25 Feb 16 - We Are Temporary

"...suppose to be a Goth-y artist ...even Goths don't like me..." ~ We Are Temporary

Hey, blogspot readers, SouthSide's back!

And tonight's adventure, she had the extreme chance to hang out at Quenchers with the one and only leader of the Children of the Night (you have to be a Villains to understand that song reference) - Mr. Agitator along with the lovely lady Vexx and the dashing Fallon Flynn - unmasked tonight! Oh what villainous fun this reviewer had with them ...getting the exclusive scoop about the upcoming Villains album and more, blogspot readers.

Yet, it wasn't about V Is For Villain tonight ...well, sort of. SouthSide was there to welcome home Northwestern alum, former Digital Mindy member and now We Are Temporary member - Mark Roberts who came to town to perform an impromptu show opening for Axons. In actuality, Mark told this reviewer not to expect much out of this performance except trying his utmost to connect with his audience. Besides reuniting with old college friends, his mom driving in from Indiana attended the show. This performance in SouthSide's opinion was more than memorable ...and suggests it's best seen live to experience the realistic intensity of humanizing deep, dark emotions in which this artist puts into each song. Not only was the audience immersed into the Goth-sounding music but we were also sucked into the atmosphere surrounded by darkness ...neon staging and flash lighting perfectly sequenced to We Are Temporary's set list. It was a unique experience that SouthSide wanted more of especially when Mark tapped into the dark, crazy side at the end to which she is certain everyone has that sometimes screams to be released.

This is how Mark Roberts explained what is We Are Temporary - "...it's sincere ...nonfiction music in such a way I hope people can connect ...[it's] rooted in reality ...what I think are problems in humanity ...everyone has them..."

And if he makes a fool of himself, he simply had two words to say "...fuck them..."

Drawing his influences from a wide variety of genres and artists like Skinny Puppy to Crystal Castles to The Weekend and everything in between within a mixture of Hip Hop and electronica, this Chicago native during an interview with SouthSide described his music as "extenalist artwave" ...according to him "...it's one of those weird words [similar] to 90's music ...like cold wave[but] it's not urban inspired..." What this artist does, blogspot readers, he taps into our deepest ...darkest human emotions about life, love, hurt, and death. What SouthSide felt during We Are Temporary's performance was pain and woe. It was raw and extremely moody that there were certain points within the short set this reviewer had icy chills crawling down her back. as if  he was channeling Edgar Allen Poe. To feel such pain and lost, Mark and SouthSide highly recommends listening the hit single - "Who's Going To Love Me Now?"

Written when briefly separated from his wife, it pits you, blogspot readers, into the intense middle of how it feels to be alone wondering who is going to love you after royally fucking up. You feel so badly that the thought does stick in your mind no one is going to love you. It's the one song, according to Mark, family, friends and fans easily seemed to connect with when he sent them demo copies of the album - Crossing Over  before its recent February 19th release. From their opinions, he changed the mixing on certain songs as well as the track order. For him, it was a learning experience. Hearing this particular song live, SouthSide was able to feel more of the pain and heartache pouring out of Mark's vocals ...truly humanizing that sensation of loneliness and despair wondering who will love you after a huge break up. Yes, blogspot readers, that feeling never goes away until you make amends and sincerely apologize. It was an intense realistic moment as you watch his body expressively convey the lyrics of this song against the lighting sequence.

Oh before SouthSide continues - Chicago deep dish triumphs over New York slice any day with this artist!

So where can you find We Are Temporary, blogspot readers? According to Mark, he will be touring Germany for a month while attending Wave-Gotik-Treffen (happening 13 May thru 16 May) held in Leipzig, Germany to which he feels honoured to be part of the largest Goth festival. SouthSide saw photos from last year's event and has put that event on her long list of festivals to review. Mark also has plans in the works to tour in Brazil in the Fall of 2016 ...where Brazilian DJs who are connecting with his music. Not to worry US fans, We Are Temporary will be hitting the east coast with some dates in between. He told SouthSide would like to tour the Midwest region ...hopefully he can come back to Chicago ..perhaps opening for Digital Mindy and V Is For Villains. 

Sounds like an awesome lineup to SouthSide...

However in the meantime, check Mark of We Are Temporary at http://www.wearetemporary.com and on Facebook as well as https://wearetemporary.bandcamp.com/album/crossing-over-album.

SouthSide highly recommends catching We Are Temporary live, blogspot readers.

Until next time, support your local scene,

SouthSide