Review: The Setback

 

 

Photo by Tom Grieve  The Setback will be performing at The Mad Magician in St. Louis on Nov. 14. The band is as follows from left to right; Alex Peterson, Jack Grieve, Melissa Neumann, and Christian Shank.
Photo by Tom Grieve
The Setback will be performing at The Mad Magician in St. Louis on Nov. 14. The band is as follows from left to right; Alex Peterson, Jack Grieve, Melissa Neumann, and Christian Shank.
Dane McGuire
Student Writer

 

With a self-described sound similar to Paramore and Fall Out Boy, The Setback from Edwardsville, Ill. arrived on the local music scene in 2012.

“Originally, we had been a band for awhile before that. We went by a different name, a different lead singer, and Melissa [Lead Vocalist, Melissa Neumann] just did backups and guitar, but then we kind of decided that we wanted to change what we were doing and become our own thing,” Bassist, Christian Shank said.

The Pop-Punk quartet composed of Neumann, Shank, Guitarist, Alex Peterson, and Drummer, Jack Greive draws heavily from relationships and coming-of-age issues, with their name representing personal setbacks.

Since their first, eight-track release, “Shoulda’ Stayed in Sports” in 2013, the band have gained over 1,300 total fans across Facebook, Twitter, and the music site ReverbNation.

The Setback have since released a four-track Extended Play or EP, “Stars Don’t Talk”. Their single “Breaking Point” currently airs on 89.9 WLCA.

In addition, the foursome have also recorded a music video for the EP’s first single, “Knock The Lights Out”.

“I think it was a really cool experience because we’re just kind of like air-playing because the monitors are projecting the sound, it was really cool,” Neumann said.

In just two years, the band went from recording in an apartment, to professional production, and plan to pursue music in the future, but some have alternative plans.

Peterson is a student at Lewis and Clark Community College studying architecture. Shank is studying architecture  while Neumann is pursuing Clinical Psychology at other colleges.

The band played a show at 300 State St. on Oct. 24, continuing as part of the St. Louis area club scene, while dreaming of their own “we made it” venue.

England’s Wembley Stadium is Peterson’s choice, while Neumann wants to stay closer to home and fill The Pageant in St. Louis.

“We’re very glad that people enjoy the music we make because, I don’t know about you guys [Neumann and Peterson], but when I make music, I make music for myself, what I want to listen to, and the fact that other people can hear that and say ‘wow these noise vibrations are really cool’, I really dig that,” Shank said.

For more information on The Setback visit reverbnation.com/thesetback/songs, and facebook.com/TheSetback for updates and new releases.

 

Contact Dane at ndmcguire@lc.edu

 

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