Biography
In 2007, longtime best friends Rocky Tinder and Eric Phipps moved to Portland, Oregon and decided to start a band. With all the buoyancy and idealism of youth (being fresh out of high school at the time), and stimulated by the massive amount of creative output surrounding them in their new city, they sketched out a vision for a massive friend band - the possibility of getting every single one of their buds on stage and creating a monumental live show. Yet both boys have discerning taste, having backgrounds in music theory from a tender age, and questioned the logistics of a chaotic set-up. Moreover, they were enamored of the freedom that local dance music outfits had with their compact set-ups, allowing these acts to show up and throw down anywhere. Accordingly, they tweaked their vision and decided to just do it themselves. Armed with two guitars and an iPod filled with their meticulously prerecorded beats, bass lines, and bells, they became Wampire – two boys on a mission to have as much fun being a dance-rock duo as 20 people combined. Now, 3 years later, with the new addition of drummer Cyrus Lampton for extra beats and extra smiles, it is very safe to say that Wampire have succeeded: this band is epically, epically fun. Whether rocking out in the dark of a nightclub, with Flashdance projected behind them from out of Tinder's gold-painted VCR, or stripping down to their skivvies during an afternoon parking lot performance, Wampire is a sight to behold. They're certainly not taking themselves too seriously, but one can say a lot more than that about their live show. Their easy chemistry and inexhaustible joviality is totally infectious – you're powerless to resist the dance floor when they take the stage. They've also managed, in a rare feat these days, to wed onstage antics with bonafide musicianship, earning them love from musicians, critics, and fans all over Portland. From their delightful re-invention of Kraftwerk's “Das model,” sung impeccably in German by Phipps over a sleek synth-pop landscape, to original jewels like “Hyphy shred” which boasts soaring guitars and blissed-out glitchiness, their work would be right at home amongst the current Chillwave phenomenon made popular by Neon Indian, Washed Out, Small Black, etc. Yet don't be confused into thinking that their bliss is purely aesthetic, for there is no too-cool posturing when it comes to Wamp-Wamp, as Wampire is often affectionately called around town. Their aesthetic arose organically, out of the stoner/skater/slacker subculture to which they belong, having built a fanbase from the basement up via Portland's vibrant house show scene. Among these roots is a stint living, working, and curating all-ages shows at the legendary now-defunct downtown Portland performance space The Hush. Now, they're considered one of the staples of Portland's dance/electronic scene, sharing bills with local greats like Starfucker, Reporter, and Glass Candy.
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