, which is a serious crime if you are a song driven band. Their vocals were not as strong as I expected, which I hope was due to an off night. Niqolas did do an excellent beat poetry solo. They have a unique sound to offer to the local music scene, I hope experience seasons them to their own aspirations. Check out the video on http://vimeo.com/23412397/.
The Armory out of Canton, Georgia were up next with a full stage of equipment, including strobe lights and five members. Sean Wheeler – vocals, Marc Harris – bass, vocals, Ben Harris – drums, John Patton – guitar, and Matt Powell – guitar, know how to wow a crowd, even if its an anemic one. They have a pulsing energy to match their strobe light. An interesting o - INDYCONCERTS.COM - Lisa Borm

Published on February 22, 2011 by Megan Emory and Nikki Hope
The Armory’s rock and melodious tune draws in fans weekly due to its recent Warped Tour debut and success of its first album.

Local KSU alumni band The Armory, pictured above, made an appearance at the Vans Warped Tour in 2010. Photo by Nikki Hope
With the band’s second album “Dynasty,” to be released March 1, the members went for a different style that really expressed their maturity and creativity as a band.
“It’s cool to watch all five perspectives of music come together to make a song and feel everyone’s influence in,” said guitarist John Patton.
The process for the conception and the production of their new album was much harder than the first, which spanned from a December recording to writing for almost a year prior. Dramatically changing from a “screamo band” to the now-calmer rock band, their songs come from personal experience and inspirations that transfer into telling a story about the things that mean the most to them.
The band itself consists of guitarists Matt Powell and John Patton with Ben Harris on the Drums with Sean Wheeler and Marc Harris on vocals along with guitar and bass. Their relationships have been ongoing with two members meeting in elementary school and adding members throughout high school and their attending KSU.
Their Warped Tour dates were intense and pushed the band to their limits with extreme heat and odd times, but it was “probably the most awesome experience.” It has been far from easy for the unsigned band that have had the challenge of self-promotion along with “balancing a 40 or 50-hour work week with practicing and taking off for tours,” as Ben Harris explained.
The band’s full-time musical aspirations are not far beyond their acknowledging the necessary patience and persistence that accompanies with being a relatively new band.
They encourage aspiring musicians and bands to play what they like and not what others want them to play, as well as getting into the business for the right reasons. Being creative and getting inspired are two great ways to stand out and The Armory believes that being original and true to yourself is far better than copying anything.
Most importantly, they want others to realize that it is going to take years for progress, as it took them a year or two of just playing together before they started recording. “Have fun and enjoy yourself no matter what,” encourages vocalist and guitarist Sean Wheeler. As for KSU’s influence on the band, Matt Powell said, “I don’t think we would be a band if it wasn’t for Kennesaw,” a sentiment which John Patton echoed in saying, “I’ll always be an owl.”
The best way to get a taste of this down-to-earth and gracious band is to go see them in some of their live concerts where they are happy to spend time with their fans afterwards. You can find their music on iTunes, Amazon, Facebook and Twitter. - KSU Sentinel

The Hope Tour: Featuring The Armory

The Armory Brings Awareness of the Devastation Left in Haiti this Summer Through Their Rock

Atlanta, GA, May 24, 2010 – The Armory (post-hardcore/melodic/rock) from Atlanta, GA will be touring the southeast this summer on The Hope Tour June 18th – July 11th. The Hope Tour, officially affiliated with the Hope for Haiti organization, is designed to promote awareness of the devastation still left in the impoverished country of Haiti. The Armory’s objective through this tour is to reach out to the younger generation with this message and offer an opportunity to them to help. Fans are encouraged to bring medical supplies, clothes and food to the tour dates and the items will be donated to the relief efforts still underway in Haiti.
“We want to use our music to help not only ourselves but others (who) are in need,” says lead vocalist Sean Wheeler. “We also can’t wait to bring all the fans this incredible new show we have put together. We have some really nice surprises for the tour this summer.”
The Armory (post hardcore/melodic/rock) made up of Sean Wheeler (vocals), Marc Harris (vocals/bass), Matt Powell (guitar), John Patton (guitar) and Ben Harris (drums) is rapidly becoming one of the hottest bands on the East Coast. Since their arrival on the scene in May 2009, they have numerous tours under their belt and a rapidly growing fan base to show for it. On September 18, 2009, they released their debut EP Sleepwalking to the Ends of the Earth produced by Matt Malpass (Rookie of the Year, Copeland, Lydia).
For more information about The Hope Tour or The Armory visit www.myspace.com/thearmoryrules or www.twitter.com/thearmoryrules. The Armory will also be posting promotional videos for this tour and a tour diary at www.youtube.com/thearmoryrules. To schedule an interview or get information about a show on The Hope Tour please contact Matt Powell at thearmorybooking@gmail.com.
Contact:
Matt Powell
404-660-6251
thearmorybooking@gmail.com
- The Armory

JANUARY 26, 2011, 7:55 AM
The Armory rocks the world (and lives in Canton)
The up-and-coming musicians in The Armory have spent the last years on and off the road -- but have always called Canton home.

