Set It Off (band)

Set It Off is an American rock band based in Tampa, Florida. The band has gained a large following through vocalist Cody Carson's YouTube Channel^[1] and was subsequently signed by Equal Vision Records after releasing a string of successful extended plays. Out of the two studio albums that have been released, both have charted on the US Billboard 200; Cinematics (2012) peaked at 174 while Duality (2014) peaked at 86.

Overview

Formation (2008)

Cody Carson met Dan Clermont in high school when the two were in the marching band together and became friends. Austin M. Kerr and Zach Dewall were in a band together prior to the formation of Set It Off. The band played local shows with the band that Carson was in at the time. Then, Carson left for Ohio to attend the Oberlin Conservatory of Music as a classical clarinet student. In his first year, after exchanging a series of YouTube videos with him, Carson asked All Time Low's frontman Alex Gaskarth if he could sing Coffee Shop Soundtrack on stage at the group's upcoming concert at the Cleveland House Of Blues via YouTube video,^[2] to which Gaskarth agreed.^[3] That performance had helped Carson confirm his dream of starting a rock band,^[4][5] and not long after Carson dropped out of college and used his school money to come back and start up the band. Dewall and Kerr were amongst the first to follow. Dan Clermont also joined the band. James Arran was Set It Off's initial drummer. Financial struggles made gas purchases difficult for him, making his stress levels much worse which resulted in James resigning on August 24, 2008.^[6] Blake Howell became Set It Off's next drummer. He had soon left the band due to difficulties his family was facing.^[7] Blake was replaced by Benjamin Panico (nicknamed Benji Panic by Set It Off) on October 30, 2009; however, they have since parted ways so that Benji could pursue his GED and later to start his own photography studio. The current drummer for the band, Maxx Danziger, was found through a mutual friend (Blake)

Early releases (2008–2010)

Set It Off released its first EP, Baby, You Don't Tripajaharda on October 31, 2008.

Set It Off self-released its EP ^[8]Calm Before the Storm.^[9] on May 16, 2009.

Set It Off self-released the single "Hush Hush" on September 6, 2010. A music video was made to accompany the song on October 4, 2010.^[10]

Signing to Equal Vision Records and Horrible Kids (2011–2012)

On July 19, 2011 the band announced its signing to ^[11]Equal Vision Records^[12] It was also announced that through Equal Vision Records, the band would be reissue a remastered version of the group's self-released EP Horrible Kids, with an addition of the song "Chase It!", on August 30, 2011. Carson states that,^[11]"Our main inspiration in writing this album was derived from personal experiences growing up. I loved being able to turn to songs that I could personally relate to. I want to provide that same kind of coping source for people. I want people to be able to turn on Horrible Kids and pick a song that pinpoints exactly what they're going through and allows them to vent through it.”^[12] After being released, the album ^[13] debuted in the top 100 Alternative Albums on iTunes^[14]

Cinematics (2012–2014)

The band performing in 2013 at Warped Tour

In July 2012, Set It Off announced the release of the debut full-length album, Cinematics (album), which was released in 2012.^[15]Cinematics,^[16]

The band partnered with VH1 Save the Music Foundation and donated $1 of every album sold before September 23 to help support music programs in schools. The band also added a bonus to the donation, to create a total of $5000: Equal Vision Records agreed to match the band’s donation amount, doubling the total amount for the organization, if the band was to reach No. 1 on the Billboard Heatseekers Chart.

"We're honored to be working with VH1 Save The Music. If it wasn’t for the music education program in my high school, Set It Off would not exist,” states founding member and frontman Cody Carson. “I would not have met our guitarist, Dan Clermont, I wouldn’t have been directed toward Oberlin Music Conservatory, and I wouldn’t end up with even half of the musical knowledge I possess now. More people need to be able to experience the unity, leadership skills, and work ethic taught by being involved in music education programs in schools. Set It Off strongly endorses this organization for these, among many other, reasons. We’re so excited to raise money for them and help spread the word about the importance of music education.”^[17]

The album, produced, mixed, and recorded by Zack Odom and Kenneth Mount at ZK Productions, debuted at the No. 174 position on the Billboard 200, No. 4 on the Top Heatseekers, and No. 38 on the Independent Albums chart.

In October 2013, Fearless Records released the album Punk Goes Christmas which featured an original Set It Off song, "This Christmas (I'll Burn It To the Ground)".

Duality (2014–2016)

On January 2, 2014, Equal Vision Records released a video on its YouTube page, announcing that Set It Off would be recording a new album with John Feldmann, which would be released October 14, 2014.

The band recorded the album in Los Angeles with several producers, including Brandon Paddock, Tommy English and Matt Appleton.^[18] A music video for "Why Worry" was filmed in Manhattan on August 21 using fans as extras. In August it was announced that the band will be supporting Black Veil Brides on their headline tour across America throughout October and November dubbed "The Blackmass" and will also be supported by Falling In Reverse and Drama Club.^[19] The first single off of this album was released on September 9, 2014. The album was included at number 5 on Rock Sound's "Top 50 Albums of the Year" list.^[20]

2014 also saw Set It Off featured on Fearless Records' Punk Goes Pop 6, on which the band covered Ariana Grande's "Problem."

