PHOENIX — On the cusp of their sophomore album release, Chase Atlantic and opener Lauren Sanderson celebrated at Crescent Ballroom with contagious energy. Touring the US from coast to coast with 29 stops, and their self-produced PHASES set to release on June 28, the alt-pop three-piece have played to sold out venues in Pittsburgh, Nashville, Charlotte, Ft. Lauderdale, and now Phoenix.
“This album feels as though it is truly a work of astronomical measures,” says lead vocalist, Mitchel Cave. “It’s the first time we were able to honestly and openly hone into something so monumentally special and raw without compromising even an inch of our integrity as artists. We’ve developed a completely new sound within a matter of months that has never been tapped into before. Chase Atlantic is now dwelling within a realm of its own; it’s both scarily isolating and blissfully euphoric at the same time. Welcome to a whole new era.”
Lauren Sanderson, an Indiana native with a huge Twitter following of over 100,000 people, gave her first Ted Talk, titled “Stay Positive N’ Stay You”, only a year after graduating high school. Shehit the stage with a bright smile and a burst of energy that set the table for the main course of the night: Chase Atlantic.
During the intermission between Sanderson and Chase Atlantic, the music kept the audience energized and singing along as they played one of Lauren’s songs, to the crowd’s delight.
When the lights went out, the crowd went wild with anticipation. The back LED screens came on, and a fantastic and electrifying drum solo by Jesse Boyle got everybody screaming. A few seconds later, the shouts intensified as frontman Cave walked onto the stage, followed by band members Christian Anthony, Clinton Cave, and Patrick Wilde.
Mitchel yelled to the crowd, “Make some noise if you came with a friend!” The crowd roared and the song “Angels” began a night of jumping and motion that could practically induce seasickness.
During “What U Call That”, “Her”, “The Walls”, “Friends”, and “StuckInMyBrain”, the madness continued with nonstop singing, jumping, and partying like the world was about to end.
As they hit the stage again, following a quick and well-earned interlude, they made the announcement everybody was waiting for: their new album PHASES was just made live a day early, and Cave encouraged the whole crowd to open up their cell phones and download the song right then and there. He even asked to get a thumbs-up once each audience member had finished the transaction. An ocean of cell phone screens lit up the inside of Crescent Ballroom as the download frenzy went on for a few moments, to the delight of the band. Thumbs started to go up enthusiastically and smiles filled the faces of the musicians.
The crowd was rewarded for their instant downloads with one of Chase Atlantic’s most popular and well-known songs, “Swim”, followed by “Love Is Not Easy”, then by Cave and Anthony taking off their shirts suggestively right before their song “Lust”.
Cave’s statement matched that of the opener by saying that “this has been the best show of their whole f***ing ride.”
“Drugs & Money” kept the energy as high as it had been since the opening and continued with “Heaven And Back”, followed by Anthony asking the crowd, “Who feels like a rockstar?”, then pointing towards Cave and telling him, “I know you do,” then playing “Like A Rockstar”.
During their last song, “Uncomfortable”, Cave took a cell phone from the audience to take a selfie with the crowd, then carefully returned it to the fan without breaking or slowing down the energetic performance.
As they walked offstage, they said to the crowd, “We can play a f***ing encore if you want one more!” The crowd chanted incessantly and, over the speakers the band instructed everyone to scream “F*** yeah!” in unison. The crowd again obliged and chanted until the band returned to the stage.
Chase Atlantic closed the show with their last song, “Okay”, commanding the crowd in a way seasoned musicians do. The band coerced the whole crowd get down low, almost lying on the ground, and brought them back up to dance and jump. They welcomed Lauren Sanderson back to the stage for a high-octane rock n’ roll sound with heavy guitar riffs and powerful drum beats, and the night ended by leaving the audience exhausted and excited, as only great and memorable shows can do.
Los Angeles, CA — Emerging alt-pop trio, Chase Atlantic, have announced a massive headline tour across North America this summer. Presented by Live Nation’s Ones To Watch and The Noise, the 29-date trek launches in Philadelphia on Friday, June 14 and hits major cities including Los Angeles, Chicago, Toronto, and New York before wrapping in Silver Spring, MD on Thursday, July 25. Lauren Sanderson will also provide direct support on all shows. The fan pre-sale commences on Tuesday, April 9 at 10am local time and will conclude on Thursday, April 11 at 10pm local. More information can be found on the band’s website and social media platforms. The general public on-sale begins on Friday, April 12 at 10am local, with tickets available to purchase HERE. The full touring itinerary can be found below as well.
