Ela

Label - info@afternoonrecords Booking - Shawn Krueger / Microindie Booking (microindiebooking@prodigy) Band - bill@elamusic Ela (ee-lah) is comprised of members Bill Caperton (vocals, guitar), Sean McPherson (bass), Peter Leggett (drums) and Knol Tate (guitar, keyboards). Over the past 4 years they have released 2 full length records, one 4 song 12 inch, and one tour only EP. They have played CMJ, toured the Midwest and east coast multiple times, been on sold out West, Midwest and East Coast tours, sweat in basements, bars, clubs, vfws and theaters. Ela's first record, Stapled to Air, was released in 2004 on New York's Third Earth Music label. The first rock release on 3EM, the band found itself in the company of underground hip-hop groups like Jean Grae, Oddjobs, and Mr. Len (Company Flow). Stapled to Air immediately entered full rotation at Minneapolis radio stations KUOM and KFAI, and received national play, eventually reaching 120 on the CMJ charts. Local and National press picked up on the band too; In Devil in the Woods issue 19, the record garnered a perfect review with 6 out of 6 pitchforks. Following this record, Ela played in the company of other up and coming bands including Stars, Carissas Weird (now Band of Horses), Tapes N Tapes, the Fever, Pilot to Gunner, Xiu Xiu, and Jeff Hanson. Notable larger scale shows at the same time included playing sold out venues with Travis Morrison in Minneapolis and The Wrens in Chicago. In April 2006, Ela received a call to go out on a 28-day tour with Los Angeles based indie-pop rising stars Say Anything (J Records). Playing sold out shows from Detroit to LA and back with only 2 days off propelled Ela's live act to a new level. In the meantime Tate began running a studio in an old dry-ice factory in St. Paul. Building off the momentum of the Say Anything tour, the band got to work writing and recording a new demo. Straying from the blistering confessional work of the first album into a world more subtly haunting, Ela's second full length "Real Blood on Fake Trees" was born. The record was released to favorable reviews and spent 9 weeks on the CMJ top 200, peaking at 84. On the strength of the new material, Ela was asked to accompany Minus the Bear on a 3 and a half week tour across the northern half of the country. In October of 2007 Ela joined Subtle and Minus the Bear on a tour ranging from Spokane WA to Norfolk VA and all points in between. Sold out shows at legendary venues like the Fillmore East at Irving Plaza and 2 nights at the Middle East in Boston provided Ela with further conviction to follow their unique vision. Once more winter is descending on the upper midwest. The band is back in the rehearsal space over Unversity avenue, breathing life into more baby songs.