We Drew Lightning was created in Santa Fe, NM in spring of 2006
by Roland Ostheim and Michael Smith as a mutation of their former
band, Derail. Currently the group consists of Roland Ostheim
(vocals,guitar, bass, electronics, and trombone), Michael Smith
(drums, electronics, and vocals), Lily Taylor (vocals and keyboard),
Stephen Canny (baritone guitar and cello), and Vadi Grontis
visual projections).
It is the goal of We Drew Lightning to transcend genre, and create
original music that pulls from various backgrounds by creating
textured soundscapes along with visuals to bring the audience
member on a journey. The group creates music that can be
intensely heavy and complex, and at other times very minimal
and soft by utilizing different timbres and styles such as psychedelic
rock, experimental, and electronic. Many audience members have
proclaimed that a We Drew Lightning performance takes you
somewhere else.
We Drew Lightning recently released a full length album entitled,
“Swimming with Orange” on High Mayhem Records in
March of 2007, and performed at the 6th Annual High
Mayhem Emerging Arts Festival to a very enthusiastic audience.
This performance was reviewed in the internationally published
magazine, Signal to Noise.
“...they pounded a percussionistic war pattern so concentrated
and passionate that it felt as if they were going to get up at any
moment and kick the shit out of each other. Pairing this with
Roland’s ambient vocals, reminiscent of an indiscernible male
Hope Sandoval, created a unique blend of trance-like rage.”
- J. Christopher Dupuy (Signal to Noise)