Tag Archives: MRCH

REVIEW: MRCH Was Something Beautiful for Their “Reactions” Album Release Party at Valley Bar 10-14-17

PHOENIXElectronic indie pop duo MRCH did not disappoint as they rocked out with the crowd at their album release party at Valley Bar on Saturday night. MRCH (pronounced “march”) filled the venue with aesthetically pleasing visuals and entrancing music. Drummer Jesse Pangburn’s, sparkly silver drum kit and Vocalist/Guitarist/Synthist Mickey Pangburn’s black sparkly dress added to the October atmosphere and the band’s image.

MRCH,  Photo Credit: Dale Hurt © All Rights Reserved

Mickey Pangburn gave off Stevie Nicks vibes with her 70s inspired outfit which incorporated red velvet boots. At one point, she took off her boots, showing how comfortable she was with the crowd.

Heavy drums and synthesizer are the duo’s signature sound. One might consider some of their sound to be like a cross of Phoenix locals Vial of Sound, and The Birthday Massacre. Jesse Pangburn played the drums with seemingly effortless power and precision. Many times during the set, Mickey would ask the sound person to ease up on the drums due to the strong beats.

Jesse Pangburn (Drummer) – MRCH, Photo Credit: Dale Hurt © All Rights Reserved

One of their songs “Spooky”, the title lived up to its name, had a strong bass feel that even made the ground shake. Mickey’s vocals were fittingly haunting, and the song would’ve made an excellent soundtrack for those donning costumes for early Halloween celebrations outside the venue in downtown Phoenix.

Mickey incorporated guitar into some songs, often playing catchy riffs such as those in “Spin” and “Dark Days + Disco”.

Mickey Pangburn (Vocalist/Guitarist/Synthist) – MRCH
Photo Credit: Dale Hurt © All Rights Reserved

The duo paid a lot of attention to details in organizing the whole concert experience. They focused not only on their music, but also on the lighting and visuals. Green, blue, red, purple, pink and white lights cast over a background of white sheets added extra effect to their show setting the mood for the song.

Mickey Pangburn (Vocalist/Guitarist/Synthist) – MRCH
Photo Credit:
Dale Hurt © All Rights Reserved

Their visuals were just as amazing as their stage presence and musicianship. With a geometric theme, triangles and lines differed in shapes and colors varied per each song. Just as with lighting, their visuals helped make their songs and added to their meaning.

Mickey’s vocals were truly enchanting and transported the audience to another time in such songs as “Something Beautiful”,  “Spin” and “We Are the Strange Ones”.

Mickey Pangburn (Vocalist/Guitarist/Synthist) – MRCH
Photo Credit:
Dale Hurt © All Rights Reserved

Mickey also really engaged with the crowd, making silly jokes during stage banter. At one point a girl in the crowd asked for her number, and Mickey playfully asked if she was referring to her favorite number. The crowd was completely invested into the duo as they danced and enjoyed themselves as the night went on. Mickey was also having fun and dancing while singing and moving across the stage when she wasn’t playing guitar or her synthesizer.

MRCH’s cover of Metric’s “Black Sheep” from Scott Pilgrim vs. The World was clearly a crowd-pleaser; amping up the power with strong vocals and crashing drums.

At the end of the set, if fans had a wristband, they received a free CD of their new album Reactions. This was a kind gesture from MRCH that seemed to be their ‘thank you’ for supporting them, and the audience was grateful to the band in return.

MRCH is certainly a local band in Phoenix who you won’t want to miss! Follow them on their Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook to find out more about their future tour plans.

Also check out our interview with the duo to find out more about MRCH!

Photo Album

Photographer: Dale Hurt

MRCH “Reactions” Album Release – Valley Bar 10-14-17

Photography © Dale Hurt. All Rights Reserved

INTERVIEW: Reactions with MRCH from Phoenix!

MRCH is releasing their debut album Reactions on October 12. The duo consists of Mickey Pangburn (Vocalist/Guitarist/Synth), and drummer Jesse Pangburn. Many of their songs have been featured in television shows, such as The Vampire Diaries and Famous in Love.

