Minus the Bear with special guests Phantogram and Maps & Atlases February 3, 2010

For the past seven years, Seattle's Minus the Bear has orbited the music world like a distant meteor, fine-tuning their unique brand of indie rock and discovering how technology can help enhance the band's unique pop vision.
In October 2009, Minus the Bear released their new album’s first single “Into the Mirror”, a song that not only shows the more expansive elements of the new record but is a song filled with keyboard-driven soul mixed with the immediate charm of pop music.
Formed in Seattle, Washington in 2001, Minus the Bear was initially composed of guitarist David Knudson, bassist Cory Murchy, and drummer Erin Tate who eventually recruited keyboardist/sequencer, Matt Bayles and vocalist/guitarist Jake Snider. Once in the same room they realized they were on to something special - and the band quickly earned a rabid and rapidly growing fan base ranging from teenagers to middle-aged parents.

“This album has more scope than the past records,” says guitarist Dave Knudson, “some songs are more poppy and immediate while others expand on the complexities we're known for.”

“I know every band says they can’t explain their music, but I really can’t say that we sound like one specific thing," bassist Cory Murchy explains. “We don't follow a particular scene or genre and hopefully that shows.”

Phantogram
Phantogram is the duo comprised of Sarah D. Barthel and Joshua M. Carter of Saratoga Springs, NY. Their music is a mix of organic and electronic sounds, with swirling guitar, spaced-out synths, and chopped up samples and rhythms.

Maps & Atlases
The members of Maps & Atlases met in 2004, while attending art school. The bands unique style melds the technicality of progressive music and the idiosyncrasies of Art Rock into a fascinating and oddly accessible sound all their own. Known for their virtuosic musical ability, Maps & Atlases write pop songs with a magnificent aptitude for texture and a distinctive blend of both the intricate and organic.

Official Website: http://www.thestatetheatre.org