The Collection Delivers Hope and Healing to Fans
New Album and Fall Tour Announced
GREENSBORO, N.C., Sept. 23, 2018 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- After mastering the art of overcoming adversity in their own lives, The Collection is bringing hope and gratitude to 21 American cities this fall.
This 6 piece Americana-meets-orchestral-folk-rock group from North Carolina may be the best band you've never heard of. To stand in line at the merch counter at a Collection show is to share community with spiritual sojourners and students of how to distill hope from life's chaos. But to your fast-friends in line this is the most important band. When these 20-something fans use the word "favorite" it is not in the modern diluted social media sense of the word. "The Ars Moriendi album saved my life," one fan says to a guy he met in line at The Collection's show in Brooklyn this spring. And it is probably not a figure of speech, given that the band's first album Ars Moriendi, was dedicated to grappling with the unexpected suicide of a close friend. The record, which soul-searches from anger to denial to hope, is full of abrupt dynamics and lush harmonies that leave you with a deeply healing effect. But these fans - after hearing only one song from the upcoming album - were buying up T-shirts and posters for the band's forthcoming album Entropy due out October 5th.
The band's impact goes beyond their own art. Before their set in Brooklyn this past Spring, members of The Collection were standing by the bar in familiar conversation with J.C. Geiger (http://jcgeiger.com/books), the award winning author of the novel WILDMAN. J.C. - who flew out from Portland, Oregon for the Brooklyn show - proudly asserts, "The Collection is my soundtrack. I've got their music on a continuous loop while working on my next novel," which will be out from Disney-Hyperion next year.
Over the months since that night, the group has seen a spike in Spotify listeners as they are quietly teasing out singles from Entropy. At three shows this September, die-hard fans will be able to get their hands on a CD of the entire Entropy album before the official streaming release date of October 5th.
Perhaps this band is so important to its fans because The Collection is a living embodiment of the notion that need, struggle and misfortune are merely a path to friendship, generosity, gratitude and giving back. When the group mentioned during their Spring tour that their van needed repairs to get to their next show, a fan asked for their PayPal info. Fifteen minutes later, a thousand dollars showed up in their account. Support like this has made the band relentless in giving back to their fans. When lead singer, guitarist, keyboardist, David Wimbish suffered a mountain biking accident on a family vacation in Colorado this summer, he was left with 6 broken ribs, a broken vertebra, a punctured lung, and a broken hand. Instead of withdrawing, or asking for more painkillers, David intensely conferred with his doctors and surgeons, to make sure they understood what he needs to do as an unsigned touring musician - and more importantly – pressed them for what he needs to do to get back in shape and be there for his fans on tour this Fall. "Healing is the only option. How could we cancel a tour after what our fans do for us," says Wimbish.
"People have a connection to this band, it means something to them," says Hayden Cooke, the longest tenured member of the group after the frontman David Wimbish. Joshua Ling, lead guitarist who joined the band in 2017 says, "I have never played in a band where the fans would do anything to make sure we continue making music and playing shows in their town." This goes beyond a few anecdotes: without any label or booking agent involved, The Collection has been completely fan funded by campaigns on the likes of Kickstarter, PledgeMusic and GoFundMe, and self-funded from the proceeds of their recordings and performances.
And now the group has caught the attention of Grammy recognized producer and composer Andreao "Fanatic" Heard (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Andreao_Heard), whose credits include Michael Jackson, Beyonce, Notorious B.I.G. and Anthony Hamilton. Also a North Carolina native, Fanatic is working with The United Way in Greensboro on a benefit album to end poverty. "I want The Collection on this album. David's voice sounds like a cross between Paul Simon and Nate Ruess, the lead singer in fun., and the arrangements feel like something Jeff Lynne of ELO would do, but they're very different and dope." The band is happily providing a track to the United Way campaign, "we'll do anything we can that helps such a great cause," said Sarah McCoy, a classically trained keyboardist and vocalist who joined The Collection this year.
If you are lucky enough to be a stop on their tour (http://www.thecollectionband.com/shows), come see for yourself. And if nothing else, spend some time to let their music (https://open.spotify.com/artist/3sva1UjOJOx6cGISZOpItl?si=lgAq-XfkSziCKN32RtvugQ) into your life.
About The Collection:
The Collection is a group of 6 multi-instrumentalists from North Carolina. The band's blend of alternative folk / Americana pop brings stunning clarity to life with a sound that is both accessible and exhilarating. Find out why more and more fans are making The Collection their life's soundtrack. For more information visit TheCollectionBand.com or contact their management at [email protected].
ENTROPY RELEASE TOUR
SEP 21 FRI
Twisted Branch Tea Bazaar
With Charlie Phllps
Charlottesville, VA
SEP 22 SAT
Sofar Sounds
Lexington, KY
SEP 23 SUN
Revolution Mill
Greensboro, NC
OCT 8 MON
The Amp
Carrollton, GA
OCT 9 TUE
Garages on Gaines
Tallahassee, FL
OCT 10 WED
The Parlor
Baton Rouge, LA
OCT 11 THU
Electric Church
With Quiet Company and Smiile
Austin, TX
OCT 12 FRI
Common Grounds
With Quiet Company
Waco, TX
OCT 15 MON
Rogue Bar
With Pleasures, The Psychedelephants
Scottsdale, AZ
OCT 16 TUE
The Silverlake Lounge
With Pluto The Planet, Mammoth Indigo
Los Angeles, CA
OCT 17 WED
El Rio
With Bird and Willow, Cstlblk
San Francisco, CA
OCT 19 FRI
Axe and Fiddle
With Betty and the Boy
Cottage Grove, OR
OCT 20 SAT
Ballard Homestead
With Kathleen Murray
Seattle, WA
OCT 23 TUE
Reef
With The Slow
Boise, ID
OCT 24 WED
The Loading Dock
With Cinders, John Michael Marinos
Salt Lake City, UT
OCT 25 THU
Moon Room
Silver & Gold
Denver, CO
OCT 26 FRI
PCHS Auditorium
With Silver, GOLD, White, Tight
Bailey, CO
OCT 27 SAT
The Moxi Theater
With Silver & Gold
Greeley, CO
OCT 29 MON
The Rino
With Faintheart
Kansas City, MO
OCT 30 TUE
The Hi Tone
With Grace Askew
Memphis, TN
NOV 1 THU
JJ's Bohemia
Chattanooga, TN
NOV 3 SAT
The Ramkat
With The Genuine
Winston-Salem, NC
SOURCE The Collection
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