Sophomore Album, Phases, out June 28 via BMG/MDDN
Chase Atlantic is also pleased to announce the release of their highly-anticipated sophomore album, Phases, out Friday, June 28 via BMG/MDDN. The record serves as a follow up to their latest EP, DON’T TRY THIS (Jan. 2019), and their self-titled debut effort (2017).
“We made this album because we wanted to drastically pivot the angle in which pop culture is viewed and ultimately digested,” says lead vocalist, Mitchel Cave.“Throughout our career so far, Chase Atlantic has always been represented as a ‘go to’ for unique and complex music with high sonic value. We’ve been able to fuse genres and aesthetic together to create a defined nocturnal bliss of our own, blending dreamy melodies with moody progressions, all the while touching on subjects from drug abuse to romantic pieces.”
“This album feels as though it is truly a work of astronomical measures,” he adds. “It’s the first time we were able to honestly and openly hone into something so monumentally special and raw without compromising even an inch of our integrity as artists. We’ve developed a completely new sound within a matter of months that has never been tapped into before. Chase Atlantic is now dwelling within a realm of its own; it’s both scarily isolating and blissfully euphoric at the same time. Welcome to a whole new era.”
The official track listing and more details about Chase Atlantic’s forthcoming album will be revealed soon. Stay tuned for more news to come.
Chase Atlantic Headline Tour Dates:
6/14 – Philadelphia, PA @ Theatre of Living Arts 6/15 – Pittsburgh, PA @ Rex Theater 6/17 – Cincinnati, OH @ Bogarts 6/18 – Nashville, TN @ Exit / In 6/19 – Charlotte, NC @ The Underground 6/21 – Atlanta, GA @ Buckhead Theatre 6/22 – Ft. Lauderdale, FL @ Culture Room 6/24 – Dallas, TX @ House of Blues 6/25 – Austin, TX @ Scoot Inn 6/27 – Phoenix, AZ @ Crescent Ballroom 6/28 – Los Angeles, CA @ Regent Theater 6/29 – Sacramento, CA @ Ace of Spades 7/01 – San Francisco, CA @ August Hall 7/02 – Portland, OR @ Crystal Ballroom 7/03 – Seattle, WA @ Neptune Theatre 7/05 – Salt Lake City, UT @ The Depot 7/06 – Denver, CO @ Summit Music Hall 7/08 – Tulsa, OK @ Cain’s Ballroom 7/09 – Lawrence, KS @ The Granada 7/11 – Omaha, NE @ The Waiting Room 7/13 – Minneapolis, MN @ Varsity Theater 7/15 – Chicago, IL @ House of Blues 7/16 – Indianapolis, IN @ Deluxe at Old National Centre 7/18 – Columbus, OH @ Newport Music Hall 7/19 – Detroit, MI @ St. Andrews Hall 7/20 – Toronto, ON @ The Opera House 7/22 – Boston, MA @ Paradise Rock Club 7/23 – New York, NY @ Webster Hall 7/25 – Silver Spring, MD @ The Fillmore
About Chase Atlantic:
Chase Atlantic personally write and produce all of their own music, which helped the three-piece build a strong following in Australia during their teenage years. Their stylish, distinctive sound, along with their viral single, “Friends,” captured the attention of Good Charlotte’s Joel and Benji Madden, who subsequently signed them to their esteemed music company, MDDN, in 2015. Since then, the three-piece has seen rapid success – headlining and selling out shows globally, including tours with Blackbear, Sleeping With Sirens, and Lights. Their explosive live performances have also landed slots at notable festivals including Lollapalooza, Bonnaroo, Firefly, Reading & Leeds, and the final run of Vans Warped Tour.
Los Angeles, CA – Australian alt-pop trio, Chase Atlantic, is pleased to kick off 2019 with a new video for their latest single, “Like A Rockstar.” Co-directed by frequent collaborator, Ryan Watanabe, and lead guitarist, Clinton Cave, the visual captures the band on-the-road headlining shows worldwide, including an impressive sold-out gig at New York City’s Gramercy Theatre this past November. “Like A Rockstar” can be viewed HERE and follows a string of Chase Atlantic music videos that have amassed over 9.2 million total combined views. Watch them all below.
