The
2019 album debut by Florida-based Magnatar, Parallel
Worlds gives rise to a fantastic new sound in the world of
21st century progressive instrumental rock. It is interesting to note
that the music on Parallel Worlds was composed by Glenn
Smith, who adds in unique sounding textures on his electrified
1971 Harmony A Style mandolin. Its quite special that a mandolinist
would compose an all-instrumental progressive rock-fusion band, but
for open-minded music fans, Parallel Worlds will clearly prove
to be an entertaining sonic experience. Speaking about the rare sound
of a mandolin framed by an instrumental rock band, Glenn tells mwe3.com,
"I
feel the compositions I write allows each player in Magnatar to rise
to another creative level and release something new from within them.
Great players sometimes just need a new or different avenue to take
them to a somewhat different feel and sound. It has been a very interesting
process to develop a prog song on the mandolin, which is quite a different
approach to say the least, and then turn the guys loose on it to put
the meat on the bone so to speak. It is also a lot of fun as well
as gratifying to watch the creative interaction of the band, as each
member feeds off of the others to come up with their specific contribution
to the song. The results have far exceeded anything I could have hoped
for".
Crafting
an elegant sonic backdrop for Glenn's mandolin and songwriting are
his very capable bandmates Joey Costa (bass), Reed Hayes
(drums), Ryan Rivas (guitars) and Dave Norton (keys).
Progressive instrumental
rock fans
looking for fresh musical terrain, should give Magnatar a good listen.
In
the CD booklet, the band cites YES as a major inspiration and one
can easily see fans of YES, and their long-standing guitarist Steve
Howe, enjoying Parallel Worlds. While Chris Squires ghost
can be heard hovering somewhere above this album, another accurate
influence would be Steve Morse in the Dixie Dregs. Magnatar brings
their unique musical vision to life on their superb sounding, all-instrumental,
9-cut debut album. www.facebook.com
mwe3.com presents an interview with
Dave Norton, Glenn Smith, Joey Costa,
Reed Hayes and Ryan Rivas of MAGNATAR
mwe3:
The bio page on the Magnatar web site is quite revealing. I didnt
know that connections between the Magnatar band members go back almost
50 years. Can you tell us something about the formative days of the
band? Decades before Magnatar actually became a band, the various
members were involved with a wealth of bands. It seems like the YES
/ Beatles influence goes all the way back, 50 years in fact.
Dave Norton: Even though I am the newest member of Magnatar,
the connection with my cousin Glenn represents the longest personal
relationship within the band, actually dating back some 60+ years.
Given that, the mantle of the band historian has somehow been bestowed
on me, so here goes. The history of how this whole thing came together
as the band we are today is indeed quite interesting. As mentioned,
the original connection was with Glenn and me. We were cousins growing
up in DeLand and our families would often visit each other on Sunday
afternoons. We played Little League baseball and basketball together,
although never on the same team. This really was during our early
youth and well before either of us had any inkling of the musical
relationship that would form many, many years later.
Joey and I got to know each other in high school in the late 1960s,
when we were both playing in different local cover bands when it was
the cool thing to do. Joey was a huge Beatles fan and was very influenced
by Paul McCartney and the Hofner bass guitar. It wasnt until
a year or so after we graduated that we ended up together for the
first time in a band called Hemby. The core of this band evolved over
time into Hot City and eventually into Fantasia. We flirted with some
success in Hot City and had a single released in Europe and the U.S.
on the London Records label. For Joey and me this was the formative
period that really forged our individual playing style and our long
lasting personal relationship.
It was during those very early days of Fantasia that Glenn first entered
the musical history phase. He wasnt a player back then, but
he became a regular presence at our practices when we were writing
original material fast and furious. He was really intrigued by watching
the creative writing process live so to speak, and he
just loved it. At this point for the band, the progressive bug had
taken full hold, with YES clearly being one of the primary influences.
In a kind of parallel way around this time, was when the
real turning point for Glenn occurred.
