5-23-19 Asheville’s VIA New Single, Film Release Helps Girls Rock Asheville
An Asheville band is set to release the first track from a new album – and a short film – to help cultivate the next generation of local music makers.
Following the success of Vessels of Sound: Volume 1: She Knows in 2017, VIA will soon put out Firefly from the upcoming Vessels of Sound: Volume 2: Morse.” The companion film for the song creates a full sensory experience, with visuals that evoke female empowerment and how circumstances experienced during childhood shape us into adults.
“VIA is and has always been about bringing people together via sound. Love is a frequency. Tune in,” says singer/songwriter Karen Austin, one half of the band with Steven Gaona. “Firefly naturally embodies our vision of empowering, standing up for and giving voice to women and children worldwide.”
Self described as “electronic shoegaze,” VIA’s music is characterized by layers of dreamy vocals, layers of guitar and pulsating tribal beats that together envelop the listener in an intense mix of ambient and industrial sounds.
Firefly the short movie stars actor Katie Cassenti, an Asheville native now living in Atlanta, and features 16-year-old dance choreographer and Western North Carolina native Olivia Joy Harris. VIA’s Austin is also in the film, along with securing the perfect location. It was shot in Atlanta at the estate of former Coca-Cola Chairman and CEO J. Paul Austin, her grandfather. Austin chose the location to honor him, and pay tribute to his legacy.
In fact, the song samples Coca-Cola’s iconic “Hilltop” commercial from 1971 (“I’d like to buy the world a Coke). It was the brain-child of Mr. Austin’s leadership.
An Asheville band is set to release the first track from a new album – and a short film – to help cultivate the next generation of local music makers.
Following the success of Vessels of Sound: Volume 1: She Knows in 2017, VIA will soon put out Firefly from the upcoming Vessels of Sound: Volume 2: Morse.” The companion film for the song creates a full sensory experience, with visuals that evoke female empowerment and how circumstances experienced during childhood shape us into adults.
“VIA is and has always been about bringing people together via sound. Love is a frequency. Tune in,” says singer/songwriter Karen Austin, one half of the band with Steven Gaona. “Firefly naturally embodies our vision of empowering, standing up for and giving voice to women and children worldwide.”
Katie Cassenti
Self described as “electronic shoegaze,” VIA’s music is characterized by layers of dreamy vocals, layers of guitar and pulsating tribal beats that together envelop the listener in an intense mix of ambient and industrial sounds.
Firefly the short movie stars actor Katie Cassenti, an Asheville native now living in Atlanta, and features 16-year-old dance choreographer and Western North Carolina native Olivia Joy Harris. VIA’s Austin is also in the film, along with securing the perfect location. It was shot in Atlanta at the estate of former Coca-Cola Chairman and CEO J. Paul Austin, her grandfather. Austin chose the location to honor him, and pay tribute to his legacy.
Olivia Joy Harris
In fact, the song samples Coca-Cola’s iconic “Hilltop” commercial from 1971 (“I’d like to buy the world a Coke). It was the brain-child of Mr. Austin’s leadership.
Firefly is the first in what will be a series of short films featuring VIA music, starring Cassenti and Austin.
You can see the debut of the film at the Firefly Release Party from 1 to 4 pm Saturday, June 15 at The Grey Eagle in the River Arts District. Tickets for the all-ages event are $5. The afternoon features women and non-binary fronted bands, Miss Jean and the Love Cats, Kathryn O’Shea, Moonlight Streetfolk and Rooster joining VIA. Proceeds support Girls Rock Asheville, a nonprofit camp that empowers female, trans and gender non-binary youth through music education.
Ken Ulmer - The 828