Chase Atlantic unveiled “Like A Rockstar” last month, marking their newly-minted partnership between MDDN and BMG. The song hit over 80k Spotify streams in its first 24 hours of release and has already garnered close to one million streams on the platform, in addition to landing on the esteemed New Music Friday playlist. The band was also recently highlighted as Facebook’s Artist of the Day to coincide with the new offering. The track can be streamed and downloaded on all digital retailers HERE.
In other news, Chase Atlantic’s forthcoming EP, Don’t Try This, will be released this month, with more details to be announced soon. The group is also currently working on their sophomore album, serving as a follow up to their successful self-titled debut (2017) and two independent EPs, Dalliance (2014) and Nostalgia (2015).
“On the fast track to the top.” –Substream
Chase Atlantic Is:
Mitchel Cave / vocals, bass guitar Clinton Cave / lead guitar, saxophone, programming Christian Anthony / rhythm guitar, vocals
“One of the most unpredictable and exciting bands in our world.” – Rock Sound
Los Angeles, CA – Australian three-piece, Chase Atlantic, has debuted their much-anticipated new single, “Like A Rockstar.” The offering is a solid, atmospheric alt-pop track that underscores the band’s eclectic sound and diverse musicianship. It also marks the group’s first release under their newly-inked partnership between MDDN and BMG. A forthcoming EP is slated for release in early 2019. Stream and download “Like A Rockstar” on digital retailers HERE.
“The group’s genre-bending sounds echo The Weeknd and The 1975.” – Associated Press
Comprised of brothers Clinton and Mitchel Cave, and their longtime friend, Christian Anthony, Chase Atlantic personally produce, perform, and passionately conjure up dark alternative pop, punctuated by rock and R&B that blurs the lines between a nocturnal aesthetic and primal bliss. Since forming in 2011, the trio has headlined shows worldwide, released their successful self-titled debut album (2017), as well as two independent EPs, Dalliance(2014) and Nostalgia (2015). In 2015, their single, “Friends,” went viral and caught the attention of Good Charlotte’s Joel and Benji Madden, who signed them to their music company, MDDN.
“Chase Atlantic is going to be big” – QRO Magazine
Chase Atlantic has crossed over 80 million global streams on Spotify and Apple Music, racked up over 7.2 million total views on YouTube, and clocked over 1.1 million monthly Spotify listeners. The band has also built a strong following on social media, with 650k total combined followers across their platforms. In addition to touring with Blackbear, Sleeping With Sirens, and Lights, the group has played notable festivals including Lollapalooza, Bonnaroo, Firefly, Reading & Leeds, PukkelPop, Lowlands, and the final run of the Vans Warped Tour. Chase Atlantic is currently on a headline trek across Europe, with a full itinerary of dates included below.
In other impressive news, Chase Atlantic landed the front cover of Rock Sound Magazine’s August issue, and has also garnered critical acclaim in the media from the likes of Billboard, Alternative Press, Associated Press, and more.
Chase Atlantic Headline Tour Dates:
12/7/18 – Manchester, U.K. @ Rebellion Club
12/8/18 – Leeds, U.K. @ Key Club
12/9/18 – London, U.K. @ The Garage
12/11/18 – Paris, France @ Les Etoiles
12/12/18 – Antwerp, Belgium @ Zappa JC
12/13/18 – Haarlem, The Netherlands @ Patronaat
12/14/18 – Dortmund, Germany @ FZW
12/15/18 – Hamburg, Germany @ Knust
12/16/18 – Innenstadt, Germany @ Colos-Saal
12/17/18 – Munich, Germany @ STROM
12/19/18 – Milan, Italy @ Legend Club
12/20/18 – District 5, Switzerland @ Dynamo
12/22/18 – Madrid, Spain @ Moby Dick
12/23/18 – Barcelona, Spain @ La Nau
“On the fast track to the top.” – Substream Magazine
Chase Atlantic Is:
Mitchel Cave – vocals, bass guitar Clinton Cave – lead guitar, bass saxophone, programming Christian Anthony – rhythm guitar, vocals
TEMPE, AZ – Lights, along with special guests Chase Atlantic and DCF, illuminated Marquee Theatre last Thursday. This eclectic mix of musicians magnetized a diverse crowd to The Marquee’s doors, and together, the entire venue celebrated a night of pure joy and musical euphoria. Fans of all ages blissfully enjoyed the great sound, atmosphere, and company of each band, but Lights certainly shone brightest of all — fans were dazzled by their otherworldly sounds and gorgeous visuals on stage, and it is clear for any outside observer to understand why they command an army of such devoted fans.
