Owl City Live in Manila

THE MAN AND THE STORY BEHIND THE HIT FIREFLIES

OWL CITY, headed by 22 year old front man Adam Young, the genius behind the hit song Fireflies, shall pave his way to Manila for a live concert at the SMX Convention Center on March 14, 2010.

Thanks to his hit song, Fireflies, his rise to fame enjoyed a pace that not many new artists get to enjoy especially if they are categorized in a new genre. Critics call his sound, electro – pop. In the language ofFireflies aficionados, the song was simply a breath of fresh air. Yet, what’s the real story behind this phenomenal song that was initially loved only by the underground, taste making public?

In a recent interview, Adam Young told the story behind his hit, “…I planned a weekend out camping because there was going to be a meteor shower that night and so I remember lying on my back, looking up at the sky and seeing these shooting stars and thinking how much they abstractly resemblefireflies and I thought, what a cool idea that would be to translate that whole vibe, mood and feeling into music…”

Little did Adam Young know that a natural phenomenon would lead to the tipping point of his career. At present, Owl City enjoyed much publicity and recognition for his experimental creations. Here in the Philippines,Fireflies crossed over almost all radio stations especially in the provinces. Upon the release of his second hit, Vanilla Twilight, Owl City became a household name.

Adam Young, who is indeed at the prime of his life at 22, started making music in his basement where he still, even after his success, chooses to make his songs. On a normal day, when everyone is available, Owl City performs as a quintet. In his basement which he affectionately calls his bat cave,Adam Young creates music with 4 of his sidekicks who are also his best friends. The group comprise of a drummer, a back-up singer slash keyboardist, a cello player, a violinist, and a guitarist who also plays synth vibes and guitar.

Your browser may not support display of this image. While his music continues to win followers all over the world, Adam does indeed hide behind his music, not going by his real name (See: Badly Drawn Boy and Dashboard Confessional); but going by the moniker Owl City. The name he chose for his music rooted from an experience while Adam was still in 2nd grade. It was during a show and tell activity where one of his classmates brought an owl that went wayward and caused craziness in his classroom. For some reason, it stuck toAdam Young for several years, hence naming his sound, Owl City.

With a long list of influencers, (God, Optimism, Photography, Air Travel, Vegetarianism, Fashion, Foreign Accents, Swimming Pools, Abstract Art, Wave Race 64, G-Rated Movies, Friends, Romance, Unwed Sailor, Stars of the Lid, Telefon Tel Aviv, Imogen Heap, Stairwell, DJ Encore, Prefuse 73, Rachel’s, ATB, The Album Leaf, Helios, Sigur Rós, Boards of Canada, Hammock, Kazumi Totaka, Thomas Newman, Owen, Armin van Buuren, Rachel Joy Scott, Audrey Hepburn, C. S. Lewis, John Piper, Jane Langton, Kenneth Oppel, Robert Wyland, Richard Adams, Cary Grant, Jackson Pollack, Hubert de Givenchy, Carl Sandburg) it’s hard to believe that he was able to come up with such unique tunes, it became a phenomenon overnight.

It is rare for an artist to come up with original material that clicks to music fans worldwide. Known as one of the most meek and shy breakthroughs in the industry, Adam strives to live simple despite his massive success. When asked what his advice would be for aspiring young musicians, his advice was indeed a reflection of how simple he can get. He said, “Take your vitamins, don’t run with scissors, eat lunch with the other kids at school, and drink your milk.” Such a sound and sensible advice from a small hometown guy who made it big with the help of ameteor shower.

CATCH ADAM YOUNG ALSO KNOWN AS OWL CITY LIVE IN MANILA on March 14, 2010, SUNDAY, 8PM at the SMX Convention Center. Get a copy of Owl City’s debut album, entitled Ocean Eyes now available in all major record bars in 1CD and 2CD editions. Stay tuned as well for the release of Owl City’s previous records, Of June and Maybe I’m Dreaming coming soon!

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