Pen & Page

Nick Miles, drummer for the Denver-based band Photo Atlas (courtesy photo)

Billings native Nick Miles began his musical career in the halls of a Billings high school, a path that led him to drum for the Denver-based dance punk band Photo Atlas.

Still riding the high from 2009’s successful release of “To Silently Provoke the Ghost,” The Photo Atlas has been working on new material and will hit the road in October for a national tour.

Before they head out, the band is stopping in Billings Friday night for a musical reunion with long-time friends and musical peers. With a lineup of Montana, Wyoming, and Colorado bands, the concert features 1090 Club, Flowers From Her, Photo Atlas, and The Front.

Miles took some time to discuss the band and his experiences since moving to Denver to drum for the group full-time in nearly three years ago.

How has the 2009 release of To Silently Provoke the Ghost been received?

Pretty well, as far as we’re concerned. We self-released the five track EP in April of 2009. Digital sales were good, and illegal downloads were through the roof (even before the actual release date). The track “Class of 2012″ was used in the video game SBK X Superbike World Championship for Xbox360 and Tap Tap Revenge 3 for the iPhone. We also have some people working on making it a downloadable song on the Rock Band Network. We sell the EP in CD and 7″ Vinyl form at shows, as well as mail order online.

Let’s talk about touring, because in Denver it seems the band is revered. How is the band received in other places?

We definitely have a firm grip on Colorado. Cities like Denver, Fort Collins, Boulder, Colorado Springs, Greeley, Vail, and Aspen are all great markets for us. They also happen to be very short drives, however, it seems we spend the majority of our time touring the rest of the country. I’ve been in the band almost three years, and half of it has been spent on tour outside of Colorado. It seems like every time we revisit a place for the second, third, tenth, or twentieth time, it only gets better.

Is the band touring now or just playing shows regionally? Do you have plans to tour?

We’ve been touring pretty hard this summer. We’ve done everything from the east coast to the west coast. We just got back from a couple week stint through California and Nevada where we took some time to record new tracks in LA. Right now we’re in the middle of booking a month-long tour to get us to and from New York City for the CMJ Festival in October.

Tell me about your ties to and history with Billings.

I was born in Billings and lived there until I was 18 years old. I started playing in bands and promoting shows around the time I entered high school.

What about 1090 Club and Flowers From Her? What is your relationship with these bands?

The Photo Atlas had toured with 1090 Club long before I was even in the band. I’ve known (1090 Club’s) singer, Sean Lynch, for a while through the 11:11 Club, later known as the Eleven Café, and his recording studio, which a couple of the bands I played in recorded at frequently. He’s the one who approached me about playing in the Photo Atlas. He had been in contact with the band when their former drummer quit mid-tour, and recommended me as a replacement. I’ve also got close ties to everyone in Flowers From Her. I spent plenty of time in the Billings music scene and all of them were there as well.

What are you looking forward to about the upcoming show with these bands? What makes it unique among others?

It’s kind of a reunion of sorts. We know everyone pretty well and haven’t been to Billings in a while. I’m stoked that The Front are playing as well. It should be a big party.

What comes next for the band?

We’re working on some new tracks, spending time in the studio when we can. As I said, we’re working on a tour, which will span all of October and cover everywhere between Denver and New York, then down to Florida and back. Check out www.myspace.com/danceatlasdance for constantly updated tour dates.

The Photo Atlas, Flowers from Her, 1090 Club and The Front come together for a Sept. 10 concert at the Railyard, starting at 9 p.m.

Alan Andrews Jr., lead singer for the Denver-based indie rock band The Photo Atlas, performs at a previous concert in Billings. The band opens a concert for Senses Fail and Bayside, two national acts currently touring on the Vans Warped Tour

Denver-based indie rock band The Photo Atlas returns to Billings Aug. 10 to perform with national acts Senses Fail and Bayside (appearing during an off-day from the Vans Warped Tour) Aug. 10 in the basement of the Shrine Auditorium.

The Photo Atlas last appeared in Billings as headlining act for the annual Concert for a Cause in mid-July. The band is releasing a 7-inch vinyl record of new material recorded during the past year Aug. 8

Senses Fail and Bayside will co-headline the concert, taking a off-day from the Warped Tour to travel and perform in Billings. Their show is one of a few concerts the bands are performing outside the festival.

Formed in 2002, the New Jersey band Senses Fail have developed a catchy sound of post-hardcore meets emo (think Saves the Day). The band released its sixth full length, Life Is Not a Waiting Room, at the end of 2008.

