Lunic

In New York (USA) scheint wirklich einiges zu gehen was Musik und echten Support angeht, denn dieses kleine nette Scheibchen entstand durch den Support von Fans! Selten sowas! Ich erinnere mich, daß es dieses Album im Berliner Club K17 irgendwann am Einlass für lau am Einlass in die Hand gab. Nicht, daß ich nicht schon genug Alben zum Checken hätte, aber ein Musikjunkie bleibt eben ewig auf "Droge"! ;-) Und was diese New Yorker Songwriterin bereits mit "The Dark House" (Track 1) auffährt gefällt direkt. Richtig rein geht es mittels "Masquerade" (Track 2; Anspieltip I), das popig und super catchy einfängt und die Tanzflächen der Clubs mit Leichtigkeit füllen dürfte! Besonders klasse ist die Violine in den Drive eingebettet. Ähnlich catchy geht es bei "Him" (Track 3) zu. Lunic braucht den Vergleich zu großen Pop-Künstlern nicht zu scheuen, zumal die Zutaten bei ihr zu keinem Zeitpunkt wie am Reißbrett entworfen wirken, sondern viel mehr der Spaß an der Musik authentisch hörbar rüberkommt. Sexy, catchy und voller Drive. Da darf es gern auch mal etwas ruhiger zugehen - "Love Me" (Track 4). Die Stimme und das Arrangement stimmen in nahezu perfekter Dosierung, wie ich es im Pop-Bereich (zumindest von Newcomern) seit Jahren nicht gehört habe - "The Little Room" (Track 6). Man kann sich bei diesem Album einfach herrlich zurücklehnen und es die Lauscher umschmeicheln lassen, denn unangenehm (um es vorwegzunehmen) wird es zu keinem Zeitpunkt, wenngleich der etwas ungewöhnliche Beginn bei "Sober" (Track 9) kurz irritiert, dann aber von der Atmosphäre dieses sexy besungenen Deliriums zu bestechen weiß und selbst die Trompetentöne nicht weiter stören. Im Gegenteil es erinnert an die großen amerikanischen Filme der '50er Jahre, trotz der modernen Arrangements. Daß "Hypnotized" (Track 3) da irgendwie wie das perfekte - fast logische Schlußlicht wirkt und mittels des Sirenen-hypnotischen Gesanges wegen durchaus dem Songtitel alle Ehre macht, darf nur noch als reine Randnotiz gelten. Klasse Album, dem wirklich minimalste Haaresbreite zur Hammermake fehlt(e). Manchmal spülen diese Zeiten eben doch echte Perlen an Land!
- www.Schafe-Schuesse.de

In New York (USA) scheint wirklich einiges zu gehen was Musik und echten Support angeht, denn dieses kleine nette Scheibchen entstand durch den Support von Fans! Selten sowas! Ich erinnere mich, daß es dieses Album im Berliner Club K17 irgendwann am Einlass für lau am Einlass in die Hand gab. Nicht, daß ich nicht schon genug Alben zum Checken hätte, aber ein Musikjunkie bleibt eben ewig auf "Droge"! ;-) Und was diese New Yorker Songwriterin bereits mit "The Dark House" (Track 1) auffährt gefällt direkt. Richtig rein geht es mittels "Masquerade" (Track 2; Anspieltip I), das popig und super catchy einfängt und die Tanzflächen der Clubs mit Leichtigkeit füllen dürfte! Besonders klasse ist die Violine in den Drive eingebettet. Ähnlich catchy geht es bei "Him" (Track 3) zu. Lunic braucht den Vergleich zu großen Pop-Künstlern nicht zu scheuen, zumal die Zutaten bei ihr zu keinem Zeitpunkt wie am Reißbrett entworfen wirken, sondern viel mehr der Spaß an der Musik authentisch hörbar rüberkommt. Sexy, catchy und voller Drive. Da darf es gern auch mal etwas ruhiger zugehen - "Love Me" (Track 4). Die Stimme und das Arrangement stimmen in nahezu perfekter Dosierung, wie ich es im Pop-Bereich (zumindest von Newcomern) seit Jahren nicht gehört habe - "The Little Room" (Track 6). Man kann sich bei diesem Album einfach herrlich zurücklehnen und es die Lauscher umschmeicheln lassen, denn unangenehm (um es vorwegzunehmen) wird es zu keinem Zeitpunkt, wenngleich der etwas ungewöhnliche Beginn bei "Sober" (Track 9) kurz irritiert, dann aber von der Atmosphäre dieses sexy besungenen Deliriums zu bestechen weiß und selbst die Trompetentöne nicht weiter stören. Im Gegenteil es erinnert an die großen amerikanischen Filme der '50er Jahre, trotz der modernen Arrangements. Daß "Hypnotized" (Track 3) da irgendwie wie das perfekte - fast logische Schlußlicht wirkt und mittels des Sirenen-hypnotischen Gesanges wegen durchaus dem Songtitel alle Ehre macht, darf nur noch als reine Randnotiz gelten. Klasse Album, dem wirklich minimalste Haaresbreite zur Hammermake fehlt(e). Manchmal spülen diese Zeiten eben doch echte Perlen an Land!
- Schafe-Scheusse

Lunic. Yes, this luscious Manhattan singer-songwriter is extremely pleasing on the eye. Her performance was very electro-rock oriented but sounded pretty distinct. I couldn’t help swaying my head back and forth to her beats. Beautiful and dark, her songs offered a lot of promise especially the song Hypnotized. I kept playing it over and over again on myspace. The experience reminded me of finding a great article of clothing at at thrift. You know if you look hard enough you will find something special. - Jerry Gabriel - ForgetTheBox.net

