The Christmas Bash For Kids, benefiting Christmas Cash For Kids, is Friday night, and you can read more about the cause here. It’s important. You should take note. But what’s the Bash? The Bash is a concert benefiting the cause and this year’s installment is set to feature Drunk Naked Pirates, Katanga, and Ever Rise. To spotlight the event, we spoke with Ever Rise guitarist Robert Pare to talk about the event, his band’s upcoming LP and where he loves to play music in and around Maryland. The fun kicks off at 7 p.m., friends, and honestly – this is a great thing they do, so if you have the time and the money to spare, this is worth every second and every cent. Give it some thought. Pretty please?
First of all, how did Ever Rise come to be? How long have you been together and how did everyone meet?
Ever Rise stems from a few bands that were on the circuit, Deep End, Major Danger and Crush Theory. The current lineup is a reflection of a group of guys with great chemistry.
You guys do covers, but it seems like you also have some originals. Do you have any recordings out, by chance? How do you choose the covers you play?
We have several singles available on iTunes, Spotify, and ReverbNation currently. We are in the process of completing a full-length record on our label, ThirdAmberGo, hopefully by Spring 2018. We choose covers based on the venue, the crowd and the vibe. Our Music can be heard at EverRiseBand.com.
How did you come up with the name Ever Rise and what does it mean?
I came up with the name one day after watching a documentary about The Day The Music Died, and thought to myself how much the world of music has progressed since then, from the industry itself, to musicianship, exposure, equipment, and so on.
What’s your perception of the local music scene in Maryland currently?
I’ve seen an increase in fantastic talent throughout the tri-state area over the past several years, however, we can all agree there is a decrease in venues supporting them. It’s tough to book a working band without over-saturating an area with limited venues and clubs. We are fortunate to still have places to play; we just wish there were more of them.
Who are some of your major influences and why?
We are so diverse when it comes to influences. Kyle, our incredibly talented lead vocalist, taps into so much new and off-the-radar music as well as straight up ’80s metal. It’s amazing and it’s all great stuff. Trevin, our drummer, is a product of everything from funk to modern heavy rock. John, Jim, and I are kind of old souls, and appreciate new music, but our hearts are full of classic rock and roll influences from the ’70s onward. There are literally too many influences to name.
Can you give us names of some bands we need to check out that we maybe haven’t seen yet? Who are you listening to the most these days?
Personally speaking, there are a ton of organic bands that deserve recognition. On a national level, Black Country Communion, Blackberry Smoke, Megadeth, Dead Daisies, Lzzy Hale, Sixx AM, and so on. YouTube has made it possible to be exposed to an incredible amount of music – too much at times! I listen to everything except Poison and Motley Crue.
Where are some of your favorite places to play and why?
Locally, we enjoy playing at Champions and in the past, Buckeystown Pub. Great crowds. We’ve had some great success playing at The Rocky Gap Casino and The Washington County Ag Center – outdoor venues with our friends Kix, as well as a flurry of clubs in Western Maryland – Thunder Road and Break Away 2 being just a few of them. 2017 is coming to a close.
What does 2018 have in store for you guys?
Hopefully continue to improve as a band, and complete the record on time.
To you, what is the best song ever written and why?
It hasn’t been written yet.
And, of course, what can we expect from the show at Champions this weekend?
Our great friends from Katanga and The Drunk Naked Pirates will be performing before Ever Rise. I love the music both of those bands play. Everyone better have their dancing shoes on! We expect a great crowd, as we did last year, to help benefit an incredibly important cause. Ron and Jennifer Ross have worked very hard to put on this event, and we are honored to be asked to be a part of it. We hope to see everyone there!
