Slowdown Virginia
| Slowdown Virginia | |
|---|---|
| Origin | Omaha, Nebraska, USA |
| Genres | Indie Rock |
| Years active | 1993 – 1995, 2010 |
| Labels | Lumberjack Records |
| Associated acts | Cursive, Bright Eyes, The Good Life, Criteria |
| Past members |
Tim Kasher Matt Maginn Steve Pedersen Casey Caniglia |
Slowdown Virginia was an indie rock band from Omaha, Nebraska. Formed in 1993, the band recorded and released one album, Dead Space, on Lumberjack Records in 1994, the predecessor to today's Saddle Creek Records. After playing an influential role in inspiring the later formation of other Omaha bands like Bright Eyes, The Faint, and Desaparecidos with their energetic live shows and recordings, Slowdown Virginia broke up in the spring of 1995. A month after breaking up, Kasher, Maginn, and Pedersen regrouped with a new drummer to form Cursive. Omaha's mixed entertainment venue Slowdown is named in honor of the band.
Slowdown Virginia evolved from a five-piece cover band called The March Hares, composed of high school friends Jim Robino, Tim Kasher, Matt Maginn, Steven Pedersen, and Casey Caniglia. Pedersen replaced original guitarist Matt Oberst. The band formed around 1990 while the five attended Creighton Prep in Omaha, Nebraska. The March Hares played local shows, mainly performing covers of The Cure, R.E.M., The Pixies, and other alternative rock bands. Eventually the band began writing a few of their own songs.
Robino left the band in 1993, and Kasher took over on lead vocals and the group continued as a four-piece. The band renamed itself Slowdown Virginia, it's guessed after Kasher's dog at the time, named Virginia, and started to focus on writing and recording original music.
With a sound described as a "heartland Pavement" or emo in the style of Rites of Spring or Minor Threat, the band started by recording a five-song cassette demo as cheaply as they could to have something to hand out or sell at live shows. To do so they ended up traveling from Omaha to Otho, Iowa, recording at a chicken coop converted into a studio called Junior's Motel. The band continued to travel to record demos at Junior's Motel throughout 1993, mixing the tapes themselves back in Omaha. The band began playing regular shows around Omaha, building a fanbase through live performances and the cassette demos.
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