Think back to all the things you yearned to accomplish when you were in your teens. How different do you think your life would be had those goals come to fruition? Those are the exact same thoughts that constantly surround the kids in Anti-Vision. It’s what they’ve used to fuel them in the year since they formed. A sense of urgency defines them, whose oldest members just barely turned 18, with the youngest still a junior in high school. So why the hurry?
“The motivation to work fast and efficient came from the band I was in previously,” says guitarist Brian Dugan, “the singer was a dick and only wanted to do his songs, and because of this we were always arguing and nothing ever got done. We never had merch, we didn’t promote, and we only ever recorded three songs in the span of a year. [Robbie Malvin] and I eventually got sick of it. We decided to make a new band where we all contributed and pushed ourselves and really put 100% into it. It’s because of this motivation and persistence that we’ve been able to accomplish so much in only a year.”
Together Brendan Sellers, Brian Dugan, Saxon Perez, and Robbie Malvin meticulously pack unhampered musical energy into less than two-minute songs, with verses that show their convictions and challenge all authority. None of the songs overstay their welcome, yet they leave one hell of a trail behind them.
“The first show I really started trying to push myself and be as crazy as possible was when we first played at the Artistic Armory,” recalls vocalist Brendan Sellers. “Our first couple of shows, I was still learning the lyrics and was terrified I was gonna fuck up, but from that I got a kick ass adrenaline rush and wanted to really impress people, so they could be as excited as I was to play for them. The guys at the Artistic Armory used to put on some amazing shows that still inspire me today, so to be extra crazy for our first time playing there, I wore a Scooby-Doo onesie and just went fucking ballistic. It was the first time I screamed in people’s face, jumped off shit, and really tried to get people going as crazy as possible. The Scooby-Doo onesie didn’t stick, but the going ballistic part is still strong as ever.”
In the span of a year, the band has released a debut album, No Place Like Home, followed that with mercilessly playing every show they could hop onto, and recorded and released a split with The CG’s. That split release show was a turning point. Renting a substantially large backyard, used as horse stables, in the Northwest part of Vegas, both Anti-Vision and The CG’s were able to pack nearly 300 kids for their split release show.
Kicking and screaming they are now entering a different stage in the band’s career, and people are taking notice. One of those people being Punk Rock Bowling founders, the Stern brothers, who gave the band an opportunity to showcase their skills this year opening up for Conflict, at an official Punk Rock Bowling club show.
It’s a different ball game now. Since house shows can only take you so far, the band is transitioning into playing more bars and clubs, to a more mature, and sometimes unassuming audience. Having just recently played Duane Peters’ birthday show at the Dive Bar, they made a lasting impression as Duane Peters joined on stage with his harmonica in hand while the band raged through a song. They’ve gone from shotgunning beers with fellow musicians at house shows, to killing time outside bars across the city smoking as much weed as humanly possible as they wait to soundcheck and play.
“I’ve found that bar shows usually lack energy, and I don’t know if it’s because old punks don’t wanna break a hip in the pit, or because everyone’s busy drinking at the bar…but I just personally don’t feel it. Although they aren’t very fun to play yet, I think club shows are a great way to get your name out there, and I’m sure we’ll have better shows in the future, especially with Cody Leavitt booking us on shows with punk rock legends like Duane Peters,” mentioned Brian.
What’s in store for the future is up in the air. Half the band is focusing on graduating, while simultaneously sharing a common desire to hit the road and tour. They are a band that is ready to ascend the ladder. They have the songs and work ethic to accomplish goals that most local bands don’t get to. They’re one of the few bands you’ll see with an actual merch table, physical copies of their music, and with actual professional gear at shows. Whether you’re next to 10 or 100 people at one of their shows, you’ll see the band throwing themselves across the stage or someone’s living room. If they don’t smoke or drink themselves to oblivion, we might be in store for some sweet surprises.
-Alan Madrigal
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