Columnist Spencer Patterson: Las Vegas band is getting Higher exposure

Spencer Patterson

Friday, Aug. 27, 2004 | 8:54 a.m.

Spencer Patterson covers music for the Sun. His music notes column appears Fridays. Reach him at spencer@lasvegassun.com or (702) 259-2309.

Hunkered down in Austin, Texas, for a week in July, Las Vegan Tom Oates got a sense of how big his hometown peers have become.

"We were talking to these girls and they said, 'Our favorite band is the Killers,' " Oates said. "We were like, 'Whoa.' "

Indeed, the Killers' sudden success has Oates and his mates in local rock band the Higher thinking big.

"It's amazing where they've gone," Oates, a 19-year-old guitarist, said. "That's a big influence to us, just seeing what they've done. Their record just came out at the beginning of June."

The Higher -- comprised of five Centennial High School graduates -- used to be called September Star. They changed their name last year, around the time they signed with Fiddler Records, an independent label based in Los Angeles.

"The old name was too kid for us," Oates said. 'We wanted a different approach, a fresh start, instead of being that high school band that we started as."

Oates said the band, which also includes bassist Jason Centeno, guitarist James Mattison, drummer Pat Harter and vocalist Seth Trotter, settled on its new name during a photo shoot in the Hollywood Hills.

"We were on the rooftop overlooking everything and someone was like, 'How about the Higher?' " Oates said. "And it just kind of stuck."

The Higher are in the midst of an 11-date West Coast tour. Fresh off stops in Utah, Idaho, Oregon, Washington and Reno, the band plays a hometown show tonight at the House of Blues at Mandalay Bay before heading back out for four California gigs.

"We've played the House of Blues two times before and it was great," Oates said in a phone interview from a Wal-Mart parking lot during a stopover in Grants Pass, Ore., on Monday. "Anytime we get an opportunity to play the House of Blues we take it."

The Higher will be the third band on tonight's bill, following opener Lorene Drive out of Victorville, Calif., and another Las Vegas outfit, FFI. Mesa, Ariz., punk band Authority Zero headlines. Doors open at 6 p.m. for the all-ages show. Tickets are $10.75.

Having already released a five-song EP, "Star is Dead," the Higher has begun work on a full-length follow-up. During their stay in Austin, they recorded demos of five tunes that might appear on the disc, tentatively scheduled for a February release.

Oates said the band's sound, which falls somewhere between emo and pop-punk on "Star is Dead" (think Yellowcard, Dashboard Confessional or New Found Glory), is gradually maturing.

"The new stuff is a lot different than what the EP is like," Oates said. "We've definitely drown a lot more musically and matured. And we've started getting all kinds of different influences, from dance and electronica to Bob Dylan, opening our eyes to everything."

The Higher have already completed two full U.S. tours, which included the first East Coast visits for four of five members.

They even got a chance to participate in this summer's Vans Warped Tour, performing at the Salt Lake City show. While there, they saw more encouraging signs of possible future success.

"We saw a lot of bands that we've played with and that were at our level two years ago, and now they're playing main stage Warped Tour to 4,000 kids," Oates said. "Bands like Yellowcard and the Early November."

For now, though, the Higher are content getting the word out as they slowly build a fan base. And if that means driving their own van for 10 hours straight and living off $5 each per day, so be it.

"We don't make any money yet, but we have a blast," Oates said. "We're 19, 20 and 21, doing something a lot of people never got the chance to do. So we're taking advantage of it and just trying to keep it going."

Quick hits

A look at a few other shows scheduled to hit Southern Nevada in the next week:

New Orleans roots rockers the Subdudes perform at the Clark County Government Center Amphitheater Saturday night. The band returned after an eight-year hiatus with "Miracle Mile," a live album released in April. Admission is $8 in advance, $10 at the show. Gates open at 6:30 for the 8 p.m. concert.

College rock acts O.A.R. and Guster team with rising singer-songwriter Howie Day on an interesting bill at 6 p.m. on Monday at the House of Blues. Tickets are $22-$27.

One-time Talking Head frontman David Byrne touches down at the House of Blues at 7 p.m. Tuesday. Byrne, who is playing with Austin's Tosca Strings, is touring behind March's "Grown Backwards," but reportedly performs a set heavy on Talking Heads favorites. Tickets are $25-$45.

On sale

The Beach Boys land at Lake Las Vegas on Oct. 15. Tickets are $15 and go on sale at 10 a.m. Saturday at TicketMaster outlets, by phone at 474-4000 and at www.ticketmaster.com.

Primus bassist Les Claypool brings Colonel Claypool's Bucket of Bernie Brains to the House of Blues on Oct. 25. Gabby La La opens. Tickets are $20 and go on sale at 11 a.m. Saturday at the House of Blues box office and through TicketMaster.

The Deftones perform at the House of Blues on Oct. 3. Tickets are $27.50-$30 and go on sale at 10 a.m. Saturday through the House of Blues box office and TicketMaster.

Gomez plays the House of Blues on Sept. 22. Tickets are $15 and go on sale at 10 a.m. Saturday through the House of Blues box office and TicketMaster.

Story of the Year headlines a Sept. 26 "Nintendo Fusion Tour" stop at the House of Blues, with support from Lostprophets, My Chemical Romance and Letter Kills. Tickets are $17.50 and are on sale now through the House of Blues box office and TicketMaster.

The Faint teams with TV on the Radio and Beep Beep for a Nov. 16 House of Blues bill. Tickets are $14 and are on sale now through the House of Blues box office and TicketMaster.