00:00:00:14 [Music]
00:00:15:11 Hi Miz Monday!
00:00:16:15 And today on Band Foto, we are shooting a band called Ume.
00:00:19:02 This band is from Austin, Texas.
00:00:20:28 We are going to give the band a lot of diversity
00:00:22:23 and we are going to shoot them in three different locations.
00:00:24:21 First being in the studio, second in the alleyway
00:00:28:05 and third a Laundromat at downtown Toronto.
00:00:31:14 So stay tuned, watch the show and enjoy Band Foto!
00:00:36:18 As you know today we are shooting Indie rockers Ume.
00:00:39:11 Let's take a look at their Band Foto breakdown.
00:00:43:18 The band Ume is composed of Eric Larson on bass,
00:00:46:29 Jeff Barrera on drums
00:00:48:23 and Lauren Larson on guitar, vocals and keys.
00:00:52:02 Their music is punk inspired Indie rock
00:00:54:24 that is both beautiful and brutal, combining pop-hooks,
00:00:58:10 sweet female vocals and seriously heavy guitar.
00:01:02:03 Dave Allen from Gang of Four says, Lauren,
00:01:05:08 'looks like she wouldn't hurt a fly, yet give her a guitar,
00:01:09:04 a marshal stack and a mike and stand back, way back.'
00:01:13:24 Ume's latest EP Sunshower released on Sound of Pop
00:01:17:25 is gaining rave reviews.
00:01:20:11 Their music video for their single Conductor
00:01:22:06 is visually crisp and powerful.
00:01:24:24 It was made with the intent of emulating
00:01:26:22 the intensity of Ume's live show.
00:01:29:03 The band has rock fans of South by South West,
00:01:31:25 North by North East, and CMJ,
00:01:34:29 as well as countless venues around the country.
00:01:37:26 Keep your eyes open for when they come through your town.
00:01:41:07 Now let's get back to the shoot.
00:01:43:04 I can't wait, Annasthesia will get them for hair.
00:01:45:23 Well I hear Lauren is kind of crazy with the guitar.
00:01:48:27 So I just want to make her really rock and roll and punk
00:01:50:27 and big hair and tease and just like awesome!
00:01:55:23 Cool, that's going to be really fun, because normally
00:01:57:29 she has her hair flat right, so using it's like awesome.
00:02:01:16 And Shauna what have you planned for makeup?
00:02:03:12 Well Lauren has a great look, so I am thinking smoky eye,
00:02:06:04 rock and roll, black eyeliner and that kind of thing
00:02:08:06 a little smudgy.
00:02:11:13 Cool that would be really cool.
00:02:13:22 And Nichola would you plan for styling?
00:02:17:28 So the guys they are wearing all black
00:02:19:20 and I want them to look very stylish but also casual.
00:02:22:21 Lauren is really going to stand out from the guys.
00:02:25:06 In one of the shot she is wearing all black leather fur.
00:02:28:08 In some of the other ones she is going to have gold and purple,
00:02:30:18 really like edgy and sexy and just really hot,
00:02:33:11 fine color and stuff like that.
00:02:35:20 Amazing, can't wait and Nicky are you excited?
00:02:37:16 -Yeah. -Okay, cool.
00:02:38:25 So let's put our hands together and go team.
00:02:45:20 [Music]
00:03:07:03 Guys I think I hear a knock.
00:03:13:18 Hello!
00:03:14:21 How is it going? I am Miz Monday.
00:03:16:12 Nice to meet you, nice to meet you Eric,
00:03:22:13 nice to meet you Jeff come in, come in.
00:03:33:13 So guys this is the band.
00:03:37:03 This is my stylist Nichola, she is doing clothing.
00:03:40:16 Yeah she is doing on clothing today on the set.
00:03:42:27 Shauna will be doing your makeup,
00:03:45:27 Annasthesia will be doing your hair
00:03:48:27 and Nicky is my assistant.
00:03:50:29 Cool, so let's get the band in hair makeup.
00:03:53:24 Alright, picture coming guys, going to get you all.
00:03:58:16 [Music]
00:04:05:00 So for Lauren, we are just creating some cool texture,
00:04:08:17 kind of like the crumpling kind of look
00:04:10:12 and a little bit like a crow,
00:04:12:03 it's going to kind of make it messy and sexy,
00:04:14:08 so she can bang her head around when she is playing guitar,
00:04:18:00 and look hot.
