The Higher hits the road

Las Vegas-based pop/emo up-and-comers The Higher will support their Epitaph debut album On Fire – released March 6th – by torching West Coast concert stages this spring. In tandem with Sacramento rockers Self Against City, the month-long touring commitment gets underway on April 12th in Denver.

Produced by Mike Green (The Matches, Paramore), the disc reaped praise from Spin, who touted its “blue eyed shuffle” of “radio-choruses” and “punchy odes to underage behavior” in a recent three-star review. Elsewhere, Alternative Press noted, “In a world where everyone has developed an OCD impulse to categorize every musical act, The Higher may be the frontrunners of a new subgenre yet to be named.”

Explaining the group’s sound approach in the aforementioned AP piece, frontman Seth Trotter said, “We use every different kind of style of music and write the best songs possible without leaving any genres out. On Fire has a lot of R&B influence, a lot of pop influence and a lot of rock influence. We’re just trying to showcase every side of The Higher.”

Opening with the contagious pop of “Insurance?” the disc consists of the immediate rock anthem, “Rock My Body,” “Pace Yourself” (remixed by Fall Out Boy’s Patrick Stump) and the alluring “Histrionics,” which first appeared on the group’s acclaimed 2005 full-length indie LP of the same name. It was that disc – along with a Los Angeles performance at the Roxy earlier this year – that drew the interest of several major labels. But ultimately, the Las Vegas-based band chose to ink with Epitaph.

“By the end of the second song I was convinced that I wanted to sign them,” says Epitaph founder Brett Gurewitz of the Roxy performance by The Higher – which also counts vocalist Seth Trotter, guitarist Robert Ragan, bassist Jason Centeno and drummer Patrick Harter. Citing “Seth’s phenomenal voice” and their “R&B influence” as two key components, Epitaph’s honcho explained, “I only sign bands I think can go all the way, and I believe the sky’s the limit for The Higher.”

Here are The Higher’s upcoming tour dates:
4/12/2007 Marquis Theater Denver CO
4/13/2007 Avalon Theater Salt Lake City UT
4/14/2007 The Venue Boise ID
4/16/2007 The Belmont Fresno CA
4/17/2007 The Dome Bakersfield CA
4/18/2007 The Boardwalk Orangevale CA
4/27/2007 Utah State University Logan UT
4/30/2007 The Sets Tempe AZ
5/1/2007 The Rock Tucson AZ
5/2/2007 Troubadour Los Angeles CA
5/3/2007 The Dome Bakersfield CA
5/7/2007 Soma San Diego CA
5/8/2007 1015 San Francisco CA
5/9/2007 The Belmont Fresno CA
5/10/2007 Empire Theatre Stockton CA
5/12/2007 The Underground Roseville CA