Five years ago, nobody knew who Downstait was. A lot can change in five years, and for the guys in Downstait five years was all they needed to establish themselves as one of the most promising bands in Fort Wayne. In 2002 brothers Justin and Zack Call hooked up with drummer Jethro McConnell and bassist Andy Balazs, at one of Andy’s parties. Isaiah Zwick filled out the line up and “
Label Kills” was born. After two years of struggling to find a sound, the band decided it was time for a new start. With Andy’s departure and Sean’s entrance, Label Kills was discarded and in its place was Downstait. Downstait was never a scene favorite, rejected by the dominant scene the band set out to do things their own way. For the past three years Downstait has been doing just that, carving a path and leaving everything else behind. Always their own harshest critics, they set out to raise their game and become the band they all wanted to be. After working on a demo with
Chip McDonough (Megadeth, Steve Vai, and Skid Row), the band continued to perfect their blend of hard hitting rock and melodic, memorable choruses.
After winning both the South Side and Elmhurst battle of the bands, Downstait was becoming a force in Ft. Wayne’s music scene. After numerous shows at locals bars and clubs, they attracted the attention of 98.9 the Bear. The Bear then connected Downstait with Ra lead singer/producer Sahaj Ticotin. For the next four months Downstait recorded with Sahaj working hard to create their most memorable songs to date. Sahaj had this to say: “Downstait was a fun band to work with. I love the influences they have; Sevendust, Queensrÿche, Godsmack. Heavy but musical. For their age they are quite evolved. With time they could become a truly great hard rock band.”
The end product “Can You Hear Me Now?” was the culmination of everything that makes up Downstait: hard hitting riffs, infectious choruses, and pure rock and roll attitude. The release of “Can You Hear Me Now?” cemented Downstait’s place in Ft. Wayne and guaranteed that their future as a band had no end in sight. After all of their success, the drive behind them has stayed the same: five guys, driven by heart, unwilling to give up to critics or nay-sayers. After everything your really only left with one question: What is our name?
