With the number of local bands in Flint, we forget there are a few that are still working through college while making noise in the music scene. Enter local rockers Avenue Sky, which feature a UM-Flint student, guitarist Don Dobos and a UM-Flint alum, vocalist Christian Konkle.
Avenue Sky opened for well-known band Apocalyptica at Flint's Machine Shop on Mar. 8.
According to Dobos, this was a great opportunity for them.
"We were very honored that management chose us to open for (Apocalyptica)," Dobos said. "I hope we can share their fans."
Drummer Shane Kuntz's hopes hinged on putting forth a good show for the fans that attended the sold-out show.
"We want to do something that (the crowd) likes and I hope they enjoy it," Kuntz said. "I'm not really too worried about us, I'm worried about them."
After getting their start over two years ago, Avenue Sky has been playing The Machine Shop several times, opening for other well-known acts such as Taproot and Earshot.
"We have an intense live show. We start off kind of emotional songs resonate, just gets heavier and harder," Dobos said. "We start out nice and pretty and hopefully people would be like ‘That's different' and as it goes it just gets better. But it's all about our songs."
The band recently released their first album Decades.
In terms of what goes into their music, they base their inspiration on emotion.
"It's in the moment, you could say," said guitarist Steven Fox. "Like I'll bring a riff to the table or (Don) will bring a riff to the table and we'll just write around that."
Once the music is done, Konkle takes over writing the lyrics.
Konkle's formula for his writing is based off what he feels the song calls for.
"It depends on the mood of the song," Konkle said. "Some people think ‘if it sounds happy, you should sing happy' but I don't believe that. It should be the complete opposite sometimes. I've been writing for 13 years and it never gets boring."
On the horizon for the up-and-coming Flint rockers is the opportunity to open for multi-platinum selling metal band Disturbed in Wisconsin.
"We submitted a press kit to (The Rave) and they enjoyed it," Dobos said. "We asked about a couple bands and they asked if we'd like to open for Disturbed."
With the high amount of exposure they've been getting, the band is taking it in stride.
"It means that we're doing good, moving up to the next step. Getting these bigger shows means bigger responsibility, but we just take it," Konkle said. "Can't be afraid of those things."
But it's their love of music and the fans that keep them driving.
"I just want to go out there and rock out on stage. I don't want to think about what I play," Dobos said. "I want to talk to people about the music. I want someone to say something like ‘I love that song, it really meant something to me.'"
Konkle finds performing as a great release for him.
"I like to get up on stage every night and completely unload," Konkle said. "I like being up there and taking everything I'm truly (angry) about and get to unleash it right there and people just think that I'm having fun."
"Bottom line, we do this so we can share something that we enjoy with everybody else," Kuntz said.
Next up for Avenue Sky is another show at The Machine Shop on Mar. 26 as a part of the Indi-Grace Metal Showcase.
But as for their opportunity with Apocalyptica, Avenue Sky loves the idea of bringing in new fans.
"Out of playing with (Apocalyptica), this is what we get," Kuntz said, "the chance to spread to more people."
"We're exactly where we feel we need to be," Dobos said.
Andrew can be reached at afergers@umflint.edu.