The rock band (Ben Harris, Sean Wheeler, Marc Harris, John Patton and Matt Powell) has played in Canton venues and all around the Southeast, including a show in last summer's 16th annual Warped Tour.

The Armory's first full-length album, a follow-up to their 6-song EP, is set to release March 1 with songs such as "This Life," "Hell or High Water," "Burn the City Down" and "Dynasty." After that, it's time to hit the road again to continue to tour.

But before they embarked too far outside Canton's city limits, TheCantonTimes.com caught up with one of the members of The Armory, Ben Harris, to talk about musical influences, surprises along the way and the band's favorite thing about Canton. (Check out the songs and upcoming shows including February 5 in Canton)

What are your ties to the Canton area?
With the exception of one member, John Patton, we are all from Canton and attended and graduated from Cherokee High School. Most of us have lived here our whole lives and have deep family connections here.

How did The Armory come about?
The Armory started out with just friends kinda jamming on the weekends and eventually evolved into a full band. We started playing music in the early stages of the band under the name Armored In Grace. We experimented with different styles and eventually found our “calling” or “style” and changed the name to The Armory. We added our long-time friend Matt Powell to the line up and The Armory was born. This group of guys have been The Armory for about two years now. We are looking forward to our new record which is being released March 1 because it is the first full record that we all collaborated on. The record really shows our growth and maturation over the past years.

What has surprised you most so far about your music career?
Really just the success we are having with it. I never thought in a million years I would be blessed with the opportunity to play music with such a great group of dedicated guys and let alone play music with these guys for money. Though it's not enough to pay our bills yet, it will be

Who are your influences, both in music and in life?
My mother and father (life) and all the independent musicians out there that go through the struggle of tour, recording, and really busting it to make a difference in the music scene.

What's your favorite thing about Canton?
The people are my favorite. I have lived here my whole live and when I walk around Canton it just reminds me of a big family. The people are real salt of the earth people and I appreciate the Southern hospitality that we show off here in Canton. - The Canton Times

The Armory - Sleepwalking To The Ends Of The Earth
Release Date: September 18, 2009
Record Label: Unsigned

Who?

The Armory is a five-piece Progressive/Alternative Rock band from Atlanta, Georgia. Though not VERY well-known, The Armory have shown that they can build a considerably large fan base and are able and willing to compete with some of the bigger names out there. With influences from bands such as The Receiving End Of Sirens and As Cities Burn, this east-coast quintet incorporates soaring choruses with a crisp-clean sound that may not be entirely new or fresh to the ever-growing music scene, but gets the job done with considerable potential.

How is it?

With their debut EP titled Sleepwalking To The Ends Of The Earth, The Armory showcases a very safe, but productive freshman release. Both guitars and drums sound polished and very clean (at times even spacey), but never really shine incredibly bright. I use the word 'safe' once again. I believe this band's strength lies in the core of what normally makes or breaks bands in this genre, the vocals. Singer Sean Wheeler has a certain presence in his voice that is commanding and powerful. Range isn't incredible (he's no Anthony Green), but Wheeler takes control of every song with a tight grip and doesn't let go. I feel if this group of guys experiment more, and take more risks, they have the potential to be a force in our current, redundant music scene. - Absolute Punk

The Armory - Sleepwalking To The Ends Of The Earth
Release Date: September 18, 2009
Record Label: Unsigned

Who?

The Armory is a five-piece Progressive/Alternative Rock band from Atlanta, Georgia. Though not VERY well-known, The Armory have shown that they can build a considerably large fan base and are able and willing to compete with some of the bigger names out there. With influences from bands such as The Receiving End Of Sirens and As Cities Burn, this east-coast quintet incorporates soaring choruses with a crisp-clean sound that may not be entirely new or fresh to the ever-growing music scene, but gets the job done with considerable potential.

How is it?

With their debut EP titled Sleepwalking To The Ends Of The Earth, The Armory showcases a very safe, but productive freshman release. Both guitars and drums sound polished and very clean (at times even spacey), but never really shine incredibly bright. I use the word 'safe' once again. I believe this band's strength lies in the core of what normally makes or breaks bands in this genre, the vocals. Singer Sean Wheeler has a certain presence in his voice that is commanding and powerful. Range isn't incredible (he's no Anthony Green), but Wheeler takes control of every song with a tight grip and doesn't let go. I feel if this group of guys experiment more, and take more risks, they have the potential to be a force in our current, redundant music scene. - Absolute Punk