By: Tim Abrams
Well look at that, people are still interested in The Wave: Spotlight series! That is very excellent. If this is your first time reading one of our spotlights, don’t worry! The first spotlight we looked at the biggest act The Wave has ever had the grace of filming – Lucas Maddy and the Kansas Cartel. After that, we looked at Cole Harrison: one of the most promising students in the Fort Hays State’s music program. So what else could there be? Well, how about a local act that is wanting to melt your face off? This week’s Wave: Spotlight is focused on the local metal band, United Dysfunction!
United Dysfunction is a local act here in Hays that has been rocking out for some time now. Playing everything from house shows to Fire and Ice, the new club in town, they have started to grow a good cult following here in town. It didn’t take long for us at The Wave to hear about them, as we had two or three people asking us if we wanted to have them on the show.
So, a few weeks later we were in the TMN studios once again for our first full band recording. Although we had not done many bands, maybe just one or two, they were never more than two or three people. United Dysfunction rolled in with five people, scaring the crap out of the crew and I. At first we discovered that the studio to studio recording was not working correctly, so audio genius Ricky Kerr was able to rig up our portable Pro Tools station relatively fast. It was a great save, and since the band only had an hour or so before they had to leave, it was the only thing that made this video possible.
The performance was one of the best rock performances that I have seen in awhile. That might not sound like much, but coming from the Wichita, Kansas metal scene; I have seen more indie shows in last three years than most people get to see in five. The music flowed well, and the band knew what would make a good video. I can only describe the feel like this: this band seemed professional, even though they are in small town Kansas. But that’s the general feel I get from most musicians in Hays; which proves that location does not dictate talent.
Finally, the video was a great success. Alex Dinicola introduced us to Steadicam the right way – by making his shots not only steady but just beautiful. If you didn’t know, he was the one responsible for the main shot of the singer. That, to me, made the video, and it left many of our peers impressed. United Dysfunctions performance is one of my favorites, and it showed how far we had gone from our very first show.
That wraps up another Wave Spotlight! As always, to stay up to date on all things The Wave, check us out on Facebook and visit tmn.fhsu.edu for more artists spotlights. For more from United Dysfunction, check out their Facebook page below.
United Dysfunction: https://www.facebook.com/United-Dysfunction-125002716684/
The Wave: https://www.facebook.com/thewavemusicshow/