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ENTERTAINMENT
Midnight to Twelve reaping rewards of work ethic
The rock band Midnight to Twelve is one of the national acts that will be performing at this year's X Fest at Harris Riverfront Park.
Purchase this photoHUNTINGTON -- When you're trying to build a band, it's hard to get folks to listen and even tougher to get people to believe.
It kind of helps when your work ethic is your name and it's tattooed on your selves and your life. That name is Midnight to Twelve.
Midnight to Twelve, the L.A.-based modern rock unit that's named after its sweat-earned work ethic and not round-the-clock partying, gives the Tri-State its first live taste as the band is one of nearly a dozen acts booked for the 12th annual X-Fest that takes place Saturday, Sept. 6, at Harris Riverfront Park.
Tickets are $30 in advance and $45 the day of show.
Gates will open at 1 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 6.
Bassist Al Baca said the band -- Jon Hartman (vocals), Steve Oliver (keyboards), Daniel Jordan (guitar) and Drew Molleur (drums) -- has been working overtime this summer touring the states and sharing the music off the band's self-titled CD. The CD was released July 22 on JKH Entertainment (through Koch distribution).
"We've got four years under the belt as a touring act, but this summer is our, like, break-through summer, and we're getting to share the opportunity with so many national acts," Baca said. "We're not an overnight success but definitely this year, everything is moving quickly and we're together on the road getting to reap some of the fruit of our labors."
Baca said the band, which has opened for such acts as Buckcherry, Jimmy Eat World, Evanescence, Joan Jett and Saliva, is stoked to be out this summer chalking up some big dates and at a whole slew of rock festivals.
"For us, it is the ultimate reward," Baca said. "We pride ourselves to be connected with fans, and we're all music lovers in general. We're out all day in the audience and connecting and hanging out with the fans. We love those things. It's such a cool feeling when everybody's celebrating music, and for us, getting to see the other bands is great because we're as big of fans as anybody in the audience."
Baca said they're really looking forward to X Fest and to see some of that summer heat in the rear view mirror.
"It's been absolutely wonderful, and really some of our biggest challenges has just been the heat," Baca said of getting a little warped at the well-named tour. "When we did the Warped Tour in Phoenix, it was 118 on black asphalt. We got the last slot and there was like 12,500 people there, but spending a full day in 118 degree temps took its roll. But really, this summer couldn't be any better."
If the band is feeling good about itself, in spite of melting in the heat, there is good reason.
The group, that chalked up 13,000 previous indie-made recordings, got the supreme hook-up for its label debut as it trekked up to Weed, Calif., and RadioStar Studios (located in a 1920s-era theater) to work with the famed producer Sylvia Massy Shivy (Tool, Deftones, Tom Petty, Johnny Cash) and Rich Veltrop.
The duo amply accentuates the band's melodic blasts of radio rockers ("How Bad," "Burnin'," "Contain It"), soaring, pop-savvy melodies ("Good Morning Again," "Slam") and everything in between ("Rhyme or Reason," "Future").
Baca said they're forever grateful to have Shivy in their corner and behind the group's first big project.
"She's just a wonderful, amazing person who is at the top of her game in her work," he said. "Being able to work with her, we all really bonded and have a real relationship with her. She calls in and checks in with us on the road. She's really pulling for all the best for us and really opened our eyes to so many things in the process of writing, recording and arranging."
Interestingly, Shivy gives the band some supreme props by saying that almost every band could take a page from Midnight to Twelve for its focus and work ethic.
An ethic that has already paid off for the band the last few years as it scored the single "Slam," on WB Network show "One Tree Hill" and the song "How Bad" in the NHL's Stanley Cup highlight reel.
When "Slam" appeared on the show, the band jumped on the 15 minutes of fame by jumping on the show's Web site and bulletin board and telling fans they would send them the CD single for free.
In just one night, 600 people e-mailed the band saying they wanted the CD, and Baca blew his whole paycheck on postage to mail out CDs that next morning.
"That was four years ago, and we haven't stopped touring since," Baca said. "... Midnight to Twelve has become more than the band's name between us, and even the fans have adopted it as a philosophy. It really is about people pursuing their dreams with great passion, and Midnight to Twelve is what it entails. It's a never-ending cycle, and it's a thought process that it's what you need to do to achieve anything that you want to."
Check out Midnight to Twelve lead singer Jon Hartman's microblog on ww.twitter.com/m212 and check out the band's newly re-designed myspace page www.myspace.com/m212live.
Here's a look at the upcoming 12th annual X-Fest, hosted by X-106.3-FM, WAMX-FM.
WHAT: X Fest, a day-long music fest featuring all types of hardcore, heavy metal and modern rock acts both regionally and nationally.
WHEN: Gates will open at 1 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 6.
MAIN STAGE: Avenged Sevenfold, Shadows Fall, Pop Evil, Egypt Central, Another Black Day and Midnight to Twelve.
LOUD AND LOCAL STAGE: Budweiser Loud and Local Stage will be X Factor 1 (Columbus, Ohio), PI (Ironton, Ohio), Bud Carroll & the Southern Souls (Huntington), Downtrend (Pikeville, Ky.) and Stitch Rivet (Bloody Creek, Ky.).
HOW MUCH: Tickets are $30 in advance and $45 day of show.
GET TIX: At all Ticketmaster outlets including the Big Sandy Superstore Arena Box Office.
PIT PASSES: Also, a limited number of Pit Passes will be available in advance for $45 at the arena box office at 1 Civic Center Plaza, Huntington or by calling 304-696-4400.
ON THE WEB: Go online at www.x1063.com.
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