24. Streetlight Manifesto (w/ Megawave)
Megababes rejoice: Checkered Past welcomes Diglo and Michi of indie-rock band Megawave! They talk to Rob and Celine about their friendship with the Ska community, their Ska origin stories and the various influences on their debut record Rainbow Heartache. Afterwards they all dig in on the tumultuous career of 2000's Ska pioneers, Streetlight Manifesto covering their original music, their antagonistic relationship with Victory Records and their current reputation in the Ska scene.
Megawave
With the music industry at a standstill during early pandemic times, it became evident that bands would have to evolve. One band that tried new things and put themselves out there is Long Island’s Megawave. Instead of moping around and packing it in, Megawave emerged as a powerhouse in the digital and social space. With their Megawednesday Twitch series, they accomplished several things. Not only did they promote themselves, but their show served as a launching pad for other independent bands too. One other happy side effect is the community they built along the way.
From a personal perspective, their show led me to at least three new bands this year. The fact they featured so many bands on their show also speaks to their level of commitment to the scene. Seeing that support just makes you want to see certain bands succeed even more. Megawave is one of those bands. They deserve the world.
FOR THE UNINITIATED, MEGAWAVE IS A TRIO FEATURING MICHI TURK ON VOCALS AND SYNTH, AND TWO MIKES (DIGLIO ON GUITARS AND MCCARTHY ON DRUMS).
Together, they make an eclectic mix of indie, emo, pop, hip-hop, shoegaze, and progressive rock. The real magic here is how seamlessly they fit their many influences into a cohesive batch of songs on Rainbow Heartache. It’s a dreamy pop, genre-bending masterpiece to be sure.
-Bearded Gentlemen
