Tonight Alive

Tonight Alive
Tonight Alive at The Bamboozle Festival 2011.
Background information
Origin	Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
Genres	Pop punk, alternative rock
Years active	2008−present
Labels	Fearless (2011–present) Sony Australia (2011–present)
Associated acts	Rufio, Blink-182, Mark Hoppus, Sleeping with Sirens, Pierce the Veil
Website	http://www.tonightaliveofficial.com/
Members	Jenna McDougall Whakaio Taahi Jake Hardy Cam Adler Matt Best
Past members	Mitchell Stanger

Tonight Alive are an Australian five-piece pop punk band from Sydney, formed in 2008. The band currently consists of lead vocalist Jenna McDougall, lead guitarist Whakaio Taahi, rhythm guitarist Jake Hardy, bassist Cam Adler and drummer Matt Best.

After self-releasing the EPs, All Shapes and Disguises and Consider This in 2010, Tonight Alive signed to Fearless Records in November 2011^[1] and released their debut album What Are You So Scared Of? on 14 October 2011.^[2] The record was officially released in the UK and US on October 2012, a year after its initial release in Australia. Their second and most recent studio album, The Other Side, was recorded in Australia and released 6 September 2013.

Tonight Alive have been listed as one of the top 10 Australian bands of all time on rock radio station KROQ in the US.^[3]

History

Formation, All Shapes And Disguises and Consider This EP (2008-2010)

Guitarist Jake Hardy and bassist Cameron Adler, who already had an existing rock project, joined with sixteen year-old Jenna McDougall to form the first version of Tonight Alive. Shortly thereafter Whakaio Taahi joined on lead guitar they were joined by now member Matt Best, high school friend of Whakaio. The band's initial year was spent playing local shows at youth centres around the Sydney area, and slowly the band accumulated a large following.

In 2009 the band entered the studio to record their debut self-funded EP All Shapes And Disguises with producer Greg Stace and producer Dave Petrovic, which was released in June 2010, with their music video and debut single 'Wasting Away' being released that same month.^[4]

The track 'Closer' was featured on season six of the US reality TV show The Hills.^[5]

In November 2010, the band released a three track EP Consider This, before heading on a national tour with Australian band Sienna Skies.

What Are You So Scared Of? (2011-2012)

In late 2010, a demo of Tonight Alive's new material landed on producer Mark Trombino's desk. He then contacted the band, wanting to take part in producing their debut full-length record.^[6]

"For him to contact us, and say he was interested, was a big deal," says Jenna. "We couldn't believe he'd put himself out like that. He's amazing. Mark created the albums we all grew up listening to - the albums that launched the careers of all these great bands."

In the early months of 2011, Tonight Alive flew to Los Angeles and recorded their debut full-length at NRG Studios over two months.^[6]

The band also played their Tonight Alive 2011 Australian Tour with supporting bands such as Skyway and For This Cause.

The track 'To Die For', originally from the band's first EP All Shapes & Disguises and 'Thank You And Goodnight', originally from the band's second EP Consider This, was re-recorded on this record. 'Thank You & Goodnight' features guest vocals from Blink 182's Mark Hoppus.^[7]

The first single 'Starlight' was released 1 July and played across the nation on local radio stations. The music video for the track was released three days later on 4 July.^[8] The second single, 'Let It Land' was released along with a music video for the track on 19 September.^[9]

Tonight Alive toured the US and took part on the annual Bamboozle festival,^[10] playing the 1 May date on the Zumiez stage alongside New Found Glory, Valencia, Thrice, The Downtown Fiction and more.

The band is featured on the Punk Goes Pop 4 compilation CD, covering 'Little Lion Man' by British indie rock band, Mumford & Sons, which was released on 21 November.

Jenna McDougall was part of Good Charlotte's song "Like It's Her Birthday." ^[11] McDougall was also featured in Simple Plan's song "Jet Lag" during the Australian leg of Simple Plan's most recent tour. She was also featured on the Divided by Friday song "Face to Face".^[12]

What Are You So Scared Of? was released under Sony Records Australia on 14 October 2011, however at the beginning of November 2011, Tonight Alive also signed to Fearless Records,^[1] and re-released the Consider This EP on 8 November and their debut record What Are You So Scared Of? 4 months later in the US.^[13]

The band released their Consider This EP in the UK through Banquet Records on 2 April 2012.^[14]

Tonight Alive appeared on the 2011 Fearless Friends Tour alongside blessthefall, The Word Alive, Motionless In White, and Chunk! No, Captain Chunk.^[15]

The band was set to play on the Lucky Street Tour with Go Radio and This Providence and SXSW until they had to pull out due to medical issues. "We're very sorry to announce that we are having to cancel our upcoming tour with Go Radio and SXSW appearances due to serious medical issues" ^[16] They headed to Japan for the shows with Young Guns and also they had a first headline show at Shibuya-AX. Tonight Alive will be playing the entire Warped Tour 2012.