NY singer-songwriter/multi-instrumentalist Lunic makes distinctive and sultry psychedelic indie with hints of downbeat British electronica acts the XX and Portishead, mournful dashes of violin and melodic lead guitar flourishes. - NXNE

Lunic is singer/songwriter/multi-instrumentalist Kaitee Page from New York City. Her act consists of atmospheric electropop music that takes its influences from bands like The xx and Portishead. Her performance (at Launch Music Conference) was a psychedelic display of lyric poetry in the form of an understated, powerful show. The songs were subtly brilliant, as no parts were overdone, and the overall sound fit the dark and smoky stage on which she played. Page’s voice, hypnotizing and melodic lulled the audience into a somber contemplation. The music, electronically inspired and down-right trippy was a great way to introduce a genre that’s not fully figured out at this point. It wasn’t hard enough to be straight rock. It wasn’t synthed-out enough to be too poppy, either. It was in between these genres, but the whole time the performance was sultry and captivating. Lunic is great, and I’m glad to have seen the show. Keep your eyes peeled for a video interview, as well, as we caught up with Lunic in the TSI band lounge. - TriState Indie

Lunic is singer/songwriter/multi-instrumentalist Kaitee Page from New York City. Her act consists of atmospheric electropop music that takes its influences from bands like The xx and Portishead. Her performance (at Launch Music Conference) was a psychedelic display of lyric poetry in the form of an understated, powerful show. The songs were subtly brilliant, as no parts were overdone, and the overall sound fit the dark and smoky stage on which she played. Page’s voice, hypnotizing and melodic lulled the audience into a somber contemplation. The music, electronically inspired and down-right trippy was a great way to introduce a genre that’s not fully figured out at this point. It wasn’t hard enough to be straight rock. It wasn’t synthed-out enough to be too poppy, either. It was in between these genres, but the whole time the performance was sultry and captivating. Lunic is great, and I’m glad to have seen the show. Keep your eyes peeled for a video interview, as well, as we caught up with Lunic in the TSI band lounge. - TriState Indie

Kaitee Page makes late-night music.

Come nightfall, New York City becomes a dark, ethereal place. After the banality of the 9-to-5, six million souls have to let out their angst somehow: dancing, drinking, wandering. And with this urban lycanthropy comes the necessity for an appropriate set of tunes, glossy enough for the dance floor but retaining that sinister edge. Electronic-rock extraordinaire Lunic knows this quite well. As a Gotham native, she can’t help but make the city her muse.

Singer/songwriter/multi-instrumentalist Kaitee Page creates an immense range of sounds, typical and otherwise. Even though Lunic grounds itself in the type of high-production rock popularized by bands like Garbage and Metric, the technological risk-taking that defines her 2009 debut, Lovethief, makes the night anthems all the more epic. This is even more true with regards to Lunic’s newer tracks, like “Moving On” (peep the video below). Over a driving, club-y synth line peppered with hints of that melancholy violin, Page vows to get over a breakup the way New Yorkers do: wearing skinny jeans and old sneakers, getting drunk and letting the nightlife work its magic. Other tracks, like the forlorn “Far Away” (featuring a chilling violin solo by Berson), tackle the immense loneliness that paradoxically strikes, even in a gigantic metropolis.

In addition to opening for the likes of Moby, PiL, & Mindless Self Indulgence, Lunic has maintained a steady stream of headlining gigs in the tri-state area. But Lunic’s fans aren’t just local: Lovethief was funded completely by the band’s fans around the world, a demographic that will only grow with Lunic’s next LP, slated for a summer 2012 release. - CMJ

Kaitee Page makes late-night music.

Come nightfall, New York City becomes a dark, ethereal place. After the banality of the 9-to-5, six million souls have to let out their angst somehow: dancing, drinking, wandering. And with this urban lycanthropy comes the necessity for an appropriate set of tunes, glossy enough for the dance floor but retaining that sinister edge. Electronic-rock extraordinaire Lunic knows this quite well. As a Gotham native, she can’t help but make the city her muse.

Singer/songwriter/multi-instrumentalist Kaitee Page creates an immense range of sounds, typical and otherwise. Even though Lunic grounds itself in the type of high-production rock popularized by bands like Garbage and Metric, the technological risk-taking that defines her 2009 debut, Lovethief, makes the night anthems all the more epic. This is even more true with regards to Lunic’s newer tracks, like “Moving On” (peep the video below). Over a driving, club-y synth line peppered with hints of that melancholy violin, Page vows to get over a breakup the way New Yorkers do: wearing skinny jeans and old sneakers, getting drunk and letting the nightlife work its magic. Other tracks, like the forlorn “Far Away” (featuring a chilling violin solo by Berson), tackle the immense loneliness that paradoxically strikes, even in a gigantic metropolis.

In addition to opening for the likes of Moby, PiL, & Mindless Self Indulgence, Lunic has maintained a steady stream of headlining gigs in the tri-state area. But Lunic’s fans aren’t just local: Lovethief was funded completely by the band’s fans around the world, a demographic that will only grow with Lunic’s next LP, slated for a summer 2012 release. - CMJ

‘Lunic’ to make Maui debut Friday
Performance part of ‘American Music Festival and Conference’
October 25, 2012
By JON WOODHOUSE (jonwoodh@gmail.com) , For The Maui News
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The American Music Festival and Conference 2012, which launched on Monday and continues through the weekend, has a mission to inspire new original music. With that aim, 40-plus bands featuring a spectrum of musical styles from New York, Virginia, Dallas and Mississippi, to Chicago, Italy, and the islands will perform at various clubs culminating in a grand finale on Sunday at Camp Keanae.

