LIFTOFF
Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada | INDIE
Music
Press
...It's a tough challenge no matter how you approach it. After an initial nationwide American radio campaign earlier this year the Vancouver band... - North Shore News
...It's a tough challenge no matter how you approach it. After an initial nationwide American radio campaign earlier this year the Vancouver band... - North Shore News
Lift-Off has an alternative sound that is both deep and energetic, like early Green Day with a hint of a heavier Metallica. Their appeal is indescribable, and will keep the audience moving and drawn to the stage. - Danica Stewart, toronto Rock Music Examiner
Lift-Off has an alternative sound that is both deep and energetic, like early Green Day with a hint of a heavier Metallica. Their appeal is indescribable, and will keep the audience moving and drawn to the stage. - Danica Stewart, toronto Rock Music Examiner
The last band stole the show though. Straight up. Liftoff took things up a whole level. Just stage charisma. Super catchy lyrics and melodies, I found myself singing them after just hearing them once. They had a very Greenday sound which a lot of original flare. An amazing voice, totally on pitch, amazing tone, and lots of emotion. Great harmonies at the perfect times to really add to the songs. Very solid band! The whole band just had so much life and energy through their whole set. I was sad to hear their last song of the night. Go check out this band!
- Hammer Records
The last band stole the show though. Straight up. Liftoff took things up a whole level. Just stage charisma. Super catchy lyrics and melodies, I found myself singing them after just hearing them once. They had a very Greenday sound which a lot of original flare. An amazing voice, totally on pitch, amazing tone, and lots of emotion. Great harmonies at the perfect times to really add to the songs. Very solid band! The whole band just had so much life and energy through their whole set. I was sad to hear their last song of the night. Go check out this band!
- Hammer Records
What: Alternative Rock
Where: Vancouver, BC
Visit: www.liftoffnet.com
Liftoff might not be big on self promotion (their website offers little in the way of biographical information) but that works fine because they don’t seem like the kind of band that’s too caught up in maintaining a website or writing one-sheets anyways. In fact, it took a trip to their Bandcamp page to discover that their upcoming Naked LP is their third full-length since they debuted with a two-song EP in 2000.
These British Columbians boast an alternative mainstream rock sound that sounds akin to a more rock-oriented Green Day (vocalist Carmon Leeson is a dead ringer for Billie Joe Armstrong) or an older Simple Plan while at the same time harnessing the alt-rock fashions of mid-’90s Canadian alternative rock.
Liftoff might spread themselves a little thin trying to pack variety (or eligible singles) into their releases, but standouts such as “Falling Apart” and “All Alone” are excellent testament to the fact that, if they stick to the up-tempo numbers, they’re going to get somewhere.
- Canadian Musician magazine
What: Alternative Rock
Where: Vancouver, BC
Visit: www.liftoffnet.com
Liftoff might not be big on self promotion (their website offers little in the way of biographical information) but that works fine because they don’t seem like the kind of band that’s too caught up in maintaining a website or writing one-sheets anyways. In fact, it took a trip to their Bandcamp page to discover that their upcoming Naked LP is their third full-length since they debuted with a two-song EP in 2000.
These British Columbians boast an alternative mainstream rock sound that sounds akin to a more rock-oriented Green Day (vocalist Carmon Leeson is a dead ringer for Billie Joe Armstrong) or an older Simple Plan while at the same time harnessing the alt-rock fashions of mid-’90s Canadian alternative rock.
Liftoff might spread themselves a little thin trying to pack variety (or eligible singles) into their releases, but standouts such as “Falling Apart” and “All Alone” are excellent testament to the fact that, if they stick to the up-tempo numbers, they’re going to get somewhere.
- Canadian Musician magazine
— Liftoff, Joe's Apartment (919 Granville St., Vancouver) July 9.
With Summer Live's free gigs at Stanley Park and the Back Street Boys/New Kids on the Block tour stop at Rogers Arena, entertainment options were spread pretty thin on Saturday night however the newest kids on the block, Liftoff, still managed to draw a rowdy crowd to Joe's Apartment.
The five-piece band has only played four shows this summer with their current line up but you wouldn't be able to tell that from the polished set of all-original material they played at Joe's.
The band (featuring stomping Carmon Leeson on lead vocals, North Vancouver's Gord Gemmell on guitars and vocals, Sean Brennan on Guitars, Shane Recsky on drums and Marc Boily on bass and vocals) have been honing their sound in the studio for some time and have hit Vancouver's club scene ready to rock.