During their time on The Vans Warped Tour 2012, the band began video production of Listening, their third single release from What Are You So Scared Of? Despite the fact that Breaking and Entering had previously been released as a digital download and music video, according to McDougall, Listening will technically be the third single since WAYSSO?'s official release. Listening was used to document the bands final few days on the Summer long tour, in a montage music video, which is available to view on YouTube. On 12 October 2012 Tonight Alive released the music video for "Listening".

The Other Side (2013-present)

Tonight Alive released a stand-alone single called "Breakdown" on 12 March 2013 which featured Good Charlotte's Benji Madden. The band recorded their next album, The Other Side, in Coffs Harbour, Australia, which was released on 6 September 2013 through Sony and Fearless Records. The first single is "The Ocean", which premiered on Radio 1 in the UK on 11 July^[17] to coincide with the announcement of the album. "The Ocean" was later released to iTunes on 22 July. A teaser for the band's next single, "Lonely Girl" was released 24 July. The single was fully released later that night. An accompanying music video was premiered on 15 August. The track "Come Home" was released as a single in late September, along with the music video on the band's Vevo channel. ^[18]

Tonight Alive toured the US as part of the 2013 Vans Warped Tour. They played a few dates in Australia before coming back again in support of the new album, along with two Rolling Stone Live Lounge acoustic shows.^[19] They are also on the lineup for Warped Tour Australia in November 2013.^[20]

They then went on the Other Side tour to promote their new album in both Australia, and later the U.S. They toured with The Downtown Fiction, For the Foxes, and Echosmith during their U.S touring dates. The tour ended on 23 November.

Influences

Tonight Alive are known to draw their influences from bands such as Rufio and Thrice.^[21] Jenna McDougall has stated that a vocal influences include Fall Out Boy and Australian pop singer-songwriter, Missy Higgins; her favourite song writers include Jesse Lacey of Brand New, Andrew McMahon of Something Corporate & Jack's Mannequin, Ed Sheeran and Danny O'Donoghue of The Script.

Band members

Current members

• Jenna McDougall – lead vocals (2008–present)
• Whakaio Taahi – lead guitar, backing vocals (2008–present)
• Jake Hardy – rhythm guitar (2008–present)
• Cam Adler – bass, backing vocals (2008–present)
• Matt Best – drums (2008–present)

Discography

Singles

• Wasting Away - November 2009
• Starlight - 2012
• Let it Land - 2012
• Breaking and Entering - 2012
• Listening - July 2012
• Breakdown - March 2013
• The Ocean - July 2013
• Lonely Girl - August 2013
• Come Home - September 2013

