Ensphere
Tucson, Arizona, United States | Established. Jan 01, 2007 | INDIE
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To start a blog today is cathartic, at best. Our hometown heroes got knocked out of March Madness. I got in my car to head out to Eclipse, and I put on Eminem’s I Need a Doctor. WAIT – don’t give up on me yet, I know this is a rock blog, but someone needed to bring me back to life last night. All I can say is this show better rock my world, because my involvement in the music scene lately has left a lot to be desired, but I’ll save that for another story.
This is my first time checking out Eclipse. My thoughts on the venue are as follows, pretty much in this order. Door guy, interesting – I’m a fan of door girls, but again, that can be another story. The place is clean, the bartenders are friendly (and one has some AMAZING ink!), and my drink was just the right ratio of vodka to cranberry.
Drink prices and drink specials seemed more than reasonable. The sound was spot on for the venue, it wasn’t overkill, and visuals were impressive. I think my favorite part about this spot so far is there were no overwhelming creepers that I noticed, and I am a huge fan of that!
So, let’s cut the crap and get to what you really want to hear about – THE BANDS! Ensphere was wrapping up their first set as I got there, but I managed to catch 2 songs before Finding Clarity had their interlude. Ensphere. Is. Amazing! Walking in to see this band on stage was visually mind blowing. They are more than musicians, they are artists.
I couldn’t help being drawn to the young female band member. When I was 15, I wanted to be just like Courtney Love. I wanted to own a pink glitter guitar and be a fucking rock star. Sadly, I am aging myself more than I’d like to with that statement, and I can assure you that my life is anything but that of a rock star nowadays. I felt captured by her, I felt like I could live vicariously through her. One of the things I loved the most about sitting back and taking this band in is that they are not individuals, they work seamlessly as a unit. Their performance was so solid that it is obvious they’ve been together for years.
Ensphere isn’t necessarily my style. They are a little harder and more hypnotic than I could jam out to in the car. I like to roll the windows down and turn the music up. As they were setting up for their second set, the crowd was doing what crowds do when they wait. Getting drinks, bullshitting, and laughing at the douchebag bugging your friend that doesn’t realize that name dropping is SO last year. And then Ensphere started. Instantaneously, the crowd was captivated. Just when I thought I had a good sense of the style they were rockin, the chick picked up a viola and blew my mind. As I sat wondering what was in store next, I thought to myself, “Wow, I wonder what song this band would pick to cover if they were to do a cover song?” And the next song was a Jimmy Page song, if I recall correctly. Keep it up Enshpere and you will have a dedicated follower out of me, just to see what surprises you have for me next. As a side note, I love the merch – I can honestly say I don’t think I’ve ever seen a band sell panties before.
Finding Clarity. Right off the bat, I love the name. The band is young, I instantly identify them as a bit more my style, a bit pop-y and a little more upbeat. I could rock this in my car. The first song rocked my world – just as I thought it was ending, they switched it up for the end of the song. I turned to my friend and I said, “Wow, that was awesome!” The ballady love song reminded me of so many ballady love songs from so many bands that I love, but it left me wanting more. The song the band identified as their newest song was nothing short of pure fun. I think overall as a whole you can tell this band is young, this can be seen on stage as a stiffness in their performance. By no means am I calling it bad, but some things come in time, and the only way to achieve the seamless look that Ensphere has is to play, play and play some more. I look forward to seeing these guys (and lovely lady) play again. I think these up and comers have a TON of potential, the transitions in between songs were amazing. Plus the lead guitarist was rockin a Story of the Year shirt, what’s not to love about that?
I’m still feeling super-emo about the basketball game, but the show was a hell of a distraction. Some final thoughts as the night came to a close. The visuals were aesthetically pleasing, but I’m wondering what’s up with the Twin Towers images that were shown on the screens as the bands played? Someone said during their set, “That’s what she said!” I have a sophomoric sense of humor, but that is one of the funniest yet most misunderstood jokes of all times, and it never gets old! And last, but certainly not least; what does this venue do during the rest of the week? I’m dying to find out! - BScene Live
As we sit on dumpster-dived interior seating in a school bus bought for $1,300 form a TUSD auction, the four young, articulate members of Ensphere describe their genre. It's dark, hypnotic art rock, progressive, experimental metal rock, art metal, hand made music.
"We don't know," they all pause, and laugh. "We are a work of performance art," said drummer Michael Ludovici. Members also include singer Randall Swindell, Ryan Stertz (guitar, bass) and Serena Rose (viola, bass, cello, hammered dulcimer).
Currently working on its first full-length album, the group of industrialists rock a do-it-yourself style; producing their own silk-screened merchandise, CDs, tour bus and most recently, a performance platform, The Plexus.
"We kind of fell oppressed from the emphasis on being consumers," Swindell said. "Our music is geared towards being creators rather than consumers."