This unique event includes live performances, workshops, clinics, showcases and industry networking.

One of the exciting acts making their Maui debut is Lunic, an electronic/rock/pop one-woman band from New York. Multi-instrumentalist Kaitee Page is Lunic. On her latest album, "Future Sex Drama," a beguiling blend of ethereal synthpop and electronic rock, she does a Prince, playing all the instruments.

Multi-instrumentalist Kaitee Page is “Lunic.” She will be part of the Sunday finale of the “American Music Festival and Conference 2012” at Camp Keanae.
Photo courtesy Julia Zave

Imagine a cross between such English electro-pop bands as Ladytron and The xx with the swirl of classic Pet Shop Boys.

"Listen to Kaitee Page's dense, classical arrangements and her angelic yet dynamic voice and it's hard to believe it's only been two years since she launched her all-out assault on pedestrian pop rock armed with her piano, violin and hitherto unknown songwriting chops," praised Citybeat.

A classically trained violist/violinist, Lunic fuses contemporary and classical instrumentation with electronic music composition.

To debut songs from her latest recording on Maui she will employ an array of loops and samplers with various live instruments. "I played all the instruments on my album, so at shows for drum beats I either trigger them live or have them programmed electronically," Page explains. "I'll pick up the violin in the middle of a set and I have a mini-Korg keyboard and play electric guitar."

Page first began studying viola as an 8-years-old. That training led to the violin. "I have 5-string electric, so it's both a viola and a violin," she says.

The violin has become a distinctive element in a number of contemporary bands from Arcade Fire and Dave Mathews to Ra Ra Riot. "My favorite band is Placebo and in some of their live videos they have a touring electric violinist," she notes.

Releasing her first recording in 2008, a collection of demo songs called "Skeletons," Lunic's official debut album "Lovethief," followed a year later.

Among her composing credits she placed in the top three of the 2011 John Lennon Songwriting Contest's Electronic Category and received an honorable mention for her song "Oh No Yoko!" at the 2010 SongCircle Songwriter Awards.

Her obvious talent has allowed her to finance her career through fan supported web sites. In recent years a number of emerging artists have been able accomplish recording success through this novel medium, bypassing the typical music label route.

A New York Times article about a 2010 music industry report noted: "The sum spent on a new artist or group is typically $1 million. The report did not point out that the approximately 4,000 lucky artists who are on the rosters of the major record companies represent 0.3 percent of the artists found on MySpace."

"Before I started on my own I played violin and keyboards in the band Porcelain, which was signed to Universal Records," Page says. "And I learned there was a down side to a major label. I wanted to not have a middle person and play directly to fans and hear their voices giving me ideas. You're owned with a major label so that's why I chose to do the last two albums on a fan-funded basis, through Sellaband. More well known bands are doing it now like IAMX. They just raised their entire budget in 24 hours on PledgeMusic. The lead singer of the Dresden Dolls raised $1 million on Kickstarter. And Rusted Root is now raising money on their own website. You can just make art for fans. You don't have to have somebody telling you to be more like Kelly Clarkson or Britney Spears. You can just be yourself and be true to the art."

The American Music Festival and Conference continues tonight with a Rap Showcase at Oceans, featuring Jordan Frescher, Marly Dumarz and LilJ.

On Friday, Lulu's Lahaina will host a Halloween-Cosplay Bash with Lunic and DJ Nocturna with prizes for best costume.

The festival moves to Keanae for the final two days, running from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m.

On Saturday a back-porch campfire jam will feature Homesick Elephant, Carpool to Nashville, Pa'amana, Dan Saunders, Christina Gomes, Stef Muzic, Art of Whimsy and Joel Katz.

Sunday's finale includes music by Edge of Paradise, Lunic, Abbey St. John, Homesick Elephant, Saving the Orphan, Flashdrive, and more. Plus there's an - The Maui News

If you are unfamiliar with the name Lunic, you may want to spend a little time getting better acquainted with this musical phenomenon. Lunic is an all-girl Indie band consisting of Kaitee Page (songwriter/multi-Instrumentalist), Megan Berson (violinist), and Lisa Wilson (drummer). While New York City has seen its share of all-girl groups, Lunic is a trio of truly talented women who hold their own with the best of them.

Although the group is described as a new wave band, their sound transcends genre and seems more of a blend of several genres with a consistent electronic backdrop that ignites a colorful canvas of melody. Lead vocalist, Kaitee Page, reminds me of PJ Harvey, but with more soul and a lot more stage presence. Their song “Love Me” is one clear sign of this.

Violinist, Megan Berson, who is building up a reputation as one of the best violinist in the world, even surpassing Jascha Heifetz, adds another dimension to Lunic’s sound that gives the band a warm, but distinctively innovative vibe to the group’s overall presentation. Megan also adds in a nice complement of backing vocals to Kaitee’s soaring falsetto.

Drummer, Lisa Wilson, acts as the trio’s common denominator. Anyone in the world of music will repeat over and over again the value of a drummer, but unfortunately the distinctive quality and playing style of a drummer is often overlooked. Lisa rises above all of this with an impactful performance. Her style of drumming is right on and unconventional at the same time. It is so unique that it was one of the first things that I noticed during the group’s show. Lisa’s drumming is how she signs her name, which is just as enchanting as her eyes.

