The Amity Front profile picture

The Amity Front

The new CD, Border Towns available now.

About Me


THE AMITY FRONT TOUR SCHEDULE
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THE AMITY FRONT
"The Amity Front is a band that has wrestled Americana/Roots music to the ground and bent it to its will." -The Greenfield Recorder
Music should compel you - rock your mind and get your fingers snapping. The Amity Front has that power and exercises it every time it gets on stage. The band’s hip swaggering, finger picking, Americana inspired music is an aural journey from the roots to modern rock relevance. Moving forward, exploring genres and constantly pushing in new, innovative directions, The Amity Front demonstrates amazing growth - growth that few bands have so early in their careers. Armed with the understanding that music is its art form, TAF is on the move. A band meant for the road - the live shows define The Amity Front: energetic, exhilarating, bracing and heady.
Not only does The Amity Front's music bring you back to the origins of rock'n'roll, its story does too. It’s a story of chance connections from Detroit to rural Massachusetts: a group of musicians playing in a bar when a kid floated into the jam session in a whirlwind of cigarette smoke and silent excitement, blowing everyone away with a voice straight out of an old 12-inch. Erik Alan’s journey in search of his musical bliss culminated in his chance encounter with Levin Schwartz and Max Adam, birthing The Amity Front.
Out of the love and appreciation for musicians playing good music came The Amity Front. The band's first record, Highway Bound found incredible success in its hometown of Northampton, MA and throughout the Northeast. The band toured relentlessly behind the release, highwaying as far south as the Carolinas and as far west as Erik’s home town of Birmingham, MI. Energized by the response to Highway Bound, the band has propeled itself to the next level with the release of Border Towns. Musician, Levin Schwartz, talking about the upcoming release of Border Towns, said, "I hope that people can relate to the sentiments and stories found in the songs. I hope that they appreciate the musicianship on the album. I hope that they hear a song that helps them identify with themselves. Because we do."
Border Towns is a rare gem with a sound that is both forward-reaching and traditionally rooted. It was recorded in-studio with the band playing live in order to capture the excitement and frenetic energy of its live shows. Thanks in part to this method of recording, their faithful producer David "Goody" Goodrich and the band’s musical maturity over the past few years, the sound is compelling and convincing. The Amity Front has managed to maintain its Americana roots and integrate and infuse every song with a blast of rock -- the likes of which is staple in their live performances . Levin adds, "This record is a true collective effort of performance, composition, and pre and post production of the songs. We have really honed in on a group sound that is larger than the sum of the parts and very representative our our live show—that was really important to us on this record—to make it sound how we are when we play live. The first album was great for its spontaneity and vibe, but we now work with a different palate of sounds. In many ways I consider this another debut album."
The Amity Front are:

Erik Alan -- from Birmingham, MI on lead & harmony vocals and guitar.
Levin Schwartz -- from Southwick, MA on guitars, mandolin, lead & harmony vocals.
Lyon Graulty -- from W. Stockbridge, MA on clarinet, harmonica, rhythm and slide guitar, lead & harmony vocals.
Max Adam -- from Brattleboro, VT on double and electric bass.
Pete Van Dyck -- from Greenfield, MA percussionist and drummer.
The Amity Front is THAT band - you know the one - the band that will appeal to you, your hipster neighbor, your mom and dad, and that English teacher who you are sure is a backyard lush. You might not experience a swing-along at a live show anymore, but you'll most certainly be caught up in a rock-out sing along.
See The Amity Front live, listen to the records, don't be the last to know. --

My Interests

Music:

Member Since: 1/9/2005
Band Website: theamityfront.com
Band Members:
Erik Alan: vocals, guitar
Levin Schwartz: guitars, mandolin, and vocals
Lyon Graulty: clarinet, harmonica, tenor sax, slide guitar, vocals
Max Adam: double bass, electric bass
Pete Van Dyck: drums

YOU CAN ORDER OUR CDS FROM CDBABY.COM

HIGHWAY BOUND by track or album

BORDER TOWNS by track or album

We're on
Check out our Interview and studio performance!

Influences: Ray Charles, The Band, Otis Redding, Bob Dylan, The Beatles, Doc Watson, Albert King, Paul Simon, Eric Clapton, Chet Atkins, The Grateful Dead, Tony Rice, Wilco, Death Vessel, David Grisman, Clarance White, Little Feat, New Riders of The Purple Sage, Michigan Folk Live.
Sounds Like:
PROMOTIONAL VIDEO

BORDER TOWNS
RECORDING SESSION PHOTOS
Record Label: unsigned
Type of Label: None

My Blog

Busy Little Bees

Who ever thought up the old idiom of "not being able to see the forest through the trees" was certainly a wise one, indeed. There is something to be said about taking a step back....and then maybe no...
Posted by The Amity Front on Wed, 04 Jun 2008 10:16:00 PST

Billboard.com

I forgot to say that our feature on the Billboard website is up and running. Just go to billboard.com and look at the videos section on the left side. We're right between Brittany Spears and Lil Wayne...
Posted by The Amity Front on Tue, 20 May 2008 08:49:00 PST

TAF plays for crazy drunk girls, Pete falls off a cliff

This weekend TAF made another trip down to the southland. We played two shows (at Jack of the Wood in Asheville, NC, and at the River Rendezvous Climbing Fest in Fayetteville, WV). We played in front ...
Posted by The Amity Front on Tue, 20 May 2008 08:44:00 PST

This kat now has 8 lives

Well, our mini tour this weekend was a blast. I am happy to have made it through alive!Late in the evening, after rocking the New River Rendezous (A climbers festival in West Virginia, I took a stroll...
Posted by The Amity Front on Mon, 19 May 2008 01:57:00 PST

...thoughts while in the back of the van...

This is a beautiful time of year to be out traveling this country, especially through the smoky mountains. We have been playing down in western N.C. the past few days. This area of the country is a sp...
Posted by The Amity Front on Sun, 27 Apr 2008 08:38:00 PST

April 17th & 18th 2008

Hey folksThursday, April 17th. Ithaca, NY CASTAWAYS 9:30, Support: Brooks BinauFriday, April 18th. Northampton, MA PEARL STREET 8:30, Supporting: Rail Road EarthI just wanted to let you know there is ...
Posted by The Amity Front on Tue, 15 Apr 2008 06:03:00 PST

road retrospective rant

Today we embarked on the final drive of our tour, traveling away from the setting sun, toward the Pioneer Valley and some much needed and well deserved rest. If the road to hell is paved with good in...
Posted by The Amity Front on Mon, 24 Mar 2008 09:05:00 PST

skylines and ridgelines

We are back in the North country. Chicago. It’s 9:53 and I’m sitting in an arm chair in a dark Super 8 hotel room. Pete and Lyon are past out in front of me. Pete’s breathing is ...
Posted by The Amity Front on Tue, 18 Mar 2008 09:35:00 PST

Pete finds salvation (but he’s still going to keep on drinking)

Excerpt from Pete’s journal - March 15th somewhere in North Carolina:I’d die to live this life. I’d give up all I have and go to another place, where music is forever; Playing for Go...
Posted by The Amity Front on Mon, 17 Mar 2008 03:21:00 PST

more from the road

Day 7. We’re making our way, slowly, toward Raleigh, from Black Mountain. It appears, beyond a shadow of a doubt, that our van( or rather many of its parts) has conspired against us and our ef...
Posted by The Amity Front on Sat, 15 Mar 2008 01:39:00 PST