To celebrate the release of their album, the duo is having an album release show (also their first headline show) at Valley Bar on October 14. Come and party with the indie electronic duo!

Mickey Pangburn tells us more about the duo, their music, plans for a tour, and more in their email interview below…

Tell us about your band name, MRCH… How did you come up with it? Does it have any special meaning?

It’s pronounced like ‘march’. When people march, they have purpose. When people march together, they have a common goal. They step together. We wanted a name that showed we were in music for the long haul. For better or for worse, on the same page. We dropped the “A” because people kept coming across ‘marching bands’ when they’d do a google search of us!

What did you most enjoy about the process of making your new album, Reactions?

The playing. We had no one to answer to, so we could just try out whatever we wanted. The hardest part is calling something ‘done’… We’re already writing more though, so it’s become a vicious cycle.

When you aren’t making music or performing, what do you both enjoy doing in your free time?

Jesse likes eating street tacos. I like hanging with my cats.

Are there any plans for MRCH to embark on a tour following the album release party at Valley Bar on October 14?

LA is next up. Details coming soon on that. Then, yes – touring! We probably shouldn’t hold our breath for Bleachers to invite us along with them… So, we’ll be booking DIY. Dates coming soon, hopefully up through the spring.

Have either of you toured before?

Yep!

Do you know or speak any other languages?

We wish… I like to dream of being fluent in French.

MRCH formed in 2015, and the two of you were previously members of a local band named The Prowling Kind. What was the motivation to go from a five piece band, to a duo?

Scheduling and goals. It’s hard to wrangle 5 different people/opinions/lives – into sharing a common goal and agreeing on a means of reaching said goal. We kinda had to re-set, so everyone could do what was best for them. MRCH is a totally different animal than TPK musically speaking too.

Did your previous experience in the local music scene boost your success in MRCH, or did it feel like a clean slate?

We felt like we learned so much playing with TPK. Jesse and I went to school for music, but felt like Prowling Kind was kind of like an internship. We booked our first tours, got introduced to the local scene, dealt with the business side of things. So there was a lot we were grateful for from that season. However, MRCH is so different in both sound and vibe that the crossover was minimal. We never made it a goal to ‘take’ Prowling Kind fans. We hoped they’d like MRCH too, but it was a mixed bag of responses. MRCH really felt like starting over. It felt like a clean slate.

Have the Phoenix music and art communities influenced your music and image?

The Phoenix music scene has been really supportive. The thing we appreciate most about it, is really how little they influence our sound or image. There’s such an eclectic and diverse spectrum of artists, we don’t feel inclined to be much like anybody else. We never feel like we’re expected to fit in a particularly Phoenix mold. There’s room to explore here. There’s a lot of freedom.

Name some of your favorite local bands or artists:

There are a bunch, but some are : PAO, Bogan Via, Harper and the Moths,The Technicolors, The Darts, Hex Marrow & House of Stairs.  

How has the exposure of your songs on multiple television series helped promote your music?

There’s definitely a broader audience. Showtime, ABC & Netflix have completely different demographics – which is cool. Mostly, it’s allowed us to pursue music more full-time, which is huge. We’re super grateful for this avenue of music in film and television. Someday, it’d be a dream to score something. *sigh*

Anything else you want us to know?

We’re so excited to be playing. Especially this release show! It’s our very first time headlining and we’re working hard to make it extra special.

Do you have a message for your fans coming to the release show?

Come ready to dance!

MRCH Reactions Album Release Party 10-14-17

REVIEW: Phoenix Rises Again for CHVRCHES’ Highly-Anticipated Return (10-6-16)

TEMPE, Ariz. — Fans of Scottish synthpop / indietronica band CHVRCHES have been saving their tickets since the April show, when Martin Doherty charismatically fronted three songs before the trio had to cut their performance short unexpectedly. The group returned with an overwhelming response this past Thursday, selling out their second show at Tempe’s Marquee Theatre within six months. Frontwoman Lauren Mayberry announced last minute openers Thursday afternoon, adding local indie-electronic duo MRCH to the lineup.