I was racing from Harlem to Brooklyn in hopes to make it to the show on time. Fortunately, things started off a little bit late so I was able to kind of wind down and enjoy the atmosphere. After listening to Lunic’s music over the internet, I was really impressed that their live performance was just as intense as the record, something very unique in way of electronic sound. The trio scored with every single song that was performed as the audience stood in head-nod amazement, and just for one moment it felt as if I stepped outside of New York City, and was driving along Angeles Crest Highway underneath the stars.

Checkout Lunic’s website: http://lunicmusic.com/fr_news.cfm Lunic will be appearing at Best Buy stores located at 14th Street, Union Square, New York, N.Y. on July 28th 2011. This is a live performance, but can also be viewed via streaming video at the following link: http://www.liveatbestbuy.com/ - Blue Steel Magazine

"Listen to Kaitee Page's dense, classical arrangements and her angelic yet dynamic voice and it's hard to believe it's only been three years since she launched her all-out assault on pedestrian Pop Rock armed with her piano, violin and hitherto unknown songwriting chops. What's not hard to believe is that she has been classically trained since the age of 8 and she's quite the globetrotter, originally from New York and currently residing in Albany (via London, Los Angeles, Nashville, etc.). She must have sucked the musical soul from these locales via osmosis, and now she channels them through her incisive and gorgeously arranged songs. Page wowed a local crowd at the Chicks Rock Fest earlier this year and this MPMF performance will mark the climax of her "Midpoint Mini-Tour," backed by an A-list group of Cincy Rock vets."
-Citybeat (Cincinnati, OH)
- CityBeat

Rockers Lunic started out in LA and London, but are now based in Albany, and have a fierce new CD called “Lovethief,” produced by Peter Denenberg (Spin Doctors, Deep Purple, Martin Sexton).

This gut-string-driven, sometimes-dark fare features the songs, voice, violin, viola and piano of Kaitee Page, who gained international visibility touring with Aussie/LA band Porcelain (Universal) and has played viola with Mariah Carey.

In other words, she’s a real musician.

In the ascending “Love Me,” Page admits straightaway, “I’m not perfect,” and lists a dozen reasons why, like she doesn’t answer her phone and will forget you birthday (and you’ll be expected to understand). Somehow, you forgive her for these minor transgressions when she asks in the pre-chorus, “Can you love me?”

Things get a bit bleak in the morose “Mirage,” but become almost sentimental in the lovely and well written “The Little Room.” All the elements come together in the apocalyptic “The Dark House.” With a huge bass drum, hypnotic vocal lines, devil fiddle-weaving around, Page takes a look around at the world falling to pieces, shrugs, and says, “let’s just dance.”

Perfect.

One of the most intriguing new bands on the horizon, Lunic sounds like the future, the past and the present, all at the same time. - The Daily Freeman, NY

By Rick Bird
Post staff reporter

Newcomers to the four-night Chicks Rockfest starting tonight at the Poison Room, downtown, may be surprised to discover there are a lot of guys on the stages, even plenty of bands fronted by men.

What's up with that? Isn't this chicks rock?

Jennifer "Jem" Schmidt, founder and promoter of the event, says her seven-year-old festival has never really been totally female-centric. Yes, she says, it has been a celebration of women in music, but not to the point it's only about women. The requirement is a band must have at least one female member.

"We are focused on good music," Schmidt said. "We don't really focus on what musical position the girl is in the band. What we do say is, 'You couldn't play a gig without her.' You couldn't go and do a show without, say, your (female) drummer."

What festival-goers will find at the event is one of the most diverse music festivals in these parts, with styles ranging from Goth and punk rock to the lilting female voice and the angsty singer-songwriter woman.

"The term 'rock' can be used in so many ways," Schmidt said, "as long as you are great at what you do. You can rock just as hard playing an acoustic guitar by yourself as you can with four other band members."

This year, Chicks Rockfest has expanded from two nights to four, from 30 bands to nearly 50 acts. Next to September's Midpoint Music Festival, it has become the second largest indie-band fest for the area. Schmidt said the event has been well supported and she wanted to add more bands, but acknowledged it grew almost by accident. With the festival moving this year from the Southgate House to the Poison Room, Schmidt went from three stages to two. So, she added a third night to accommodate the bands.

Then the Poison Room management suggested she add a Sunday night that would be an all-ages show. So, Schmidt increased the lineup by another dozen acts.

Bands must submit samples of their music to be selected to play.

"Sunday is all-ages, but it's not like the bands are rated 'G.' I did try to find things that are a little bit more accessible and well rounded," Schmidt said.

Those scanning the schedule will note there are more bands this year from out of town. Cities like Chicago, Boston, New York and Washington, D.C., are well represented with two or three bands each. If Schmidt were handing out awards for the artist coming the farthest, it would be Freyja from London, England, coming just to play the event. London-based lead singer Katey Page, a New York state native, who has previously lived in Los Angeles, said that, for musicians, traveling 4,000 miles is what making music is all about.

"I guess people on the outside thinking logically would say no, it can't be worth it," Page said. "But the whole point of doing this for a living for me is to spread the music. Plus, festivals are fun because it's a weekend of meeting other musicians."

