Photograph by Jennifer Gore
When the Jersey boys come to town, the night explodes with high energy music that cannot be defined by genre. Palisades melds a thrilling mix of styles and considerable talent to bring the party to any town they visit. Lou Miceli (vocals), Matt Marshall (guitar), Zavier Adames (guitar), Earl Halassan (producer/DJ), Brandon Sidney (bass/vocals), and Aaron Rosa (drums) fill the room with an intoxicating sound devised to get the crowd jumping before they take the stage.
Success is in the moment. Palisades will admit that there is no singular measure of success for them, but many accomplishments leave them grateful to be musicians. The European tours were exquisite as fans flocked to see them at each stop. The crowds responded to the music and the shows were as much fun for the artists as they were for the fans. Warped Tour was a chance for Palisades to travel cross country and meet new people at every stop, hearing story after story about how much their music means to the kids who listen to it. They have been featured on MTV, BBC Radio, and were blown away when they heard their music played at Journey stores. With over seven million plays on Spotify, Palisades is not resting on their achievements so far. Miceli is learning more about trends in music and Rosa is incorporating different elements of drum technique to his repertoire. Sidney is concentrating on songwriting methods and skills, explaining that, “It’s an interesting thing when you get down to the bare root of songwriting, because people have been writing songs for such a long time. Going back to how songs were written compared to now, it’s a different style, it’s a different way. I am always interested in working with people who are just very talented at songwriting and how things just come to them.” Even though they are undeniably one of the most exciting bands around, Palisades continues to learn more about music and the industry.
It’s everything. Palisades cannot be classified by genre and the result is an irresistible, yet cohesive set of songs constructed to get you moving. The live show is totally interactive, featuring call and response paired with reactive moves that the audience performs with the artists. Miceli moves from singing to screaming (at lightning speed) with note-perfect vocals and seamless transitions. Every instrument and voice complements each other in superb unison that culminates in an impeccable fusion of genres and styles. Palisades has an unparalleled ability to transform any audience into Jersey kids for the night. The music invites you in, making each person in the room part of the Palisades family.
The recent attacks in Paris have left musicians and music lovers reeling. Palisades, who performed in Paris last October, was deeply affected. Sidney is a Parisian and his own family was overwhelmed by the senseless violence. It was incredibly difficult for him because he is so connected to Paris through his immediate family and the fans he adores. Miceli said, “When that happened, we put out a bunch of tweets to be sure that our Parisian fans were okay. We have a street team out there, in Paris, and we love them. We love our European fans, they are (among) the most loyal, dedicated, and amazing people we‘ve met. Unfortunately, we got a message from our Parisian fan base saying that they had family members pass away in the whole massacre that happened.” At each stop on the current tour, Palisades dedicates their song, “Afraid” to the victims in Paris. At the live show in Cleveland, a hush fell across the crowd during the dedication. Attendees, staff, and security were silent as Miceli declared, “When you come to this place, you are family. You deserve to be safe. Tonight you are safe here.” The waiting audience burst into singing and jumping with the musicians on stage in a poignant show of solidarity for our global music community. Many people around me sang as loud as they could while tears fell from their eyes. And I will not lie, I was one of them.
If you bought a copy of Outcasts, my advice is to buy two copies of Mind Games, the newest Palisades release, as a backup when the first one wears out from repeated plays. You can also watch for a new single to be unleashed on the world soon. In the meantime, they will be working on the next album and offering new merch at shows and online. A particular favorite has been the ‘Hit ‘em high, Hit ‘em Low’ Christmas sweater that was designed by Micheli. (Hint: There are less than 30 days till Christmas!) Signed to Rise Records, Palisades will be spending the holidays at home before embarking on a new tour next year.
