Thanks a ton for taking the time to have a chat with us, guys. We’re stoked that we get the chance to catch up with you! For our readers that might not be aware of you, could you guys give us an introduction to the band and what was the main inspiration behind starting Dayshifter?
Thank you for having us. We are a five-piece melodic hardcore band called Dayshifter from Newcastle Upon Tyne, UK. Our main inspiration comes from our general passion for music and the impact it has had on our lives. We all met through previous projects and we just wanted to gather together to create something we would be extremely proud of and Dayshifter was born.
What has been the highlight of the band in your career so far?
We have had many highs in the three years that we have been Dayshifter, but if I was to single out a particular memory it would have to be our first show in Inverness back in March 2019. It was our first time playing in Scotland and we received the warmest of welcomes, playing to a packed venue was beyond what we could have expected.
Your merch drops are always on point. Where does the inspiration come from and what are you trying to convey with your merch?
Thank you for your kind words. To be honest, we are pretty brutal when it comes to discussing merch designs as we want the actual designs to refer back to the track, whether that be a lyric or a piece of imagery, but we also don’t want to mimic ideas that have been recycled thousands of times. We also refuse to drop something that we could not picture ourselves wearing. I think the perfectionism in us is what has made our merch drops to date so successful.
How important is merchandise to a band like you?
Band merch means so much to us. Even with royalty payouts and booking fees, merch sales remain our primary form of income as a young band. We would not be able to record more music or tour anywhere near as much as we have without having merchandise to keep us stable.
What has been the craziest experience for the band in your years of touring and are there any tours/shows that stood out in particular?
Other than the show I mentioned previously, we have had countless wild experiences whilst touring, both for better and for worse. We have spent so many nights in dirty vans and cheap hostels it honestly gives me nightmares, we were even homeless for a night in Brighton and had to sleep on the floor of the train station. But at the end of the day, we get to meet so many amazing people, whether that be fans or members of the bands we play with. All of our touring experiences so far have been crazy in one way or another, so I think I’ll settle with that because I could have been here all day answering this question.
COVID-19 has impacted the music industry more than we ever expected. What did you learn as a band from this crisis?
COVID-19 has been a really eye-opening experience for us as a band. At the beginning of lockdown, we had just departed from Famined Records, so we utilised the time we had to get out a single and video and learn more about the ways in which we can market ourselves as a band from our homes. I think that this experience has taught us that some downtime from touring every once in a while could be beneficial to our productivity within other aspects of the band. Despite this, we have also learnt just how fragile the underground music scene and industry is right now, and that it heavily relies on its artists to not just pump out new music, but to also bring business to the independent venues who are keeping it alive. We have learnt that it is essential to support those who have supported us.
What advice can you give bands starting out?
There are a few tips I can offer to new bands starting out. The first of which is to have a clear picture of what you are wanting to do before bringing your band to the public eye. This could range from having a catalogue of songs ready, to knowing how you would like to brand yourself online and having the knowledge to know how to do that. The second piece of advice would be to gig outside of your hometown as soon as possible. Travelling to gigs may not seem very cost-effective at first, but it is a really good way to spark that initial surge in your fanbase. The final piece of advice I can offer is to print your merchandise with Pins and Knuckles. They are the best company in the business!
With touring picking up hopefully by 2021, do you have any tips/necessities that is a must for being on the road for weeks on end?
I don’t think we would be the right band to offer tips when it comes to touring as something always seems to go wrong for us haha! But if you want to know about necessities, I’d suggest a portable phone charger and dry shampoo. This is simply because you may end up going days without a shower and I can bet you that the rest of your band will be using all the plugs on your van when you need to charge your phone.
The last one – do you guys have a favourite band to go on tour with?
We have honestly loved every band we have been out on tour with so far, or even just played a show with. Honourable mentions going to Palmist, MSRY, Below the Neck, Values, As Everything Unfolds, THECITYISOURS, and Virtue in Vain to name a few.
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