For those who know and love Lights already, they’re aware that this is certainly not Lights’ first rodeo — they’ve been to Phoenix many times since 2008, but as lead singer Lights Valerie Poxleitner put it, they come back stronger every time. From The Nile to Warped Tour, Lights certainly know how to command a stage of any size and location, and their attention to detail certainly transfixes audiences on multiple levels. As Poxleitner is an artist in more ways than one, it is no surprise that Lights’ live performances are as much visual spectacle as they are aural extravaganza. It’s no wonder that Lights has recently received nominations for the Pop Album of the Year and Artist of the Year categories in the 2018 JUNO Awards.
DCF
The first performance of the evening was DCF, an artist who is a compelling example of contemporary pop, alternative, and indie music styles. His was a solo act, yet he projected enough energy and personality to decently command the entire stage and crowd. Concert-goers, in fact, were somewhat devastated when it came time for Prince DCF to exit the stage after an acoustic version of “Misery Business” by Paramore, letting out an audible sigh as he departed.
DCF’s interesting style, mix of genres, and unique take on what is considered pop music all went well with what could only have been a Napoleonic-era Royal Navy Admiral’s Coat. Together with his stylish hairstyle and glasses, DCF exudes confidence and mirth as he DJs, sings, cracks jokes, and finds any other way to entertain a crowd. His performance was certainly a great ice breaker for the evening, though it did end on a relatively anticlimactic note.
Chase Atlantic
Next up was Chase Atlantic, a wonderful group visiting all the way from Australia; they likely chased the Pacific in this case, but everyone at The Marquee was certainly happy to see them. They instantly took over the stage and crowd, carrying the momentum over from DCF and further building fans up for Lights later in the evening. Their high energy was contagious, and they also shared a unique take on contemporary music, just as DCF had done before them. It would be difficult to say exactly what they sound like, but all alternative musicians seem to be elusive when it comes to absolute definition.
Due to their eclectic mix of sounds, it was easy for everyone in the crowd to join in on the fun. Lead singer Mitchel Cave, who first got his big start on the world stage by performing on X-Factor Australia, must have chugged several energy drinks prior to coming out, because he was moving at the speed of light all over the stage. He also seemed to love having the audience join him in the adventure, jumping down to join them briefly, before hopping back up on stage to hype everyone up even further. Chase Atlantic was definitely a great act to follow DCF with, and these boys made the transition into Lights’ scintillating performance a flawless one.
LIGHTS
Though the performances of Chase Atlantic and DCF were fantastic, some fans simply could not contain their excitement for the main act of the evening — Lights; in fact, one young fan was spotted running all over The Marquee, seemingly unable to contain her excitement. It was clear this was likely not her first time seeing Lights, and her excitement proved to be quite the harbinger of the incredible musical and visual adventure ahead.
Lights came out on stage after quite the setup time, but the wait was certainly well worth it. Immediately, fans were greeted by lead vocalist Lights Valerie Poxleitner’s silhouette in front of a massive screen; the bright, neon lights behind her perfectly symbolized the band’s name, and the hype and tension felt throughout the crowd instantly reached a breaking point. The buildup to her full visual reveal was palpable, and her glamorous, vogue-like poses as she sang in her spectral, ethereal form brought out the best fashion week vibes. Finally, she emerged from the darkness and into the light to a feverish sea of fans.
Lights performed in 3 major acts throughout the evening. During the first act, Poxleitner kept the energy from Chase Atlantic going, with some of their most exciting, upbeat songs. During this portion of the show, she asked the audience if anyone here has seen them live before. There was a resounding, screaming yes, with the majority of hands within the crowd immediately shooting up as high as they could go. She continued, clearly pleased by this reaction, explaining that they love coming back to Phoenix, and that their first time here was at The Nile (Nile Theater) over in Mesa, AZ back in 2008, where they performed with Copeland. They’ve been back many times, including to Warped Tour, and she stated, “Year after year, we keep coming back stronger.” For fans who missed out on this tour, I think it is safe to assume that Lights will surely be back soon.
As the mood seemed to chill out a bit, Poxleitner began a new discussion: “I wrote this song when I was going through a shitty time. Who’s been through a shitty time?” The oddly enthusiastic screams from the crowd were certainly clear answer enough; “We’ve all been through shitty times. Do you know what helps get us through it? Friendship, a little bit of wine, and music.” The crowd loved this strategy, and prior to performing “Face Up,” Poxleitner gave them further inspiration: “Your weaknesses become your strengths.” This phrase would certainly make a great tattoo.