Page said she applied for the Chicks Rockfest attracted by its female friendly angle. "I was really excited because there really aren't enough girls in rock," she said. "When I first started playing (violin and piano), I really wanted to start an all-girl band. But it was hard with the selection. There really aren't enough playing. And there is a lot of pressure for every girl who picks up an instrument to be really good. I hope that's something that goes away just by the addition of more women musicians." - Cincinnati Post

Fan Reviews
What all of you are saying:

"Wow...Wow, wow, wow, and wow. I haven't been as diligent as I normally am when adding a band (since I am a complete music snot, and as such, usually refuse add requests from bands on myspace), but I just gave what you've got a listen, and, um, well...wow. Thank you for being talented. Thank you for sending me an add request, eventhough I only just now listened to your music...and am now hopelessly addicted. I must now begin pacing frantically until your album comes out." -AJ (San Jose, CA) Dec. 2006

"Lovin the Wake Up tune!!! Hey I run quite a lot of stuff on the south coast music wise so as you can imagine I've had more demos sent to me than Pete Doherty's had drug fuelled night!!! But am seriously lovin the Wake Up tune...are you signed???" -mc chatz (Bournemouth, South UK) Feb. 2007

"Just wanted to say that I'm really loving your music! I've gone through each track several times now. Truly beautiful... it's infused with such poetic lyricism and accompanied by an even more beautiful voice. I think you're amazingly talented with a unique sense of style. Gorgeous photographs too! Wishing you nothing but the very best. Peace," -Tadeh (California) Jan. 2007

"I am impressed with your music. Had a good listen to it - personally if you're not already signed you should be. You have an excellent voice and if you are singing and playing the violin that's really superb! You have a great talent, even the the rest of the band they are really tight - that's what you need to be a great musician. Not much else I can say, I am pretty much speachless with your work. Keep it up and you will definitely go far with your career." -Shaun (Leven, UK) Feb. 2007

"Just listened to your demo songs and I think they're brilliant! In today's world of manufactued ken and barbie 'stars' it's refreshing to see someone with actual talent and who isn't afraid to express what they feel instead of sticking to what's popular! You have a beautiful and haunting quality to your voice and music, your lyrics are both unusual and down to earth and I love the piano/violin bits in particular! Anyway lookin forward to hearin more of your music, keep it up and enjoy your time this year :) all the best," -Downie (Thetford, Norfolk UK) Jan. 2007

"Woah. I'm in love. Your music is amazing. Your voice is ... I'm not sure how to say... just soothing and ... unique... and it penatrates, I'm not sure if that makes any sense. But yeah. I really like your music, lyrics and everything. You're also a very talented writer." -Hunter (Mt. Juliet, TN) Nov. 2006

"Katie... wow! Something has gotten in to you. These two new songs are, IMHO, the best songs you have done so far. The lyrics are mature, they are personal; but, they also invite reflection....not that your other lyrics weren't also serious and personal; but, these seem a little less esoteric; a little less chain-of-thought. The music is tight (liked the strings- cello?- on wake up).. a little more guitar-lead in them than I remember hearing from you before...and that's not a bad thing. We like the rock n' roll =). Great work on these...keep on rocking...and good luck with the location change... peace" -Quincy (Philadelphia, PA) Feb. 2007

"Just wanted to say thanks. Thanks for such an amazing gift that you give to the world. You have inspired me to write my own songs, ok my songs suck balls but everyone has to start somewhere and not everyone can be as good as you, hehehe. Anyway, you go girl, Rock on" -Gaz (UK) Jan. 2007 - Myspace Fans!

By Rick Bird
Post staff reporter

Newcomers to the four-night Chicks Rockfest starting tonight at the Poison Room, downtown, may be surprised to discover there are a lot of guys on the stages, even plenty of bands fronted by men.

What's up with that? Isn't this chicks rock?

Jennifer "Jem" Schmidt, founder and promoter of the event, says her seven-year-old festival has never really been totally female-centric. Yes, she says, it has been a celebration of women in music, but not to the point it's only about women. The requirement is a band must have at least one female member.

"We are focused on good music," Schmidt said. "We don't really focus on what musical position the girl is in the band. What we do say is, 'You couldn't play a gig without her.' You couldn't go and do a show without, say, your (female) drummer."

What festival-goers will find at the event is one of the most diverse music festivals in these parts, with styles ranging from Goth and punk rock to the lilting female voice and the angsty singer-songwriter woman.

"The term 'rock' can be used in so many ways," Schmidt said, "as long as you are great at what you do. You can rock just as hard playing an acoustic guitar by yourself as you can with four other band members."

This year, Chicks Rockfest has expanded from two nights to four, from 30 bands to nearly 50 acts. Next to September's Midpoint Music Festival, it has become the second largest indie-band fest for the area. Schmidt said the event has been well supported and she wanted to add more bands, but acknowledged it grew almost by accident. With the festival moving this year from the Southgate House to the Poison Room, Schmidt went from three stages to two. So, she added a third night to accommodate the bands.

Then the Poison Room management suggested she add a Sunday night that would be an all-ages show. So, Schmidt increased the lineup by another dozen acts.

Bands must submit samples of their music to be selected to play.

"Sunday is all-ages, but it's not like the bands are rated 'G.' I did try to find things that are a little bit more accessible and well rounded," Schmidt said.

Those scanning the schedule will note there are more bands this year from out of town. Cities like Chicago, Boston, New York and Washington, D.C., are well represented with two or three bands each. If Schmidt were handing out awards for the artist coming the farthest, it would be Freyja from London, England, coming just to play the event. London-based lead singer Katey Page, a New York state native, who has previously lived in Los Angeles, said that, for musicians, traveling 4,000 miles is what making music is all about.

"I guess people on the outside thinking logically would say no, it can't be worth it," Page said. "But the whole point of doing this for a living for me is to spread the music. Plus, festivals are fun because it's a weekend of meeting other musicians."

