BURBANK, CA. (Top40 Charts/ Warner Bros. Records) - Up-and-coming pop-rock quartet
Melee (pronounced May-lay) are following up their well-received summer tour with Bowling for Soup with more dates to begin in October, this time with San Francisco singer-songwriter Matt Nathanson. The band is on the road supporting their major-label debut album, "Devils & Angels," which was released April 3rd on Warner Bros. Records.
The Orange County-bred Melee - vocalist/keyboardist Chris Cron, guitarist/vocalist Ricky Sans, bassist Ryan Malloy, and drummer Mike Nader - are becoming known for their carefully crafted melodic pop, which features Cron's soaring vocals and emotive piano playing. On "Devils & Angels," which was produced by in-demand studio wiz and 2006 Grammy Award nominee for "Producer of the Year" Howard Benson (My Chemical Romance, Chris Daughtry), the band display their flair for classic pop hooks, lifting melodies, and feverish guitars. Some listeners may be familiar with the group already. Their debut indie album, "Everyday Behavior," sold 15,000 copies, sparking their signing with Warner Bros. Records in September 2005.
"This album is just about being in your 20's in modern America," says Cron. "It's about our experiences right now - with life, love, friends - and asking questions about where we're going and what's going to happen. That's the whole theme of the album."
A band that Alternative Press says to "Keep Your Eye On," Melee is getting airplay on XM's Channel 50 "The Loft" along with local radio - KLLC in San Francisco, WPTE in Norfolk, and others - thanks to fan excitement about their debut single "Built to Last," and its accompanying video shot by acclaimed directors, the Malloys, which is currently in medium rotation on MTVu.
In June, Melee appeared on the main stage of the 02 Wireless Festival in London and Leeds, along with The White Stripes, Daft Punk, and The Kaiser Chiefs. They have also toured with Quietdrive, The Early November, and Rocket Summer. You can see them next when they perform on September 15th at San Francisco's Filmore (with Colbie Collait) or September 23rd at Norfolk's Norva (with Lifehouse) before they hit the road in October with Matt Nathanson (see below itinerary).
"Built To Last" is a huge hit in several territories around the world, where the album has entered the International Charts at No 5 this week.
For more information and to listen to streaming audio from "Devils & Angels," including the single "Built to Last," visit www.meleerocks.com.
Melee's upcoming tour dates are as follows:
(All dates in support of Matt Nathanson, except Sept 15, with Colbie Collait (a) and Sept 23rd, with Lifehouse (b))
Sept 15 (a) San Francisco, CA The Fillmore
Sept 23 (b) Norfolk, VA The Norva
Oct 15 Northampton, MA Pearl Street
Oct 16 Rochester, NY Water Street Music Hall
Oct 18 Washington, DC 9:30 Club
Oct 20 Atlanta, GA The Loft @ Earthlink Live
Oct 21 Nashville, TN 3rd & Lindsley
Oct 23 Austin, TX The Parish Room
Oct 24 Dallas, TX House of Blues
Oct 26 Fort Collins, CO Aggie Theatre
Oct 27 Denver, CO Bluebird Theatre
Oct 29 Spokane, WA Big Easy Concert House
Oct 30 Seattle, WA Crocodile Cafe
Oct 31 Portland, OR Aladdin Theater
Nov 02 San Francisco, CA The Fillmore
Nov 03 West Hollywood, CA The Troubador
