Check Out: Snowsera

To start off a series on local music comes a serious contender for next band to make it big out of the Champaign-Urbana/Chicago scene: Snowsera. Less than two years after forming and only 10 months playing live, these guys are getting some serious attention. And there shouldn't be any wonder why.

The band started as four University of Illinois students (vocalist Bill Arteaga, bassist Nate Christenson, guitarist Ian Erard and drummer Jeff Wagner) and received what may be their biggest break through the radio station I happen to work at, WPGU in Champaign . "So Subtle" and "Trends" were frequently played on WPGU and the band even made their way to Q101's Local 101 in Chicago. The band went on to be named Best New Artist and Best Live Performance at the 2008 WPGU Local Music Awards, as well as the inaugural "Local Band of the Week" in April 2008.

Snowsera has only gone up from there. Last summer they went into the studio to record their second EP, this time with the help of producer Brian Zieske (The Academy Is, The Hush Sound, Sars Flannery.) Both EPs, Fictions and Push & Pull, are downloadable for free at the band's MySpace.

Working with Zieske brought a broadening range of sounds, which the band enjoys. They wish to not be just another label or sound, but instead something felt by their listeners. That's even where the moniker Snowsera was conjured up. You get to decide what it means.

Snowsera - So Subtle

Snowsera - Push & Pull