Page said she applied for the Chicks Rockfest attracted by its female friendly angle. "I was really excited because there really aren't enough girls in rock," she said. "When I first started playing (violin and piano), I really wanted to start an all-girl band. But it was hard with the selection. There really aren't enough playing. And there is a lot of pressure for every girl who picks up an instrument to be really good. I hope that's something that goes away just by the addition of more women musicians." - Cincinnati Post

"For those of you old enough, think Blondie, and then if you really are getting on a bit, think also of Curved Air - meld, mix, conjoin and add in a few 'now' nuances and you'll have something very much like Lunic!!

Strangely though, the Lunic sound isn't exactly new or truly innovative but it sure is pretty majestic and damn compelling! My press pack tells of Lunic being a six-piece outfit fronted by the combined voices, violins and keys of Kaitee Page and Kari Bethke - and already I can sense your anticipation!! The girls are assisted and driven by Peter Denenberg and Taylor Stein on steely, kerranging guitars with Jordan Stein on perfectly proportioned pumpin' bass with drum-maestro Elliot Denenberg holding it all beautifully together from the rear - the families that play together? So, Lunic have a pretty conventional back-line rhythm section with a pretty formidable sounding rock oriented, guitar centre-field and that interesting and slightly unconventional front-line attack provided by the duel four-stringed, under-the-chin violin and keyboard type thingy! Nice, very nice.

Now, apart from the string-driven thing goin' on Lunic also offer up joint female vocals that actually remind me, just a little, of Dido - that same modernistic easy way that's both commercial and very appealing if not totally sexy! So, add that name (Dido) to the influences list and you're pretty much at the centre of Lunic's dynamic arty world. Musically Lunic bash out some very tasty songs here and 'Lovethief' develops nicely as it slowly unfolds and you soon find yourself totally absorbed in Lunic's wonderfully vibrant sound and mature style.

With so much goin' on instrumentally it would be easy to lose the subtlety sassy rather than enormously booming vocals in the mix but Lunic have managed to keep the voices just on the right side of aural acceptability - it's all nicely balanced and well crafted such that nothing is lost in clutter or over-indulgence. 'Lovethief' by Lunic is far more than just indie music; Lunic have a slightly 'progressive' element at their heart and they definitely err on the alternative side of the indie-rock fence and all that comes together quite beautifully to result in a stunning album. 'Lovethief' by Lunic is brilliant right from first play but subsequent visitations and closer inspection is required to fully 'get' the true Lunic musical spirit - clever stuff and quite magnificent!!"

-Toxic Pete (UK) - www.toxicpete.co.uk

On August 11th we had the amazing opportunity of opening for Creed at SPAC (an arena in Saratoga Springs, NY). We played for an audience of thousands! It was our first arena show and definitely a huge turning point in our career :)

We found some write-ups about the show in the Times Union (Albany, NY)

"The Latham band Lunic opened with an entertaining six-song set that capably represented the Capital Region," -Tom Keyser, Times Union

"Great pictures. It's great that you were able to get them now. They are exploding in this area," -Mike Guzzo, Times Union

Click here:
http://blog.timesunion.com/localmusic/picture-this-lunic-opens-for-creed-at-spac/1701/

Click here:
http://blog.timesunion.com/reviews/creed-at-spac-81109/1234/ - Times Union

"Kaitee Page's music isn't quite as sweet as her name suggests. Dark, edgy alternative rock, it's dangerous and menacing throughout, shot through with bitter sarcasm and anger. It's a blend of heavy rock, emo and folk, with Eastern European influences and a big debt to pay to Evanescence, so it almost goes without saying that it makes for interesting listening. The surprising tempo changes and sudden mood swings keep the listener on their toes, and the gorgeous string arrangements come close to usurping the lead vocals altogether. It's definitely not something that should be dismissed without a listen." -Subcity Radio (Glasgow, Scotland) - Subcity Radio - Glasgow, Scotland

"Lunic music is a breadth of emotion. Lovethief is 11 tracks of love, hate, and everything in between. The incorporation of the viola creates a hauntingly beautiful and brilliant coagulation of rock and classical melodies. From start to finish you will be spellbound with Lunic’s rich, imaginative, and ornate music. There is not one song on this album that you will not like." -Eat Sleep Breathe Music - Eat Sleep Breathe Music

Lunic makes the kind of free-spirited music most new indie bands can only dream about. Taking clear influences from the bands they aspire to contest, while creating a whole new unique sound, Lunic fuse female voiced guitar-based goth-emo and add in folky violins and haunting arrangements. From New York, this six piece lead by Kaitee Page has attracted Ted Jensen who has worked with Muse, Paramore and Evanescence (the latter drawing the most obvious parallels). Lovethief is the band’s second album...

At the heart of Lunic is the mind and voice of Kaitee Page. That is not to say that the band don’t pull their weight - they do... But Page’s vocals are a constant and consistent revelation. Comparisons have been made to Dido which is utter nonsense. Page is powerful and commanding without being an overbearing and annoying presence. And the twists and turns of metaphor, dream-like imagery and just a little bit of ‘weird’, turn her into an interesting focal point.

Lovethief’s slight discretions can be overlooked in favour of some truly great work. Lunic’s music shows more than just the promise of a band on the verge of greatness. With enough focus and energy, channelled in the right directions, and with the ‘difficult’ second album overcome, greatness is theirs for the taking. - Underwurld Music Blog (UK)

It grows on you. First time through it sounds good, but with each successive listen you get sucked into Page and band's underground world until you begin to wonder whether Lunic is derived from lunar and magic or lunar and manic, for there are wisps of both. Give it ten listens and you are beyond caring. The music simply becomes part of your psyche. - Rock & Reprise

It grows on you. First time through it sounds good, but with each successive listen you get sucked into Page and band's underground world until you begin to wonder whether Lunic is derived from lunar and magic or lunar and manic, for there are wisps of both. Give it ten listens and you are beyond caring. The music simply becomes part of your psyche. - Rock & Reprise

Lovethief is the new full length album from Albany, NY band Lunic.