MRCH - Photo Credit: Katherine Amy Vega
Mickey Pangburn, MRCH © Kataklizmic Design
Photo Credit: Katherine Amy Vega

MRCH took the stage at 8 p.m sharp, greeting fans through a haze of vibrant blue-green lights. “We are very excited to be here!” vocalist Mickey announced. “My last time at the Marquee was to see Bone Thugs-N-Harmony,” she added through smiles. Mickey radiated an energy similar to that of Debbie Harry while energetically serenading the audience with romantic, electronically-infused vocals — although the synth and percussion were a bit overpowering, making the quality of her performance difficult to hear at times. Towards the end of their set, MRCH won over the crowd with an effervescent performance of Blondie’s ‘Heart of Glass,’ showcasing Mickey’s unique, vintage pop sound.

CHVRCHES - Photo Credit: Katherine Amy Vega
CHVRCHES © Kataklizmic Design
Photo Credit: Katherine Amy Vega

CHVRCHES wasted no time getting started, drenching the audience in a mesmerizing, strobe-like display of geometric white light and signature esoteric beats. The crowd erupted as silhouettes of Iain Cook, Martin and Lauren marched across the stage, kicking off their performance with a throwback to the April show  — “Never Ending Circles,” the first track from their latest album Every Open Eye. The group immediately engaged listeners with a few fast-tempo favorites and of course, Iain’s electrifying dance moves behind the keyboard.

CHVRCHES - Photo Credit: Katherine Amy Vega
Iain Cook, CHVRCHES © Kataklizmic Design
Photo Credit: Katherine Amy Vega

As the audience sang along Lauren’s voice cut in, “We return to the scene of the crime!” The audience responded in applause once again. “Thank you for coming back to see CHVRCHES! I know many of you came to see us many months ago, but things didn’t go as planned,” she continued, struggling to untangle a mic cord at her feet. “Much like this,” she joked. “But this  — this I can deal with.”

She went on to give an electrifying performance before handing the mic over to bandmate Martin for “High Enough To Carry You Over” and “Under The Tide,” a nostalgic selection considering the band’s courageous performance last April, in which they continued without Lauren in order to satisfy their fans. Lauren did re-appear at the end of their shortened set during the April show, fighting extreme illness in order to give fans one final song.

The band’s dedication to their fans was not lost on the people of Phoenix. Lauren’s hypnotic stage presence combined with an impeccable sixteen track set list Thursday night colluded seamlessly with the crowd’s energy, truly making this heightened performance one for the books. CHVRCHES left the stage on a high note, leaving the audience excited and hungry for more. Spectators spottily chanted “One more song! One more song,” lingering to see if the band might continue.

CHVRCHES - Photo Credit: Katherine Amy Vega
Lauren Mayberry, CHVRCHES © Kataklizmic Design
Photo Credit: Katherine Amy Vega

Suddenly Lauren took the stage once again, stepping forward to address the crowd. “I’m not trying to make you guys jealous,” she said coyly, “but I am going to see Beyonce tomorrow and I’ve got to make it all the way back to the east coast. So, we are going to play you a couple more songs.” The crowd exploded in ecstasy once again, vibrating the floor of the venue as they began to fist pump along to “Afterglow.”

At this point, the group had now performed more than double their set list from last April, and continued to pour their souls into each track making for an unforgettable display of commitment to their fans. Lauren paused, holding Martin’s drumsticks in a crisscross formation above her head as the crowd roared, begging to hear the final song of the night. CHVRCHES then concluded things with their timeless hit, “The Mother We Share” from album The Bones of What You Believe, drawing on the communal energy exhibited during the April show one last time.

Their show Thursday night was more than high enough to carry us over. In fact, we think it’s safe to say this was one of CHVRCHES’ most impressive performances to date.

PHOTO ALBUM
by Katherine Amy Vega

CHVRCHES & MRCH – Marquee Theatre 10-6-16

Photography © Katherine Amy Vega, Kataklizmic Design
All Rights Reserved.