Bayside, based in New York, formed in 2000 and garnished a following for their melodic guitar-driven emo/punk. They’ve shared the stage with indie rock heavy hitters, including Alkaline Trio, Taking Back Sunday, and Further Seems Forever. In September 2008 the band released its fourth full length album, Shudder and a live album, titled Live at the Bayside Social Club.

The all-ages concert begins at 6:30 p.m. Tickets are $16 (plus applicable fees) in advance and available at Ernie November, Rimrock Mall, the Shrine Box Office, by phone at 800-325-SEAT or online at 1111presents.com.

Missoula band Places performs at Concert for a Cause in downtown Billings.

This year’s Concert for a Cause, an annual benefit festival featuring local and regional bands, raised a little more than $2,000 in ticket sales and donated bar proceeds, according to event organizer Eric Grider. Bands from Billings, Missoula, and Rapid City, S.D. came together to raise money for two local organizations, the Meadowlark House and Art Without Boundaries.

Billings rock band Montana Law performs at the Concert for a Cause.

Local stand-up and improv comedian Chad Korb emceed the event.

Addam John, lead singer for the Billings-based indie rock band Flowers For Her, performs at the Concert for a Cause.

Nick Miles, originally of Billings and drummer for the Denver-based indie rock band Photo Atlas, performs in his hometown at the Concert for a Cause.

Fiancée lead singer Skyler Bridges performs with his band, a rock sextet based in Missoula.

Photo Atlas in a previous performance in Billings. (Photo by Casey Riffe)

Concert For A Cause, a benefit music festival founded by local music lover Eric Grider, is back. After taking a year off, Grider regrouped and put together his sixth concert, taking place July 25 at Yellowstone Valley Brewing Co., to raise money for two local organizations, the Meadowlark House and Art Without Boundaries.

“This year I felt like I needed to do (Concert for a Cause) because these charities could definitely use some help, and I enjoy putting it together,” Grider said.

Grider formed Concert for a Cause at age 14, shortly after his grandfather, Gary Kallem, died of cancer. The first Concert for a Cause, held in the summer of 2003, raised nearly $1,000 for the American Cancer Society.

This year’s event has a $5 cover and will feature bands from Montana, South Dakota and Colorado. The Photo Atlas, of Denver, Colo., headlines the concert, with Billings native Nick Miles on drums. The event also includes performances by local bands From Womb to Tomb, Noise Noise Noise, Grudge, Montana Law, and Down Time, featuring members of Grudge. Missoula bands Fiancée and Places will perform, as well as The Reddmen from Rapid City, S.D. Local comedian Chad Korb will emcee the event.

Proceeds from the door after expenses for this year’s concert will go to the Northern Rockies Radiation Oncology Center’s Meadowlark House, a free cancer patient lodging facility located in west Billings, and Art Without Boundaries, a charity that helps kindergarten through college age students obtain and learn how to play instruments. Each organization will have a booth at the event with information available, and additional donations will be accepted at the booths.

Gates for the all-ages concert open at 4 p.m. in the parking lot at Yellowstone Valley Brewing Co., where an outdoor stage will be set up. Tickets are available at the gate only and donations above the cover charge are accepted. For more information, visit concertforacause.blogspot.com.

Denver rock band The Photo Atlas performs tonight in Billings.

The Forecast, 1090 Club and The Photo Atlas are joining forces for select dates through the west, and the three bands come together tonight for an all-ages concert starting at 6 p.m. at the Railyard.

Denver-based band Photo Atlas is touring in support of the newly-released sophomore album, “To Silently Provoke the Ghost,” released nationally April 21 and produced by J. Robbins (Against Me!, Jets To Brazil, Murder By Death).

1090 Club is close to wrapping its two-week tour in support of their newest, “Natural Selection,” with a Missoula and Seattle date left in this leg of the tour.

Peoria, Illinois’ band The Forecast, whose last performance of layered harmonies and boisterous rock melodies in Billings was on Labor Day 2007, is co-fronted by vocalist and bassist Shannon Burns, guitarist Dustin Addis and drummer Matt Webb.

The three bands also perform together at the Union Hall in Missoula Tuesday and Studio Seven in Seattle Wednesday. 1090 Club returns home for a performance  with Murder By Death on May 1, and The Forecast and The Photo Atlas continue touring the west together through early May.