From the opening chords of the funky lead-off track "The Dark House" it's easy to draw comparisons between Lunic and some big indie rock acts. The band has a synth sound that drives behind a power pop base. Add a slightly throwback nod and you can easily hear elements of groups like Silversun Pickups, Paramore, and even early Garbage in the band's sound.

There are a few things that make Lunic stand apart from the aforementioned bands. Most obvious is double violin attack that pops up on many of the tracks. That takes songs like "Masquerade" and "Revenge of the Lot Lizard" from being enjoyable alt rock to being something a little more. I for one actually would like to hear more of those violins included on future Lunic records.

The other thing that sets this record apart are the vocals of Kari Bethke and Kaitee Page. Individually they are a powerful driving force behind the songs. Together in harmony they present an impenetrable front of melodic goodness.

Some greater breadth of sounds, like we're shown on the sweeping "Love Me" and the surprisingly tender closer "Hypnotized" would be welcome.

It looks like Lunic has a bright future.

Best tracks: "Him", "Sober" - Snobs Music

"Lunic music is a breadth of emotion. Lovethief is 11 tracks of love, hate, and everything in between. The incorporation of the viola creates a hauntingly beautiful and brilliant coagulation of rock and classical melodies. From start to finish you will be spellbound with Lunic’s rich, imaginative, and ornate music. There is not one song on this album that you will not like." -Eat Sleep Breathe Music - Eat Sleep Breathe Music

Following on from last year's debut record 'Skeletons', Lunic's second album is released following funding contributions from the band's fans via the SellaBand website. The group is driven by the singer-songwriter-multi-instrumentalist talents of Kaitee Page and currently have a headline show in New York City lined up in July.

The most notable characteristic of Lunic's sound is how they blend classical violin and viola sounds with contemporary rock music - and very successfully indeed it should be noted. Whereas many bands will throw strings into a soundscape for a clichéd power ballad, here it is very much at the soul of the song, with 'Masquerade' being a prime example of crunching metal chords providing the base layer to the shimmering strings. The press release that likens the band to Paramore sells Lunic short, for Kaitee Page has a much more mature vocal style that should appeal to much more than just the teen market. 'Him' is a romping anthem, while 'Thieves' shows how heavy riffs and strings can be effortlessly blended. It bears similarities to Evanescence, but Page's vocals have a touch of vulnerability that make her singing much more emotive than the nu-metal act. 'Revenge Of the Lot Lizard' explores a cool rhythm driven approach and reveals a sleazy narrative of a femme fatale and perhaps best of all is 'Mirage', an ambitious and grand ballad that is highly affecting with some spine-chilling harmonies. Genuine comparisons are difficult to make, Muse of course have classical elements within their alternative rock, but Lunic's sound is not so experimental or unpredictable. However they are certainly quite unique in contemporary terms and are certainly display enough here to suggest they are worth investigating now and in future. - Contact Music

"Need an indie-rock gateway drug? Try Lunic"

"Band's new album Lovethief serves as perfect mid-point between Evanescence and the Yeah Yeah Yeahs"

"Lunic’s Lovethief is the perfect segue from mainstream rock to underground alt-punk. From here, go with It’s Blitz, and then Sleater-Kinney’s masterpiece The Woods"

"Lunic, lead by singer Kaitee Page, has the big choruses and violin-tinged melodrama of Amy Lee’s titan-sized nu-grunge band, but their musical foot is a little more steeped in the underground"

"But lest you think Lovethief is a strictly ambient affair, the crashing disco-drum beat and strong, but distinctly feminine vocal work of Page say otherwise. From there, it’s big chorus after big chorus, occasionally embellished by Page’s violin work and by electroclash keyboard sounds reminiscent of New York’s new wave revival of the new millennium" - College News

It's LarkFest, and Lark Street is crammed with people rocking to bands. They're fans and music lovers, as they've always been, but these days, a growing number are taking on an added designation: investor.

Instead of sitting back and waiting for their favorite bands to release new CDs, they participate in the process, from choosing songs for the album to paying for the recording of it. That's because bands are increasingly turning to fans, rather than record companies, for financial support.

At LarkFest, two local bands -- Lunic and Ten Year Vamp -- perform in support of recently released CDs largely paid for by "believers," in the case of Lunic, and "owners," in the case of Ten Year Vamp.

Thousands of CDs are being produced this way around the world every year, and that number is increasing, says Paul C. Rapp, an entertainment attorney who teaches art-and-entertainment law at Albany Law School.

Lunic raised $50,000 from 542 donors through SellaBand.com, a Europe-based site that collects money for bands from "believers" and then helps the bands record CDs. Lunic released the 10-song "Lovethief" in May. Believers received copies, one for every $10 they gave.

Richard Murray, 51, a business owner in Glasgow, Scotland, heard Lunic's music on SellaBand, thought the band had what it takes to become successful and contributed $5,400. He's the "top believer." He also, for free, designed Lunic's Web site. (He so far has sold or given away 40 of his 540 CDs, he says.)

Lunic leader Kaitee Page, who sings and plays violin, says that without SellaBand she probably could have recorded a CD, but it would have been inferior in quality and craftsmanship. SellaBand hooked her up with the producer, Peter Denenberg, who has worked with the Spin Doctors and Deep Purple.

