Pouyan Afkary, keyboardist for Scary Kids Scaring Kids, still can?t get over looking out from the stage and seeing fans pack the auditorium.
Understandable when you consider that it wasn?t that long ago that Afkary and his Gilbert, Arizona high school friends formed the band. A self-financed EP won the band a spot on the Smartpunk stage for the 2005 Warped Tour. Now the band is touring in support of their second album.
“We have a lot of fans coming to town to see us which is overwhelmingly awesome,” said Afkary. “We weren?t sure how to gauge it considering we?ve always toured with bigger bands. This is great.”
When SKSK started, the band built a loyal local following that continued to expand. When the reach extended through the state, the six members decided to “go all in and give it a chance.” Now the band is well on its way to building a strong national fanbase.
Their new, self-titled album is a follow up to the band?s 2006 debut “The City Sleeps in Flames.” The record combines aggressive vocals and intricate guitar work.
“We are constantly trying to progress,” said Afkary. “Every step of the way, we are trying to make our shows better. We feel a lot of passion on stage and we show that in a lot of different ways. I really get into the songs that I?m playing.”
Opening for SKSK is The Dear Hunter, which is formulating a rock opera by melding together many musical styles from the band member?s idols which range from Jimi Hendrix to the Beach Boys to the Beatles. The story is about “The Dear Hunter,” which takes the character through a love relationship and beyond.
The band, the idea of Casey Crescenzo, former guitarist for rock group The Receiving End of Sirens, has been together for about a year.
“I think we just wanted to try to do something different, something we would be very proud of,” said Sam Dent, the drummer. “When we originally formed, the band had an idea for a multi-act story which we?re following through on.”
GET READY TO ROCK
Performers: Scary Kids Scaring Kids, The Dear Hunter, The Sleeping, Pierce the Veil, Damiera
Venue: Recher Theatre, 512 York Road, Towson
When: 7 p.m. Friday
Tickets: $12; 410-547-SEAT; www.ticketmaster.com
