Band name: Swath

Location: Binghamton, NY

Members:  Kevin Kober - bass guitar; Bob Aiken - guitar; Dan Micholychak - guitar; Bijoy Datta - drums

Formed: 2004

Tell us about yourselves!
We started Swath in 2004 as Kevin, Bob and me were coming to an end with a previous band, All Immune (later known for a short time as Paroxysm). Dan and Kevin had been jamming for awhile as a side project and then invited Bob and me to join. We first started out with epic 20-30 minute songs and ambient soundscape-type materials. But, pretty quickly over the next few months, we
started refining and developing more of a defined sound. Our influences are wide. We all love the big bands of the genre ike Isis, Explosions In The Sky, Pelican, Do Make Say Think, etc. We also all have a big metal/hardcore backgrounds so there are lots of quotes and riffs popping up a band practice from the classics like Metallica, Anthrax, Slayers, etc. But it gets a lot more varied beyond that. Kevin and I are big on fast poppy punk and roots-rock
kind of stuff. One of Bob's favorite artists of all time is Tom Waits. Dan used to be an electronica DJ many, many years ago. So our influences are eclectic. As for the future, we're proud with our first two albums (2009's "Confluence" and 2006's "A Bygone Era") but we're really looking forward to the next one (guestimating a release in 2011). We have almost five songs done and the new tunes are coming out shorter and more precise, if that makes any sense. Regardless, the stuff is cool and we've been working the new tunes into live sets and getting good reactions.

Features members of: Kevin is also currently in Dance-A-Tron from Binghamton, which is also playing BIG DAY IN. As mentioned above, Kevin, Bob and Bijoy used to be in All Immune/Paroxysm (with Bijoy on guitar in that band). All of the members have also been in countless other Binghamton bands (a Satellite Crash, The Martians, Porn Mongers, etc.) that played shows in the late 1990s and early 2000s.

Which aspect of BIG DAY IN has you the most excited: It sounds cliche but we're psyched for the whole thing. Many of the other bands are ones we've seen before and want to see again, or are jazzed to see for the first time. We also love playing IU shows. The crowds are always super positive and fun to play for. We can't wait for 5/1 to get here.

Online links:
www.myspace.com/swathmusic
www.swathmusic.wordpress.com