"Having a major-label-quality CD without being signed gives us so much freedom," Page says. "The sound quality is ready for radio. And so radio stations throughout New York have been really receptive to playing our songs. We're definitely getting a lot more attention, a lot more live opportunities and better opportunities." - Times Union

About a year and a half ago, Kaitee Page was having the time of her life living in London and touring Europe with her band Lunic.

Then it was over, just like that. Returning from a show in Italy, Page was deported and sent back to America for reasons still unknown. What may seem like a rock star’s dream gone horribly wrong was actually the beginning of Lunic’s rapid rise to success.

“I think it was a sign [being deported]. It was meant to happen,” Page said. “All this positive has come to my family and my band and everything is falling into place.”

The multitalented musician came home to the Capital Region and re-formed her band. Page is the vocals, violin and piano behind the alternative rock band, which has been compared to Paramore and Metric.

But Page didn’t always plan to live the life of a musician. After graduating from Shaker High School, she was burned out and sick of classical music. Playing violin through high school took its toll, and for a while, music was no longer fun.

She moved to Nashville, Tenn., — not for the music, but for a degree in neuroscience from Vanderbilt College. “On a whim” she moved to Los Angeles and started playing with the band Porcelain, which was signed to Universal Records. Page said it was fun but she realized she wasn’t going to get the chance to write and perform her own music. So she was on the move again, this time the choice was between Texas and London. She chose London.

Lunic’s formation slowly evolved between 2006 and 2008, as Page explored London and Europe, meeting musicians and writing music, something she said happened randomly and out of the blue.

“All these words started coming into my head and at first, I thought it was just poems,” Page said. “I don’t know where the lyrics come from. It’s almost like a stream of consciousness. I write them down and it’s not until I’m reading through them once they’re out that they make sense.”

She said her thoughts turned into lyrics after she heard the English band Muse and realized that music was what she was meant to do.

“A lot of musicians are diehard music fans but I’m not. I’m not one of those people that have all these different artists on their iPod. I have a couple. I never planned on being in a band or forming one,” she said. “[Muse] is the only band that’s ever done that to me, had such an impact. It made me teach myself piano.”

The band’s first EP, “Splinter” was released in 2008. They also put out “Skeletons,” which is available via download. Lunic’s latest is “Lovethief.”

Lunic’s songs are a combination of emotions motivated by personal experiences. Page said an emotion often triggers a song, but she doesn’t always stick to an exact story and likes to get creative with it.

“I apply an emotion I’m feeling to whatever other factors come into play, like an experience with my family or a friend. Sometimes I’ll go to rehearsal with a concept and we’ll have a really great or really bad practice session and that will affect the outcome of the song,” Page said.

Bass player Marcus Moran said he is thrilled to

see Page’s songwriting get so much recognition and appreciation.

“I truly believe that the writing Kaitee has done on ‘Lovethief’ is sincere, and with the dedication of the band behind it, I’d like to think that the success is deserved,” Moran said.

“Lovethief” has seen a lot of local, national and international success. Page is particularly proud of how “Lovethief” was funded — solely by the fans via sellaband.com.

“While I was living in London, a fan contacted me and told me to sign up for this Web site. At the time, I had no idea what it really was. Then money started showing up in my account and I was confused,” Page said.

It turns out that fans were donating money because the site was created as a platform to help emerging artists accomplish recording success. In just four months, Lunic received $50,000 in fan donations.

“It’s a really great feeling to have a budget to work with because records are so expensive,” she said. “It was a good feeling to be able to afford to record this album in a major label setting, even though we’re still unsigned.”

Even without a label, Lunic pre-sold 5,000 copies of “Lovethief” to Sellaband members and was able to create a set of limited-edition CDs. Despite Lunic’s current momentum, Page is eager to reap the benefits of being signed to a label.

“I would love to get a distribution deal where we can get in stores or have a label backing us to help us tour. I want us to be able to quit our jobs and break out of Albany, but you need money for that,” Page said. “It’s hard for bands to make money from music downloads, but you can make a lot more from touring or merchandise or licensing songs to TV, film and commercials. MTV has actually contacted us, so I’m pretty sure our songs have been on some of their reality shows, but I haven’t checked it out yet.”

Arya Chowdhury (a new addition, recently replacing Micah Ber - The Scene - Saratoga, NY

Following on from last year's debut record 'Skeletons', Lunic's second album is released following funding contributions from the band's fans via the SellaBand website. The group is driven by the singer-songwriter-multi-instrumentalist talents of Kaitee Page and currently have a headline show in New York City lined up in July.

The most notable characteristic of Lunic's sound is how they blend classical violin and viola sounds with contemporary rock music - and very successfully indeed it should be noted. Whereas many bands will throw strings into a soundscape for a clichéd power ballad, here it is very much at the soul of the song, with 'Masquerade' being a prime example of crunching metal chords providing the base layer to the shimmering strings. The press release that likens the band to Paramore sells Lunic short, for Kaitee Page has a much more mature vocal style that should appeal to much more than just the teen market. 'Him' is a romping anthem, while 'Thieves' shows how heavy riffs and strings can be effortlessly blended. It bears similarities to Evanescence, but Page's vocals have a touch of vulnerability that make her singing much more emotive than the nu-metal act. 'Revenge Of the Lot Lizard' explores a cool rhythm driven approach and reveals a sleazy narrative of a femme fatale and perhaps best of all is 'Mirage', an ambitious and grand ballad that is highly affecting with some spine-chilling harmonies. Genuine comparisons are difficult to make, Muse of course have classical elements within their alternative rock, but Lunic's sound is not so experimental or unpredictable. However they are certainly quite unique in contemporary terms and are certainly display enough here to suggest they are worth investigating now and in future. - Contact Music