Neon Trees

Miami Beach, FL – March 13, 2015 – It started with a whisper, and then turned into one raging wild concert at LIV as Neon Trees took over the BleauLive stage. The pop rock band famously known for their hits like “Animal” and “Sleeping With a Friend” are currently killing it on the charts and showed Miami fans how to get down to their feel good sounds. The high energy band kept the chart-topping hits coming as attendees danced and sang along all night long. Let’s just day they sure left everybody talking following the insane performance.

Before rocking the stage for a crowd full of fans, we sat down with lead vocalist, Tyler Glenn, and bass player, Branden Campbell, and spoke to them about everything from how they got started to what they think about Miami’s music scene.

Neon Trees

WRE: If you could describe the band as a landscape what would it look like?

TG: It would be like the third level in Mario 3.

WRE: Tell us a little about how Neon Trees was formed?

TG: It originally started as an acoustic duo. Chris and I met because we lived close to each other and would casually write together. He moved to Utah and so did I, and that’s where we ended up meeting the rest of these guys.

BC: Elaine and I initially started subbing for the band, we had so much fun and loved it. We played one show with Neon Trees and then I had to go on tour with someone else and remember thinking ‘Man, I wish I was playing those Neon Trees songs, they were so cool’ and I guess fate brought us together.

WRE: What was it like to hear your song on the radio for the first time?

TG: I distinctly remember when we first started and I heard ‘Animal’ around Christmas in 2009. I was at home with my mom and dad and we were out looking at Christmas lights and had the radio on and it came on. I tried to scream as loud as Liv Tyler does in that movie but you know I’m a dude so I can’t get to that decibel, but it was definitely awesome. My mom makes everything better so I was really happy she was there with me.

BC: I think for me I remember the moment when I heard ‘Everybody Talks,’ which was from our second album. To me it signified having some staying power. You can get lucky once but to have it happen again and have radio embracing us for a second album really meant so much to me.

We have had very dramatic moments in our lives personally, but we’ve stuck through it and have built a family in this band.

Tyler Glenn, Lead Vocalist of Neon Trees

WRE: What inspired the latest album “Pop Psychology?”

TG: A lot of it came from my depression and then realizing that I really liked life. Through my therapy sessions I realized an identity and to be okay with that, so I wrote a lot of songs about that topic and embracing the fact that I am who I am. The name Pop Psychology came from popular psychology which was just the medical term, but I also thought it embraced the era of the new band. I really wanted us to play with pop music, but in our way. It’s our slickest and most colorful album, but at the same time it has the most heavy themes, so I thought that was a cool contrast.

BC: Bands will go through different periods in their career and no one wants to hear the same album. For us it’s finding new sounds and not being afraid to do that without feeling pigeon holed. Maybe the next album will be a little more stripped down and bare boned. It’s important to feel like we can do what we want to do and this was one of those opportunities.

Neon Trees

WRE: Can you think of a moment that defines the character of your band?

TG: We have had very dramatic moments in our lives personally, but we’ve stuck through it and have built a family in this band. I don’t know if I can think of one, but those little moments we’re all guilty of, having those big growth spurts, and kind of figuring out what we want to do personally has definitely brought us together.

BC:  I remember when I really wanted the join the band and was trying to figure out how to make that happen I remember saying “If I don’t join this band two years from now I am going to see them on the Tonight Show.” I am a huge tonight show fan. About two years to the date we played the Tonight Show and since then we have been back about six or seven times. To me that is such a landmark opportunity and has really defined making it.

WRE: Describe the feeling when you get on stage and are about to play for your fans? What’s going through everyone’s heads?

TG: I love electronic music and I definitely think we have a fusion of that in our sound. I love the latin, pop and electronic influence that Miami brings to America overall.

WRE: What’s on the agenda for Neon Trees in 2015?

TG: We were actually going to take the year off because we were bored and restless, but then we started writing music and playing shows so we’ll see.

Neon Trees

Neon Trees

Neon Trees

Neon Trees

Neon Trees

Neon Trees

Neon Trees