The Lights Out Sell Tricked-Out Tour Van on Craigslist to Promote the First Album Released in 2011

The next time you’re surfing online car ads, keep an eye out for a very unusual van. The Lights Out, a Boston band with a big, hooky, guitar-centric sound, will be posting Craigslist, AutoTrader and Cars.com ads featuring their trusty tour van, Tim, as an unconventional way of promoting their latest full-length, Primetime. The van will appear with pictures of the hallmarks of hitting the big time; hot tubs, mansion interiors, extravagant dancehalls, and private plane interiors. Those who contact the band will be invited to listen to the title track and share their ideas for the ultimate band van. The Lights Out will produce weekly YouTube videos featuring their responses. Primetime will be released at the stroke of midnight on 1/1/11, making it the first album released in the new year.

The Lights Out have enjoyed an incredible year and aren’t looking back. They’ve headlined a showcase at CMJ, signed a licensing deal with MTV, were featured in an Absolut vodka commercial, and opened up Gillette Stadium for the New England Patriots’ season. They’ll soon be hitting that road again to support Primetime, touring extensively.

The Lights Out describe their sound as, “the perfect soundtrack for a bank heist.” Their breakneck, anthemic pop-rock is full of catchy choruses and melodies you’d want to hear when you jump into your getaway car. Their live performances are equally exciting. “The Lights Out put on one hell of a show,” is how Performer Magazine succinctly describes the experience. The Lights Out don’t arrive at their turn-on-a-dime tightness and complex vocal harmonies by accident. The band is hard working, recording each of their live performances and critiquing them to perfect every note.

Rishava Green (Lead vocals, Guitar), Jesse James (Drums, Vocals), Matt King (Bass, Vocals) and Adam Ritchie (Lead guitar, Vocals) formed The Lights Out in 2005 without having played a note together. They have released three EPs and one LP previously.

Primetime
Track Listing

1. Primetime
2. Can’t Buy a Hero
3. Open Season
4. Enilyse
5. Interstellar Valentine
6. Ordinary Crime
7. Mamacita
8. Only on the Outside
9. Hollow You
10. After the Fall
11. Having it All Click Here to Read More..

Matty King’s Top 5 Ways for Rockers to Celebrate Halloween

Matty King from the Boston band, The Lights Out, recently took some time out to give five ways rockers can celebrate Halloween. I for one, did not know you could make a scrabble board sexy. I do believe we need to prod Mr. King on how in the world that is done.

The Lights Out will be celebrating Halloween this year as Man-donna. Yep, that's four men dressed up like Madonna, singing her songs in all their glory.

Photo by Michael J. Epstein

#1: Drinking
Halloween is one of those times of year where you can just let it all hang out and do completely irresponsible things in the name of celebration. Exactly what gets celebrated on Halloween is pretty much left up to the celebrator, but when all is said and done, it’s usually done by consuming copious amounts of alcohol. Honestly, this can be done at any point during the year, but Halloween is the one time you get to do it surrounded by girls in sexy costumes. Which leads us to # 2…

#2: Dressing Up
I’ve always been a little hesitant to don a costume on Halloween, often dismissing such ventures as childish until I discovered that women’s adult costumes are ridiculously sexy (my lady friends call them “slutty”). I’ve found myself far more willing to throw on an Indiana Jones costume when it ultimately involves mingling with Sexy Vampire, Sexy Strawberry Shortcake, Sexy Tennis Player, Sexy Nun, Sexy Cheerleader, Sexy Chilean Miner, Sexy Alice In Wonderland, Sexy Firefighter, Sexy Scrabble Board, Sexy Fairy, Sexy Pirate, Sexy Ladybug, Sexy Freddie Kruger, Sexy Football Player, Sexy Optimus Prime, Sexy Catwoman (actually, is there any other kind?) Sexy Devil, Sexy British Flag, Sexy Nurse and Sexy Gladiator. All of these are actual costumes that you can actually buy, by the way. I didn’t make a single one up.

#3: Pumpkin Carving
I suck at this. But that doesn’t mean that you do! While you may not be able to carve a perfect representation of a Death Star, if you’ve got a half way decent band logo, why not try hacking that out of a pumpkin?

#4: Bobbing For Apples
Why not?

#5: Play or Attend a Halloween Show

Photo courtesy of The Boston Globe, photo by Barry Chin

Over the last few years in Boston, a Halloween tradition has sprung up where bands pick up musical costumes for one night, putting down their original songs to perform as another famous artist, complete with dressing up and everything. As far as I know, this is a fairly unique phenomenon, and I’m not sure if it’s taken hold in other cities the way it has here. When all is said and done, it’s a fantastic time to see your favorite bands performing as someone completely different. It’s not a tribute show; it’s a Halloween show. This is an important distinction to make as the bands who participate in such endeavors tend to be all-original bands who do this for one night only. If you’re in Boston this year, I totally recommend heading down to Church on Saturday 10.30 to catch a number of all male bands performing as female artists. It should be the scariest thing you see all Halloween.

Matt King plays bass in Boston rock quartet The Lights Out. After headlining a showcase at CMJ, signing a licensing deal with MTV Networks, being featured in an ABSOLUT® Vodka commercial and opening up Gillette Stadium for the New England Patriots’ season, the group has enjoyed an incredible year. The band is supporting its new EP, “Rock Pony,” by touring extensively, and plans to release it second LP, “Primetime,” on 1/1/11.  Click Here to Read More..