“Your weaknesses become your strengths” – Lights
We Were Here Tour – Issue Two
After “Face Up,” Lights retreated off stage for a brief respite. During this time, Poxleitner displayed some of her artwork on the huge screen on stage. Since she is an artist and illustrator, it only made sense — we got to see some of her characters and settings from her Skin & Earth comic series, synonymous with Lights’ new album of the same name, which currently has 6 issues out for purchase. The images and scenes shown were quite similar to the trailer for Skin & Earth, which can be viewed here: https://youtu.be/FnbL7ZE4hmo
During this phase of the performance, Lights returned to the stage with a more somber attitude. The setup had changed during this short intermission as well — suddenly, there was a piano with lots of candles on top, helping to relax the mood even further. It was time for some calm, more acoustic songs. Poxleitner was back on stage in a new outfit, sporting an acoustic guitar. It was a pleasant change of pace, and it certainly kept the vibes fresh for the evening. It also made the grand finale that much more powerful.
After another quick break and some more stunning illustrations on the big screen, Lights was back on stage, and Poxleitner was sporting a third and final outfit. They brought back the high energy with a vengeance this time around, and Poxleitner joined the band with her own electric guitar. This guitar, she explained, represented her second character in her comic books, and it sported the beautiful Skin & Earth logo seen on stage, on the cover of her books, and all over her website and social media accounts — not to mention she also has it tattooed on her arm. She transitioned into her song “Running with the Boys” after this interesting discussion.
A highlight from this phase of the show was the video clips of Sailor Moon’s transformation and Street Fighter’s Chun Li pronouncing, “I am the strongest woman in the world!” playing in the background, which perfectly complemented the power behind Lights’ performance. Towards the end of this third act, Poxleitner brought up her song “We Were Here,” asking everyone, “When the song starts, do you hear waves or a storm?” The majority seemed to scream, “WAVES!” Poxleitner replied with, “Fuck. I always hear a storm.” She continued to discuss the music video for “We Were Here,” saying that she doesn’t recommend burning a bus, but that it was definitely a lot of fun: “Full disclosure — a pyrotech got to do it. But I got to throw the lighter.”
Bonus Issue – The Encore
Once more unto the breach, Lights came back on stage for a quick encore. They weren’t off stage long, likely because the crowd’s chants, screams, and claps were so demanding. Poxleitner picked the mic back up and asked, “Do you guys wanna hear another song?” Everyone, of course, responded with a loud “YES!” She replied, “Alright, so be it, but you guys gotta dance, and you gotta sing,” and the crowd certainly complied. To reward fans, Poxleitner jumped down into the crowd for a bit to give most people up front the best high-fives ever before jumping back on stage for a special surprise for Poxleitner’s sister.
Poxleitner pulled out her phone near the very end of the show and told everyone that it was her sister’s birthday. She wanted to get a video of herself singing “Happy Birthday” with everyone in the audience, so the lights lit the house up, and everyone sang along while she recorded. “I’ve never done one of these before!” she exclaimed after. Her sister certainly got the best little gift from that moment.
Overall, the Phoenix stop of Lights’ We Were Here Tour was an exhilarating experience for everyone, and it was clear the entire band had just as great of a time as the crowd. In fact, Poxleitner may have had the most fun of all — she truly seems to love what she does, and this shines through in her incredible displays of creativity. From the life-sized cardboard cutouts of her comic book character illustrations out in the lobby to the strange vegan pizza box introduction to some synthy song intro tunes, her contagious enthusiasm spread throughout Marquee Theatre and well beyond. This went well with her aura of power her music, and she herself exudes, in addition to her uplifting spirit. She is an inspiration in many ways — a true Renaissance Woman.
Prior to heading out for the evening, Poxleitner explained that Lights is part of Plus 1, a movement and organization that ensures $1 from every ticket sold for participating shows and artists goes to causes they believe in. Lights decided on GRID Alternatives, an organization that helps to bring solar power to places across the states. Poxleitner closed by stating we all need to “protect this little planet that we have… it’s all we got.” They left the stage to resounding cheers of joy, leaving everyone to their evenings with a little positive thinking and a lot of great memories.
(2014) and 
(2015). In 2015, their single, “Friends,” went viral and caught the attention of Good Charlotte’s Joel and Benji Madden, who signed them to their music company, MDDN.