00:04:25:03 We are going for sort of like a silvery maybe smoky eye today.
00:04:29:02 I think it works really well with the wardrobe that Nichola
00:04:31:08 has chosen and I just want to bring out Lauren's eyes
00:04:36:08 and I think it's one of her strong features.
00:04:39:25 [Music]
00:05:31:11 It's so not you, but I like it.
00:05:34:11 I like it too.
00:05:35:23 It's a $2000 jacket, you know...
00:05:42:13 We have been dating since high school.
00:05:45:17 I was just having done.
00:05:48:07 He saw in my first band when I was 15 years old.
00:05:51:00 That was in a thrashy metal punk band called 12 blades
00:05:53:26 and I played guitar, and I kind of dropped the E fast
00:05:57:06 in 30 second metal songs in that, yeah.
00:06:00:18 I just played skateboard in this little town called Baytown, and
00:06:04:10 I was sitting on a vert ramp there, the big skate ramp there,
00:06:07:26 and he came up and asked for my number,
00:06:09:24 first guy ever, I said yeah.
00:06:14:28 So we have been together since then.
00:06:16:22 Nice story.
00:06:19:03 I think you are the first girl I asked.
00:06:21:02 Oh I am going to cry.
00:06:23:20 So sweet.
00:06:25:16 So we have been together ever since, playing music together.
00:06:27:23 We will be right back with more Band Foto.


00:00:00:14 [Music]
00:00:03:05 We are about to start the first shot,
00:00:05:08 I am so excited the band is getting dressed right now,
00:00:07:25 and final touches are happening.
00:00:10:06 Yeah it's going to look great. It's gorgeous.
00:00:12:11 [Music]
00:00:22:18 The shortened hands, cool, right?
00:00:24:11 We all wear the short...
00:00:25:13 I am talking about the shoes, the band were trying to
00:00:27:11 figure out, they want to use their shoes or go barefoot,
00:00:29:24 and get them jumping and then have her in [inaudible]
00:00:35:26 They are like dress pants, right?
00:00:38:00 That's kind of a funny story actually.
00:00:39:14 If they are barefoot and they have like dress pants on.
00:00:42:04 I think that will be really great.
00:00:44:07 I hope they shave their feet.
00:00:45:24 [Music]
00:00:48:18 Well, so you guys ready.
00:00:50:02 So let's put Lauren in the middle
00:00:56:18 and then Jeff on that side,
00:00:57:25 and Eric on the other side.
00:00:59:25 Step right, go behind her and up and beside her like that.
00:01:05:07 Beautiful!
00:01:06:24 Let's just see how this looks?
00:01:08:25 You guys look awesome!
00:01:11:06 [Music]
00:01:39:18 Gorgeous!
00:01:41:05 So good,
00:01:43:23 like one two three and jump,
00:01:46:04 and keep going and keep jumping and jump, jump!
00:01:58:08 Awesome, amazing, love it, love it, I love it.
00:02:03:08 [Music]
00:02:23:13 Great pose, right there!
00:02:29:28 Awesome, hey we got it.
00:02:36:00 And done, done and done!
00:02:37:13 That was fun to me, that was cool.
00:02:41:19 We all met playing in different DIY punk rock bands in Houston,
00:02:45:28 actually when we were in high school.
00:02:49:13 I met Eric, when I was 15 years old,
00:02:51:21 but it wasn't until a few years later,
00:02:53:16 where we all ran to each other at an Unwound concert
00:02:56:27 and it was a band we all really liked.
00:03:00:28 We were looking for a drummer, and even though Jeff had never
00:03:02:05 played drums he started to try that instrument,
00:03:05:00 and I had never sung, but I decided to give that a try
00:03:07:26 and Eric went on the guitars and picked up a bass
00:03:09:24 and we started playing together that's how our band was formed.
00:03:14:07 [Music]
00:03:24:18 Well I [inaudible] from skating.
00:03:26:16 It wasn't until a few years later that I actually got to
00:03:29:04 hear bands like Fugazi and Minor Threat and that pretty much
00:03:31:26 changed my world, so that was it for me.
00:03:34:23 To be honest we play with more punk rock bands.
00:03:37:03 We have played a heavy metal type show than with
00:03:40:00 Indie pop bands and acoustic bands.
00:03:42:04 We thereby have more punk and DIY aesthetic,
00:03:45:04 but we really spanned on rock, Indie rock.
