Lucinda Albers
After The Sun isn’t a typical sex, drugs and rock’n'roll type of band. Although their music may inspire even the most self-controlled person to turn and run for a mosh pit, look deeper at the band members and you’ll see that they’re really just a bunch of college kids.
When these Sioux Falls-area natives aren’t touring or recording, they’re actually doing homework or studying, as all five of them attend a South Dakota university: Alex Foster and Tim Robinson attend the University of Sioux Falls; Paul Pinos goes to University Center; Adam Rau is full-time at Augustana; and Sheldon Swan will graduate in May from the University of South Dakota.
Although this cuts back on the time they are able to spend touring, simply making and distributing their music is something they all love to do.
“We have dreams of getting signed, but we really just want to get our stuff out there,” said Foster. “It’s all about playing the music we love.”
Currently, ATS is scheduled to play several weeks of shows with friends and fellow native Sioux Falls band, Private Drive. Although the bands have small-town origins in common, their music differs slightly in genres and can pull in different fans.
“Private Drive usually attracts a younger crowd and our crowd is usually a bit older,” said Foster. “But it’s cool to see how both just sort of come together at our shows.”
ATS has played several shows outside of Sioux Falls, but hometown gigs are always fun for the band, and allow them to meet other music enthusiasts.
“There are those several people that just come to every show and I’ve actually been able to become friends with most of them just through seeing them there all the time,” said Foster. “I’ll just walk up to them and say hi and ask them how they’re doing.”
The guys just came out of the recording studio and are almost ready to release a new album. An aspect the new music focuses on is meaningful lyrics.
Examples include “The Vanity Plague,” which, as its title hints, is about people who get lost in everyday life and tend to become selfish with everything. The title track, “Requiem,” is actually about a pedophile, but has so many underlying themes that the true implication may be harder to catch.
“The way Paul writes, you really have to look deep to catch the true meaning of what he’s saying,” said Foster.
The new CD is set to be done within the next few weeks, with the members pushing to have it done and for sale by April 21 so that fans would be able to purchase it at their show at the Renner Legion Hall. They’re also set to have new shirts on sale by then as well.
After The Sun will be in Renner, S.D., on April 21. They will be playing with Private Drive, I Am Miss America, Novella, Renae and The Thirty Fathom Grave. The show starts at 5 pm and costs $5.
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