The band's music and stage presence is influenced by a deep psychological look at the human psyche, describing the music as an outlet for internal healing. Shows are accompanied by various mediums of visual stimuli - including attire, sound sensitive visual projections and stage theatrics.
Upcoming excitement includes its first tour this summer, travelling through California, Oregon, Nevada and New Mexico. Back in Arizona, Ensphere will compose and perform the score for this year's All Souls Procession finale.
On Friday, March 5, Ensphere performs with Alter Der Ruine and Blind Divine at Plush, 340 E. 6th St. Check out EnsphereMusic.com or YouTube the August 1 show at The Plexus for a virtual experience of its unique sound, style and theatrics. - Zocalo Magazine
All the way from Tucson, Arizona touring through Vashon Island, Ensphere makes a stop at Sporty's Friday, August 6 at 8pm.
Ensphere is a Music PROJECT mainly comprised of Five artist (Randall Swindell, Michael Ludovici, Dillon McCallum, Ryan Stertz, and Serena Rose) while also including videographers, photographers, and various other performance artists whom play a significant role in Ensphere's aesthetic and live production. Ensphere is a multi-media PROJECT. To PROJECT something is to produce a clear impression of one's thoughts, personality, role, vision, etc. in an audience; communicating clearly and forcefully.
The mission is to Inspire- Using our music as a vehicle to transport the listener/viewer through an emotional landscape that ranges widely. There are many intentions, pushing the envelope of performance art through the implementatin of video projection, physical theatre, fire dance, sculpture, and endless resources.
At Sporty's, Friday, August 6, at 8pm
17611 Vashon Hwy - 206-463-0940 - The Vashon Loop
Discography
| Album - "Corpuscle"
| Type - Studio LP
| Released - July 9th, 2010
| Tracks - "Intro", "The Premonition", "To The Aboulic", "With Love", "Levity", "Hyleg", "Glow", "Prism", "Siliceous", "There Is A Way", "Cadence", "Aurora"
Photos
Bio
Born in Tucson AZ, Randall took to music before hitting double digits, by teaching himself to play the drums after breaking his back, and finding himself unable to do much more than anything but sit. Being left to his thoughts, he found himself with an urge for music, and rhythm. As children are quick to heal, he was quick to learn. He started his very own rock band by the name of “ENSPHERE”.
Passion for music, unstoppable drive, and self disciplined, Randall mastered the drums. Rhythm was second nature to him so he quickly moved onto many other instruments, but was still hungry for more. Randall dove into song writing, and concentrated on vocal and guitar technique. While “ENSPHERE”, grew so did Randall and his curiosity. The logical thought for him was to explore any and all other art forms he could get himself in front of and into. While maintaining his rock band, “ENSPHERE”, writing music for himself and his band members, he moved quickly in the art and entertainment world.
By High School, Randall ventured out and found the need to go to an outside source for training, and attended Tucson High Arts Magnet School, and studied Art History, Painting, and learned as well to be an “Arena Rigger”, and began excelling further in the entertainment industry. His Father Todd Swindell, also is due credit as he was a director in the film industry, yet, Randall, always seemed to push forward into other art forms that he wasn’t exposed to with an insatiable appetite. At 17 yrs of age he found himself introduced into a pyrotechnic theatrical group, by the name of Flam Chen.
While only 17, he took on the extensive training with Flam Chen, and learned not only fire eating but also spinning, acrobatic stilting, dance technique, technical stage lighting, production design, conceptual execution, construction and rigging applications. He worked vigorously along side of Flam Chen from 2004 until 2009, all while maintaining and cultivating his band, “ENSPHERE”. By the end of 2009 Randall found himself with more demand for “ENSPHERE”, and the fan base, they accumulated, that he and the band went on to tour around the country in 2010 and 2011.
“ENSPHERE”, (Randall’s, passion and soul he nursed throughout most of his life) headlined the “All Souls Procession, and had the honor, excitement, and exhilaration of preforming in front of 20,000 people. “ENSHERE”, and “Flam Chen”, blazed brightly together and captivated a great audience and many fans, birthing “ELECTROPOLIS”, an industrial rock opera. While this was all very exciting, Randall became intrigued as he matured to learn an entirely different side of the business, and found a need and a new interest in a growing business savvy with “Digital Vibe Entertainment”, where he continues on as part owner.
Randall maintains great relations with his continuing musical career with “ENSPHERE”, has begun his solo career, continues to excel with growing “Digital Vibe Entertainment”, and also works with “Rhino Staging”. He has an unsurpassed knowledge for the entertainment industry and an unsurpassed passion for music as well. His work ethic presents him as an asset to everything he touches. His passion, enthusiasm, kindness, and drive propels him forward generating a continuance in creating beauty, and professionalism in performance art for all to see and experience.
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