00:03:49:12 We have melodic elements and really hard elements
00:03:51:06 in our music.
00:03:53:00 So I don't think it really fits specifically into one genre.
00:03:56:20 Okay, so we just wrapped up the first shot.
00:03:59:01 The photos look really good.
00:04:00:23 I am really excited, this band is amazing,
00:04:02:15 and now we are going to set up and head out to the alleyway
00:04:05:04 and shoot the second look.
00:04:06:23 [Music]
00:04:27:22 [Music]
00:04:48:28 That was actually a shot in our practice space.
00:04:50:28 I have a good friend Paul and he came here,
00:04:55:11 and we checked that in the afternoon.
00:04:57:16 Here is where we are trying to encompass
00:04:59:24 some of the elements of our live show in it.
00:05:02:04 So we really just were letting lose,
00:05:05:10 rocking out, having fun with that.
00:05:06:27 Yeah real low budget, real rookie, but going to get it
00:05:11:00 captured some of the headiness of our performance.
00:05:14:10 [Music]
00:06:12:13 And jump
00:06:13:27 [Music]
00:06:37:18 Awesome!
00:06:39:03 It's fun aye.
00:06:41:06 [Music]
00:07:04:16 Okay, we got it.
00:07:07:28 High fives!
00:07:09:18 One thing since I have been a musician for so long
00:07:12:14 even playing since high school is, I always find that,
00:07:14:21 I face what I would call low expectations.
00:07:18:04 People don't expect me to get up there
00:07:20:05 and perform like I am going to perform
00:07:22:08 and I would really like to open the door
00:07:23:23 for women and girls in music, would take the stage
00:07:26:01 and not have to face the same low expectations I have.
00:07:28:18 I also work as a guitar instructor.
00:07:31:06 I have been coach with Girls Rock Camp Austin,
00:07:33:13 and I also do work with another non-profit,
00:07:35:16 Girls Empowerment Network in Austin
00:07:37:08 and people are likely to assume that
00:07:40:01 you are going to sound a certain way.
00:07:41:18 Like I said earlier,
00:07:43:11 I thought you would be an folk singer or an acoustic singer
00:07:45:25 is by looking at you, man I really don't think
00:07:48:16 you would be able to play guitar, girls don't play guitar.
00:07:50:19 I had so many interviews, even within this year saying,
00:07:53:18 girls don't play guitar, but you really can play.
00:07:56:10 Well I was, first of all this is not true,
00:07:57:12 there are tons of women musicians,
00:07:59:05 I mean I am still surprised that that's even an issue anymore.
00:08:02:06 I would really like it for, anyone regardless of
00:08:04:20 how you look to be able to take the stage
00:08:06:12 and people not be surprised that you can play your instrument,
00:08:10:07 and not think I am a merge girl,
00:08:11:27 or with the band, that's a big thing,
00:08:14:02 Oh! You are the girlfriend of the band, constantly.
00:08:17:08 [Music]
00:08:33:28 I am really excited to get some good pictures of us.
00:08:37:28 You probably saw me walking in.
00:08:39:13 I don't know I don't normally look this...
00:08:41:16 the way I am done, but I am just really thrilled about it,
00:08:43:25 and the outfits and everything are lot of fun for me.
00:08:46:24 It would be great to have some great photos
00:08:48:18 and exposure here in Canada, it is just awesome,
00:08:52:03 at least for a Texas band.
00:08:54:02 We will be right back with more Band Foto.


00:00:00:14 [Music]
00:00:20:08 Looking good, we are going to look fabulous.
00:00:23:06 I just rush those, the maddiness that we put into it
00:00:27:00 and I am going to wait till her make is done,
00:00:29:26 so you got a better feel for what I want to do.
00:00:32:09 So it might either look like this or we might smoothen it out
00:00:35:13 a bit more, we'll see how it goes.
00:00:37:26 So we are at Hollywood Laundry and we are going on third shot.
00:00:41:04 [Music]
00:01:50:18 We are just getting our name out there really.
00:01:52:03 We are super excited about the full length.
00:01:54:06 So we try for everybody to hear our music and tour the world.
00:01:58:07 Just to be always wanted whether we make it big or make money
00:02:02:27 or whatever, just to have history in the music time line
00:02:06:24 and that's more important for me I think.