Leeson is the perfect frontman for Liftoff. He usually can be found at the lip of the stage working the audience to show some emotion. His in-your-face approach is textbook rock’n’roll practised by the likes of Robert Plant and Steven Tyler back in the day. The point is to get a reaction from the audience and Leeson is a natural for that job.
Gemmell supplies killer guitar licks with many of their songs starting off with his riffs leading the band into the songs. Brit-rock influences the overall sound but everything has been filtered through their own sensibilities into something new. They are building their songs for much bigger venues so it was a lot of fun to hear them early on in a small club space.
Most of the tunes performed on Saturday night were recorded in HD video and posted to YouTube with in 24 hours. Liftoff have already put together a strong set of tunes for an album and they went through most of them live. Songs such as "Can't Get You Out of My Mind," "Masquerade" and their first single "The Best" sound like they are ready to be documented in the studio. A video of "The Best" periodically played on screens set up around Joe's with the band saving their live version of the song until near the end of the set.
Already a good band, Liftoff have infinite potential.
For more information on the band go to www.reverbnation.com/liftoffnet or check out YouTube for their latest videos.
Read more: http://www.nsnews.com/entertainment/Liftoff+save+Best+last/5083736/story.html#ixzz1a7UFRPmt - By John Goodman, North Shore News
Discography
So Familar SINGLE 2000
Gen-X SINGLE 2002
Status Incoherent EP (2002)
Falling Apart SINGLE (2011) from Album "Naked"
The Best SINGLE (2011) from Album "Naked"
Naked EP Jan 2012
"Hollywood" LP (Dec 2012)
Photos
Bio
Liftoff is a big-sound, high-energy alternative band that lives up to its name! Their charisma, catchy beats, driving guitar riffs, and powerful vocals will boost your rockets and raise the roof! They have a huge Rock/Pop bent dusted with a cool Punk edge, and while the band members have some collective mileage under their black leather belts and silver chains, their songs are fresh, sometimes irr
everent, and timelessly young. Their penchant for black eyeliner hints at their sense of emotive lyrics, yet belies the solid Alt-Rock foundation on which the band was built. This is not your father’s hair band, but if you’re into the unique sound of The Cure, My Chemical Romance and The Killers, then Liftoff is for you. With a knack for connecting with their audiences, Liftoff’s cheeky attitude, penetrating music and meaningful lyrics will get you dancing, smiling and maybe even up on stage!
The genesis of Liftoff began in 2010 when they exploded onto the Vancouver alternative scene with a powerfully melodic set of original songs that resonate with the times. They speak to a generation of indie band lovers with their relatable lyrics and stars in their eyes.
Influenced by big dreams, insightful observation, communication breakdown, lovers lost, and inspiration gained, Liftoff’s members have weathered the storms and transformed with the times of their lives. They sing about what they have experienced, how they feel about it, and moving onward and upward... And moving on they are. Big time.
Lead guitarist, Gord Gemmell, bassist, Marc Boily, and drummer, Shane Recsky, formed together to create Liftoff, adding rhythm guitarist, Michael Aaron Keith, and talented lead singer Carmon Leeson, formerly of Morning Maker, to front the band. Leeson lends a massive amount of magnetism to the group as he belts out the pulsing tunes with pure passion and commanding megaphone antics, and is hugely entertaining as he struts and marches around the stage like a ringmaster, drawing the audience up close with persuasive beckoning and his high-wattage smile.
Liftoff is a favorite at both big stage music festivals, and intimate venues alike. The Summer of 2012 saw the success of Liftoff’s US West Coast tour which began in Portland, a performance at the Sunset Strip Festival, along the coast, and ultimately landed back in L.A. for gigs at the famous Roxy and Key Club. The band will be heading South this March for their 3rd US tour, returning to perform several dates in Austin, Texas, for the South By Southwest Festival, where they rocked it in Spring 2011.
Currently in studio recording more tracks for their new EP album, Liftoff once again is proving that pouring heart and soul into words and music translates into the poignant, compelling lyrics and the potent, full-throttle vibe that Liftoff is known for. In the works is a 30-minute behind-the-scenes film which documents the band on tour, while a third music video is imminent for 2013. With an array of new tunes, recordings, licensing deals, radio plays, gig dates and slick merchandise, Liftoff continues to Rock and Roll its way into the Stratosphere.
The sky’s the limit... Prepare for Launch!
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