In 2004, the hardcore band known as Vanna, emerged from Boston, MA. Currently made up by lead vocalist, Davey Muise, clean vocalist and lead guitarist, Joel Pastuszak, rhythm guitarist, Nicholas Lambert, bassist, Shawn Marquis, and drummer, Seamus Menihane. They are growing more each day, especially after releasing their newest album, All Hell. Vanna’s Warped Tour performances in New England were a big deal, but their hometown show in Mansfield, MA, was even bigger. Muise spoke about his experiences at Warped Tour and how much the event means to those attending. He was overwhelmed with excitement for the hometown show and the whole band did not let the rowdy crowd down.
You just came out with your new album, All Hell, what has the response to that been like?
Overwhelming. I can’t really believe in such little bit of time, kids have picked up the record and just dedicated themselves to it. We decided to start selling it day one of Warped Tour, so about two weeks before it came out we started selling it. Everyday more and more on Twitter and Instagram and everything else, there are more and more responses, and everyday more and more kids singing along to the two songs from it we are playing. Now it’s out and very overwhelming and so far out best selling record, and I’m like super proud of it.
I am definitely a huge fan of it.
Thank you very much, I personally am a very huge fan of it.
How does it feel playing at your hometown show today?
I could barely sleep last night. It happens every time, barely sleep, all my friends and family are here, wives, kids, everyone’s here today. I just wanna play, I’m shaking, I gotta eat, I forgot to eat this morning. I’m just too excited. It’s not just our immediate friends and family that our here, it’s New England, everyone here has just been here since day one and have never ever turned their backs and have always been there for us and supporting us, so it’s gonna be a good one today.
I was at the Connecticut show and…
That was wild. Connecticut is like an extension of home. We consider ourselves from New England and ya, Connecticut was mind blowing. So I’m hoping today, I’m gonna try to tell them how good Connecticut was and say you guys gotta top that.
So have you seen any really crazy things at Warped Tour so far, between in your crowd or just walking around and things catch your eye?
(laughs) I saw a guy drop his pants and get naked and defecated all over the ground and peed himself. There are so many pictures of him floating around. Seeing that which was pretty weird and out of the ordinary. Other than that it’s a pretty typical Warped Tour. Bands are amazing, crowds are huge, kids are sleeping under trees, you know the normal Warped Tour day.
Is there one thing you do, or Vanna as a whole, do before you go on stage?
We kinda just kick it, joke back stage and keep it very light. We all put our hands in and have something we salute in for the day. Depending on where we are and what’s going on, we’ll salute something for the day. I get inside my own head and try to just think about all the songs we are gonna play, think about what they mean, and then we just get up on stage and rip it. I sing and scream in a band so there is not much for me to prepare myself with. I have done vocal prep and stuff but at this point I just get up there.
Do you ever get nervous still, or are you just like I’m a pro at this?
No, I’m nervous the whole time. I get nervous up until I turn the corner and see the crowd, but I’m a wreck until then. I mean this is my love, the thing I love the most in the world.
If you could describe Warped in one sentence, what would it be?
Honestly, for real, and I’m not being corny about this, it is the day you’ve waited all year for. I used to go to Warped Tour every single year from twelve years old to twenty-one years old. I played my first Warped Tour when i was twenty-four and man I waited for that day all year, the second week of July, I planned my whole life around that. And when you come here, each city we come in, each one is special. We generally do the same stuff, but each city is special because I know these kids have been planning and saving their money to come here to just get wild. It’s the day you’ve been waiting all year for.
You must be logged in to post a comment.