00:02:10:17 We started as a small Houston band that came out
00:02:12:24 and started doing stuff,
00:02:14:10 because amongst all my friends that had played music before,
00:02:16:04 we are the last ones that's kind of still doing it,
00:02:19:03 and that makes me proud.
00:02:21:04 I am proud too that we have really stuck with it.
00:02:23:23 We have really been doing it ourselves.
00:02:26:15 We have our self-booked over 250 shows,
00:02:30:16 it close to probably to 300 by now.
00:02:33:04 Really we have been doing it without a label,
00:02:35:18 without booking, without managers
00:02:37:05 and just really getting out there
00:02:38:09 and getting our music to fans.
00:02:40:17 So I feel like we have really worked hard
00:02:42:01 and kept our integrity to the whole process
00:02:46:03 and now I guess the hard work is paying off
00:02:48:12 when we go out to people.
00:02:49:28 Interesting thing is that we are getting to do things like this,
00:02:51:23 so it's a lot of fun.
00:02:53:25 [Music]
00:03:27:08 Okay, we got it.
00:03:30:17 another great Band Foto.
00:03:35:28 We will be right back with more Band Foto.


00:00:00:14 [Music]
00:00:02:29 We are in the Green room at the Horseshoe, downtown Toronto.
00:00:05:12 We are just about to check out Ume play live
00:00:07:28 which is going to be awesome.
00:00:09:26 Annasthesia is here doing hair
00:00:11:08 and she just got done out by Shauna Lee.
00:00:13:19 She looks beautiful and Nichola is just about
00:00:15:02 to get her dressed.
00:00:16:21 So really happy and excited and can't wait.
00:00:19:11 [Music]
00:00:31:18 Just getting on the wrinkles out
00:00:33:10 when she goes on stage and it causes some chaos.
00:00:36:23 I fell backward once onto my arm when I was in the
00:00:40:28 emergency room, but it was just a bungle, it's fine now.
00:00:45:03 One time I went down on my knees playing in the band,
00:00:47:00 we pushed across the Christmas lights and I didn't know it.
00:00:49:10 So when I raised up, it looked pretty hardcore,
00:00:52:12 there was blood coming down my legs
00:00:54:20 from the Christmas lights in my knees, that was bad.
00:00:59:13 I had scars at least for a while and doctor even said
00:01:01:16 Oh! You need to get knee surgery.
00:01:04:28 Thank you.
00:01:06:21 Thanks to everyone for everything
00:01:09:10 that you have done for me.
00:01:10:28 I love the hair, the makeup, the style, cool.
00:01:15:00 Yeah this is going to blast.
00:01:17:10 Yeah, it's going to be fun.
00:01:19:08 [Music]
00:01:35:21 What a cool girl and a great band.
00:01:37:26 Let's take a look at some of their best pics.
00:01:42:18 A great pic.
00:01:44:01 I love the styling by Nichola, perfect lighting,
00:01:46:16 and the purple backdrop
00:01:48:00 adds a nice accent to their dark colored clothing.
00:01:52:13 An iconic rock photo, Lauren looks amazing in her gold skirt
00:01:55:27 and with her cool hair style,
00:01:58:04 great industrial feel to this pic, ideal for a poster.
00:02:02:18 Same shot really, but with a touch of personality
00:02:04:20 and slightly different angle.
00:02:06:28 This is really a cute pic.
00:02:09:28 This is a great action shot.
00:02:11:18 The camera lens has distorted the image.
00:02:14:05 This combined with her body position, makes Lauren look
00:02:17:02 larger than life, cool effect.
00:02:21:28 Like the horizontal framing here there is an earthy cool feeling
00:02:25:03 to this shot, great muted tonal colors.
00:02:28:25 I love Lauren's expression in this pic.
00:02:32:08 The image has a dark stylistic feel to it, but Lauren seems to
00:02:35:16 pop out from the background, very cool.
00:02:38:15 Love the thoughtful nature of this picture,
00:02:41:03 really suits the band's personality.
00:02:43:14 It also shows their rebellious side.
00:02:46:02 You know they are not supposed to sit on the tables.
00:02:48:18 This is just a fun great band photo.
00:02:51:17 I love the tilted frame and the saturated tonal feel
00:02:53:25 to this one.
00:02:55:12 So that's for the show, see you next time on Band Foto.
00:02:59:20 [Music]
00:03:23:28 [Music]