On February 25, 2015, the band announced they would be playing the Vans Warped Tour '15 on the Journeys Shoes Stage.

On May 19, 2015, a Tumblr post was made accusing Austin Kerr of sexual misconduct with underaged fans and bringing up a possibility of full-fledged sexual assault. While the rest of the band neither confirmed nor denied these allegations, on May 20, 2015, they created a Facebook post announcing they were cutting ties with Kerr and that he was no longer a member of Set It Off.

On July 4, 2015, a music video for "Forever Stuck In Our Youth" was released.

On January 13, 2016, a music video for the title track of their album "Duality" was uploaded to YouTube.

On March 22, 2016, the band announced they would be playing the Vans Warped Tour for the second year in a row, but this time on the main stage.

On May 17, 2016, the band released a new single titled "Uncontainable" along with an accompanying music video.

Upside Down (2016)

The band released their album Upside Down on October 7, 2016. In its first week of sale, it doubled Duality's first week sales.

Music videos

Set It Off has twelve music videos released for the songs "Pages and Paragraphs",^[21] "Hush Hush",^[10] "@reply",^[22] "Horrible Kids",^[23] "Breathe In, Breathe Out",^[24] "Swan Song",^[25] "Why Worry",^[26] "Ancient History",^[27] "Wild Wild World",^[28] "Partners In Crime",^[29] "Forever Stuck In Our Youth",^[30] and "Duality".^[31] Additionally, there is a music video for Set It Off's Punk Goes Christmas song, "This Christmas (I'll Burn It To The Ground)".^[32] Official lyric videos have also been released for "I'll Sleep When I'm Dead", "Swan Song", "Kill the Lights", and "Bleak December".

Touring

Set It Off has currently played in over ^[33] 19 tours.^[34] Set It Off was also accompanied on tour by merchandise manager Marshall Travers, and tour manager, Andrew Cramb. Cramb attended private school with several members of the band and had been on tour with the band since 2009. However, Cramb backed down from this position after graduating college. In 2013, Set It Off toured Europe with Yellowcard. In that same year, Set It Off supported Tonight Alive on its UK tour in October, along with Decade. The band played Warped Tour 2013 from 6/15-7/3, 7/6-8/4, and played with Candy Hearts, State Champs, William Beckett, and We Are The In Crowd during WATIC's Reunion Tour in spring of 2014. The band also co-headlined the Come Alive Tour with Our Last Night, featuring Stages & Stereos and Heartist, supported Black Veil Brides and Falling In Reverse on the Black Mass Tour, and, beginning in February, 2015, the group began its first USA headliner being The Glamour Kills Spring Break Tour with support from Against The Current, As It Is, and Roam. The band played the entirety of the 2015 Vans Warped Tour.^[35] The band also toured on the Rise of the Runaways Tour (January and February 2015) through various continents with Crown the Empire and Alive Like Me. Set It off will begin a UK/Europe tour^[36] in May 2015, with stops in Belgium, France, Germany, the Netherlands and the United Kingdom. From March 1 to March 28, 2016, Set It Off went on 'The Fight For Something Tour' with fellow band Tonight Alive,^[37] and are playing the entirety of the 2016 Vans Warped Tour, except for the first show in Anchorage, Alaska.^[38]

Set it Off performing at Vinyl Music Hall in Pensacola, FL

Musical style and influences

In the beginnings of the band, Set It Off fit more into a synth-driven pop punk genre. Now that the band has matured and the members have defined themselves as orchestral pop punk, the majority of the orchestral string sounds are programmed and sequenced synthesizers are added during production rather than traditionally recorded acoustic instruments. Kerrang! magazine has also summarised the band's genre as pop rock.^[39] The band's influences include Fall Out Boy, Four Year Strong, Breaking Benjamin, Steps, My Chemical Romance, Disturbed, Skillet, All Time Low, Linkin Park, New Found Glory, A Day to Remember, Forever the Sickest Kids, Relient K, *Nsync, Destiny's Child and We the Kings.

Members

Timeline

Discography

Studio albums

• Cinematics (2012)
• Duality (2014)
• Upside Down (2016)

EPs

• Baby, You Don't Tripajaharda (2008)
• Calm Before the Storm (2009)
• Horrible Kids(2012)
• Duality: Stories Unplugged (2015)

References

Citations

Sources

External links

• http://www.absolutepunk.net/showthread.php?t=2327662
• http://www.altpress.com/aptv/video/set_it_off_horrible_kids_video/
• http://www.altpress.com/aptv/video/premiere_set_it_off_ill_sleep_when_im_dead/
• http://www.altpress.com/features/entry/in_the_studio_set_it_off/
• http://www.underthegunreview.net/2011/07/19/set-it-off-sign-to-equal-vision-release-music-video/
• http://stitchedsound.com/?p=3511
• http://equalvision.com/news/show/668
• http://equalvision.com/news/show/761
• http://cltampa.com/tampa/cody-carson-on-his-buzzed-about-band-set-it-off/Content?oid=2307423#.UCK09aDhfpw