Studio albums

EPs

Compilation appearances

• Punk Goes Pop 4 with "Little Lion Man", originally by Mumford & Sons

Tours

Tour name	Participating bands	Continent/Country	Participating from - to
Don't Trust Me Tour	3OH!3,Tonight Alive	Australia	13 Oct - 18 Oct 2009
The Lying Tour	Amy Meredith, Tonight Alive	Australia	24 Apr - 15 May 2010
Lostprophets Australian Tour	Lostprophets, The Blackout, Tonight Alive	Australia	27–30 May 2010
The Streets Of Gold Tour	3OH!3, Tonight Alive, For Our Hero	Australia	12 Aug - 15 Aug 2010
Hits, Tits and Pits Tour	The Wonder Years, Heroes For Hire, Tonight Alive, Skyway	Australia	9 Sept - 18 Sept 2010
Consider This	Tonight Alive, Sienna Skies	Australia	19 Nov - 28 Nov 2010
The Reclamation Tour	The Getaway Plan, Tonight Alive, Secrets In Scale	Australia	9 Feb - 19 Feb 2011
Spring Break Your Heart Tour	Forever The Sickest Kids, Breathe Carolina, This Century, We Are The In Crowd, Before Their Eyes, Tonight Alive	North America	30 March – 26 April 2011
Bamboozle 2011	Short Lived Affair, Tonight Alive, Man Overboard, Valencia, I Am the Avalanche	North America	29 April - 1 May 2011
The Higher Education Tour	Amy Meredith, Tonight Alive	Australia	11 May - 10 June 2011
Tonight Alive 2011 Australian Tour	Tonight Alive, Skyway	Australia	1–16 July 2011
An Evening With Anberlin	Anberlin, Tonight Alive	Australia	26 August – 2 September 2011
Get Your Heart On! Tour	Simple Plan, Tonight Alive, New Empire	Australia	30 September - 5 October 2011
What Are You So Scared Of? Tour	Tonight Alive, Rufio	Australia	14–23 October 2011
Indent 2011 Tour	BIG STAGE w/ I, Soar Eagles, Evacuate The Fallen, Gerkin, Everything Red	Australia	28 October – 6 November 2011
The Fearless Friends 2011 Tour	blessthefall, The Word Alive, Motionless In White, Tonight Alive, Chunk! No, Captain Chunk!	North America	9 November – 16 December 2011
Never Shout Never 2012 UK Tour	Nevershoutnever, Tonight Alive	Europe	16–27 January 2012
Bare Bones Club Tour	Young Guns (band), Tonight Alive, Polar	Europe	2–15 February 2012
Soundwave 2012	3 ANNEX w/ Conditions, The Summer Set, Framing Hanley, Dashboard Confessional, Relient K, The Ready Set, Heroes For Hire	Australia	25 February – 5 March 2012
No Place Like Home Tour	Tonight Alive, Young Guns (band), Totally Unicorn	Australia	17 May - 2 June 2012
Warped Tour 2012	KEVIN SAYS STAGE with: After The Burial, Captain Capa, Impending Doom, Living With Lions, Lost In Society, Make Do And Mend, Sick of Sarah, Ten Second Epic, Twin Atlantic, We Are The Ocean	North America	16 June – 5 August 2012
European Headline Tour	Tonight Alive, LostAlone, Blitz Kids	Europe	26 September - 9 October 2012
Collide With The Sky Tour 2012[25]	Pierce The Veil, Sleeping With Sirens, Tonight Alive, Hands Like Houses (replaced by I Am King at Canadian dates)	North America	12 October – 23 November 2012
Kerrang! Tour 2013	Black Veil Brides, Chiodos, Tonight Alive. Fearless Vampire Killers (band)	United Kingdom	3–15 February 2013
The Suppy Nation Tour 2013	The Story So Far, Man Overboard, Tonight Alive, Citizen	North America	14 March - 13 April 2013
Tonight Alive 2013	Tonight Alive, A Sleepless Melody, Because They Can	Australia	16–19 May 2013
Slam Dunk Festival 2013	MAIN STAGE with: The Summer Set, Tonight Alive, Mallory Knox, We Are The Ocean, Sleeping With Sirens, Kids In Glass Houses, Deaf Havana, All Time Low	England	25–27 May 2013
Warped Tour 2013	#DOMO STAGE with: Action Item, Anarbor, Big D and the Kids Table, The Early November, Goldfinger, Goldhouse, Hands Like Houses, RDGLDGRN, Stick to Your Guns	North America	15 June - 4 August 2013
Bazooka Rocks II Music Festival 2013	All Time Low, Tonight Alive, A Rocket To The Moon, RadioDriveBy, Anberlin, The Red Jumpsuit Apparatus, We Came As Romans, Uchuu Sentai Noiz	Philippines	25 August 2013
The Other Side - Australian Tour	Tonight Alive, Hands Like Houses, D at Sea	Australia	5 September - 15 September 2013
The Other Side - UK Tour	Tonight Alive, Set It Off, Decade	United Kingdom	29 September - 12 October 2013
You Me At Six Fall US Tour	You Me At Six, Conditions, Tonight Alive, Dinosaur Pile-Up	North America	13 October - 20 November 2013
The Other Side - USA Tour[26]	Tonight Alive, The Downtown Fiction, For the Foxes, Echosmith	North America	23 October - 23 November 2013
Warped Tour 2013[27]	Tonight Alive, The Offspring, Simple Plan, Millencollin	Australia	29 November - 8 December 2013

References