This Summer is an emo/alternative band from Cleveland, OH.

Please list all of your band members and their roles in the band.

Justin Coleman - Vocals

Dillon Taton - Guitar

James Taton - Guitar

Bobby Martin - Bass

Blaise Sypen - Drums

For starters, what bands were you guys a part of prior to This Summer? How long has the band been around?

Dillon, James, Bobby and Blaise all played together in a band named Lost In Tonight. Justin was the former bassist and vocalist for the band Tin Car. This Summer came together in February of 2020.

What’s the origin of that name and have you changed the band’s name before?

When we originally formed the band pre-pandemic, we figured we would be ready to start breaking out in the Cleveland scene and playing shows by early summer. Dillon was the one who suggested “This Summer”, as it was something we were all looking forward to experiencing. We haven’t changed the band name, as our aesthetic has taken on a summer like nostalgia that we feel fits the name perfectly.

Who writes your songs? What are the main themes or topics for most of your songs and do you think these topics will change over time?

We all write the instrumentals together in a kind of free-flowing spur of the moment writing style, but Justin writes his lyrics all by himself. In the beginning, the themes of our songs were centered around a past relationship and the struggles that came along with it. Since our first EP, the lyrics have grown to feature topics many experience in daily life, but not frequently talked about. This includes topics of dealing with depression, losing friends, PTSD and abusive relationships. As a self-professed emo band, our lyrics tend to stray dark and sometimes sad.

What bands are currently inspiring the music that you’re making?

We all love the new midwestern emo wave that has been growing over the last few years. Some of our biggest influences include Movements, Citizen, Turnover, Foxing, Joyce Manor, Basement, Trophy Eyes and Car Seat Headrest.

Was there a particular band/artist or concert that inspired you to start a band?

Each of us has had a specific moment where we knew we wanted to be in a band. For Justin, it was the first time he listened to the album Tears For Beers by Modern Baseball. For Dillon, it was the incredible guitar work of Parkway Drive. His brother James, was also influenced by the heavy sounds of old Bring Me The Horizon. Bobby realized he wanted to play bass in a band after seeing Kiss for the first time live when he was 13 years old . For Blaise, it was actually his fathers old band that inspired him to start one of his own, but the idea really cemented when he saw Rush live when he was in the 6th grade.

What do you do to prepare for a show? Any flexing, exercises, ect …

None of us still know what to do specifically to prepare for a show. We show up, set up, and relax until it’s time to play. The biggest thing we focus on is practicing as much as we can before we play live.

What has been the biggest highlight of the band’s career so far?

To date, the biggest highlight of our short career has been the song “Daydream” off of our first EP. It’s the song that has garnered us the most exposure, and has been a consistent favorite of our fans. We have been able to rack up 30k listens on Spotify, and we shot a music video on 8mm film using a vintage 1969 film camera.

If you could tour with any bands, past or present, who would they be and why?

Presently, we are dying to play with some of the bands that influence us the most. Right now, our top three choices would be Movements, Citizen and Foxing. If we include older bands, that would expand to Motley Crue, Death Cab for Cutie, Say Anything, Led Zeppelin and Nirvana.

Is there anything else you would like to add?

We presently have an upcoming show opening for the amazing band Red Jumpsuit Apparatus which can be found here https://wl.seetickets.us/event/Red-Jumpsuit-Apparatus-at-The-Foundry/435682?afflky=BravoArtist

Here are our link for social media: https://linktr.ee/ThisSummer