Kids From Cleveland Really CAN Win

GENRE: Psychedelic experimental indie rock

WHY YOU SHOULD LISTEN: Because they’re from Cleveland, and it will blow your mind. Really. It will.

HOMETOWN: Cleveland, OH

WEBSITE: www.mrgnome.com

It’s a city of ‘better luck next year’

-Nicole Barille, Mr. Gnome

Cleveland is a city of tough love. It’s a town of low expectations. The people are hardy and no frills. One would expect the musical output of the region to be comparable. But Mr. Gnome defies all expectations. This Cleveland-based duo takes all the humility of the Midwestern sensibility and mixes it with a depth of sound that will surely rock one’s face off. And what is their biggest inspiration? Why, the changes of seasons in the barren Ohio climate of course!

Mr. Gnome – “Bit of Tongue” by performermag

The sound of the new record is big – bigger than expected from just two people: Nicole Barille, lead singer and keeper of sound pedals, and Sam Meister on drums, piano and vocals. Barille describes the recording process as “all about toying around with stuff and experimenting.” And it shows. The intricacy of layers present on the track “Vampires” is the best representation of a Midwestern snowstorm that a girl could ask for.

And don’t just take Performer’s word for it. Mr. Gnome is gearing up for a very big and very long national tour, so go check it out for yourself. Barille promises the live show, although different from the studio experience, will have the same depth of sound and melodic intricacy as the record delivers. The complex set-up of pedals and live looping is sure to present a musical adventure each and every night. “It creates a lot more pressure during the performance, but it also keeps it fun and exciting because it’s all right there in the moment,” Barille says.

She contends that they’re ready for the challenge on this upcoming tour. Watching two people re-create a wall of sound this dynamic in a live environment is worth the cost of admission. And perhaps a cocktail or two.

photo by Sam Meister