“I Hate Brooklyn”: Meet The Outside Voices of Akron, Ohio
The Midwestern DIY rockers make a splash with their anti-hipster anthem and are touring on their new “Big, Big EP”
by Katie Ingegneri
As I’ve learned from being a New England native transplanted in Chicago, the Midwest is like its own separate world sometimes, defiantly in opposition to cultural capitals like Los Angeles or New York — and doubly so for the musicians and artists trying to make it.
That’s why I loved the Midwestern rockers The Outside Voices’ new video for “I Hate Brooklyn,” where they sing about a love/hate relationship with the city against the backdrop of New York. A big catchy guitar anthem, I can see it appearing on a TV show if they play their cards right. In the meantime, these Ohio natives have self-released their modern rock and blues-inspired “Big, Big EP” (a nice meta-modern title), and are embarking on a spring tour all over the country, from Ohio to Georgia and beyond.
I spoke to The Outside Voices’ frontman John Patrick Halling over email to learn more about the origins of the band in Ohio, their cultural influences, their DIY approach, and their love of the road. Be sure to keep your eyes on these guys!
Houseshow: How long have you been a band?
John Patrick Halling: The current line-up has been together for just over two years, but we’ve all known each other for much longer just being in and around the Akron music scene in previous projects. The timing kind of worked out perfectly a couple years ago for us to join forces, and we haven’t looked back.
What inspires your sound and style as a band — musical influences, cultural influences, etc?
To a certain extent, we’re all products of our parents’ generation. We’re very much into all the 60s and 70s era styles and sounds. I think we’d be lying to you if we didn’t say The Rolling Stones were at the top of that list, though. They’ve been the biggest rock band in the world, musically and culturally, for 50+ years, and so there’s definitely a lot to be learned from them.
Overall, we try to balance a healthy blend of new school and old school, and not just musically. Personally, I’m very fascinated by the ability social media has to influence and affect the reach of independent artists. At the same time, we’ve always been advocates of the tried-and-true touring formula. We’ve increased our output in both fields every year as a band, and I don’t see that slowing down.
Is all your music DIY — self-recorded and self-released? Are there a lot of DIY venues around where you are in Ohio?
Everything we’ve done up to this point has been self-released. We’ve been working with the same engineer for the last two years — Neil Tuuri at Amish Electric Chair Studios in Athens, OH — and have built a solid team focused on creative content. This year we’re really making a push to self-produce and release a wide variety of video content online.
As far as DIY venues go, it comes in waves, but the Akron area has always been very receptive to cultivating that atmosphere and environment. Places like Hive Mind and It’s a Kling Thing are still up and running, fighting the good fight, as well as several places in Cleveland.
I loved your video for “I Hate Brooklyn,” an instant anti-hipster anthem. What inspired that song and video? And do you think as a Midwestern band, it’s easier or harder for you than rock bands coming up in cities like New York?
Thanks! I spent a lot of time in-and-out of New York City in 2016–2017 during the course of a long distance relationship that I was in. That time definitely helped develop a love/hate relationship with the Brooklyn area and the people who call it home. It’s not easy, and it can certainly be overwhelming, but it’s one of the creative capitals of the world for a reason.
I think there are advantages to both. In New York, you’re definitely provided with some large-market opportunities that aren’t available in the Midwest, but I also feel like the internet is helping to level that playing field to an extent. For us, cost of living is a big factor. Cheaper rent and amenities make it easier for us to reallocate funds back into the band, van repairs, recording, etc. Plus, Akron, OH is within an eight-hour radius of like 50% of the US population, so there are certain touring advantages as well.
Where are your favorite places to play music?
Our favorite place to play is wherever we are that night! This is what we love to do. Being out on the road, playing new cities, and making new friends is all part of the experience. So, house shows, clubs, breweries, dive-bars — it doesn’t matter to us. We’ll give you the best show we’ve got every single night. I will say, however, that we do enjoy getting down south for the warmer weather!
What’s next on the horizon for the band?
We’ve got a spring tour in support of the new EP coming up shortly, followed by a slew of weekend warrior trips and some summer festivals. We’re also getting ready to go in and record another full-length record sometime this year, so we’ll definitely be busy! More music videos are also on the way, so make sure to follow @theoutsidevoicesband on Facebook and Instagram to stay in the loop!
The Outside Voices Spring Tour Dates
3.02 Youngstown, OH @ Suzie’s Dogs & Drafts
3.03 Akron, OH @ Annabell’s Bar & Lounge
3.07 Cleveland, OH @ Grog Shop (w/ Skinny Lister)
3.09 Marietta, OH @ Adelphia Music Hall
3.10 Indianapolis, IN @ Fountain Square Brewing Co.
3.13 Nashville, TN @ The 5 Spot
3.15 Athens, GA @ Terrapin Beer Co
3.16 Asheville, NC @ Highland Brewing Co.
3.17 Greensboro, NC @ Common Grounds
