We’re sad to report that local progressive punk rock band Holding Onto Sound have decided to call it quits.
A message posted on their facebook page late Saturday afternoon reads:
“As of today, HOTS is no more. Thanks for all your love and support. Our deepest apologies to Billy and everyone at Way Out West Fest, we really wanted to hang out today. Till next time…”
It’s unknown what (if anything in particular) spurred this decision. Shahab Zargari, founder of GC Records, HOTS’ longtime home, stated in a post on instagram simply that “years pass, schedules change, people grow. Priorities wildly differ. Happens to the best of us.”
Holding Onto Sound has been a fixture in the Vegas music scene for nearly a decade. I’ve always admired the way they worked to broaden their fanbase beyond the punk rock scene, often playing shows with hip hop, folk and electronic acts (some of my favorite shows of theirs were with dance trio Pan De Sal and electro-pop duo Kid Meets Cougar). It was also pretty amazing seeing them share a stage not once but three times with punk rock legends NOFX, most recently at last year’s Punk Rock Bowling.
HOTS has long been one of my favorite bands, and I felt very honored to get to work with them so often through this website. HOTS and GC Records took a chance on us early on by letting us premiere “Questions” and giving us an advance copy of The Sea to review when they had no reason to trust us to do right by them. During the last 2 years, it’s been great continuing that relationship, with highlights including filming a HOTS Stripped Down Session at the Las Vegas Natural History Museum with guitarists/vocalists Bennett Mains and Zabi Naqshband and Mains headlining the Punks in Vegas one year anniversary show.
We wish the band members the best of luck with future endeavors and send out our thanks for all the years of great music.
-Emily Matview
HOTS photo by Tyler Newton
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