Young band looks to share more than just music with fans

By Angelyn Thornton

photo by Amy Willard

In the cooling air of early November, Barricade Buzz stood in a huddle behind a tour van with the members of There For Tomorrow. (A little sketchy, we know.) We were given the opportunity to catch up with Maika, Chris, Jay and Christian after their set at the 9:30 Club in Washington DC.
On this night, There For Tomorrow rolled into Washington with Straylight Run, Scary Kids Scaring Kids and Anberlin on a nationwide tour that Jay Enriquez, the band’s bassist, simply described as “perfect.” With hair that even I was jealous of, the Orlando-area boys discussed all things TFT including their myriad of promotional gigs, the therapeutic power of music and the pros and cons of being younger artists.
Not even old enough to drink yet, the band is no stranger to life on stage. Though this is their third national tour, this is the first time they are playing to crowds of this size on a regular basis. In addition to touring, There For Tomorrow has also graced the stages of a Warped Tour or two in the past. As for the Warped experience, “it’s just exciting because you’re playing a festival with all these other bands that you’re seeing around you and kind of competing with in a sense,” noted drummer, Chris Kamrada. “But, all in all, it’s nice to see bands that you grew up listening to and bands that you’ve toured with before so it’s kind of like the best of both worlds.”
Being comprised of 19 and 20 year olds, the band occasionally finds that age can be an issue as Maika Maile, lead vocalist and guitarist, explained that sometimes “[other bands] give us kind of a rep but I think we’re a little different. I think we’re starting to get taken seriously. I think we’re a little more mature as a group.”
There For Tomorrow also has an impressive resume of promotions and events to their name. Earlier in the day, Maile and Christian Climer, guitar and vocals, participated in the Game With Fame event hosted by Xbox in which fans were invited to play Halo 3 against the boys on Xbox Live. So how did they hold up? “We got our butts whipped a little,” said Maile, “but we did alright.”
Thankfully gaming skills are not a requisite for rockstars. The band, along with their video for “No More Room to Breathe,” is currently nominated for an MTVU Breaking Woodie Award which honors emerging artists of the past year. “That’s a big deal to us,” said Kamrada, “We’re kind of shocked about the whole thing.”
There For Tomorrow is in the category alongside other up-and-coming artists including All Time Low and We The Kings. Results will be announced on November 19th at the 2008 Woodie Awards to which Maile said “we have no expectations to win. We’re just happy we get to be there and hang out.” Of course, Barricade Buzz wishes the band nothing but the best of luck.
The interview was then interrupted by an eager couple seeking a meet-and-greet and the boys graciously obliged. We later reconvened back at the van for a one-on-one with Maile. With multiple EPs to their name since the formation of the band, the sound has notably matured.
“We evolve as people and change with every experience we have. So it just naturally happens. And, of course, our music and us as a group coming together creatively. That’s going to happen,” said Maile.
For the lead singer, music is a release; it is a means of venting emotions in a way that is relatable to fans. “I want to use myself as an example of what I’ve gone through, what I’ve experienced, what I experience everyday and I want people to be able to relate to that,” shared Maile. The creative process, however is a group effort as he added, “We all have our part, definitely, in writing. I just bring forth the base of the song and then we all come together and do it as one. That’s why it’s a There For Tomorrow song and not a Maika Maile song.”
There For Tomorrow will be on tour through December, after which they will head back into the studio to start work on their first full length album with Hopeless Records. “We’re really excited about what we have to offer with our first full length and what’s going to be on that…We’re excited to go home and write and be creative,” said Maile. Hopefully, we will hear a full release packed with some brand new songs in the not-too-distant future. Until then you can find out more about There For Tomorrow at www.myspace.com/therefortomorrow for music, blog and tour updates.