Intrigued and inspired by what we were doing, he was also starting
to learn to play a little bit of acoustic guitar, which would ultimately
drive him to a serious pursuit in music. Ironically, as Glenn began
to learn and develop his talent as a musician, I actually left the
music scene in the mid 1970s to go back to school and then a
30-year career in medical sales. Glenn and Joey continued pursuing
their individual musical journey over the decades and played in many
different bands, some together, some not. So that is the early history
of the three of us. Fast forward 35 years or so, and Glenn and Joey
reunited to form the precursor to Magnatar, which was Buckets &
Strings. Neither Reed nor Ryan had entered the picture at this point,
but fate would take care of that a little bit farther down the road.
mwe3:
So why did it take so long to get an album as good as the Parallel
Worlds album by Magnatar?
Dave Norton: Well, that answer needs a little bit more history
to make sense. As I just mentioned, Glenn and Joey represent the original
nucleus and elder generation of the group. While they
founded the band some 12 years or more ago, the group underwent several
iterations of players and styles over the years, which eventually
evolved into this lineup we have today. The first major transition
to the Magnatar of today was when Reed came on board almost ten years
ago. He represented the middle generation and brought
a combination of both power and technical style that significantly
elevated the overall sound and impact of the music. The core of Magnatar
was subsequently and firmly established a few years later when Ryan
joined the group as the third and youngest generation. His style,
technique and creativity, immediately took the music to a level it
had never reached before.
Except for one short period early on, the band had always primarily
been a four piece. They had also played around with some early recording
efforts, but it never quite got off the ground. The final piece of
the puzzle involved me, and it came about quite unexpectedly. As I
had mentioned earlier, I left the music scene in the mid 1970s
and went back to school and then pursued a career in the corporate
world. As fate would have it, I was getting close to retirement and
had been contacted by my old Fantasia band mates to get back together
for a short and simple two song set at our high school reunion. I
hadnt played in over 38 years or more and was very reluctant
to accept this invitation. After much cajoling I eventually relented,
and while it only lasted for 15 minutes or so, it brought back the
memories of what it was like to be on stage and playing music. So
you can probably see where this is going.
That night, Glenn was also at the event and after we played, Glenn,
Joey and I were talking about what their band was up to. While still
caught up in the moment, the next thing I knew I was asking if they
would have any interest in bringing me on board to add some keyboards
to the band. As the saying goes, the rest is history. At this point
I was still working full time not to mention I lived in Atlanta. So
I started to acquire some gear and take on the daunting task of learning
these very challenging songs
at least for me. To say I was intimidated
in the beginning is a great understatement. Early on I really struggled,
but to the credit of all the guys, they were extremely patient with
me, and believe me, it took a lot of patience before I started to
find my footing, but eventually I did.
As my confidence grew, I also started to experiment with multiple
keys and different sounds, and began to really try not to just learn
the songs but to really enhance them and elevate this very cool and
unique music to yet another level. So I guess you could say, I am
a big part of the reason it took so long. That said, I think we all
agree that the result was worth the time and effort.
mwe3:
The album is so good that it feels like its been worth the wait.
So, how does the Parallel Worlds album reflect the wealth of
diversity the various members bring to the album?
Glenn Smith: I feel the compositions I write allows each player
in Magnatar to rise to another creative level and release something
new from within them. Great players sometimes just need a new or different
avenue to take them to a somewhat different feel and sound. It has
been a very interesting process to develop a prog song on the mandolin,
which is quite a different approach to say the least, and then turn
the guys loose on it to put the meat on the bone so to speak. It is
also a lot of fun as well as gratifying to watch the creative interaction
of the band, as each member feeds off of the others to come up with
their specific contribution to the song. The results have far exceeded
anything I could have hoped for.
mwe3: How would you describe the Magnatar sound? To my ears
Parallel Worlds sounds very influenced by 1970s era bands Dixie
Dregs with a kind of YES meets Return To Forever edge to it. Even
with so many 1970s influences, the band brings a kind of 21st century
twist to the Parallel Worlds tracks.
Reed Hayes: I would describe the Magnatar sound as dynamic
instrumental rock, strung together with mandolin, guitar and heavy
bass. The sounds range from heavy and hard-hitting to whisper soft.
It can be fairly complex with lots of changes in songs like Parallel
Worlds and Night Changes, or it can rock out and
groove like New Galaxy and Fourth Passage.
As Dave noted, there are three generations of progressive influences
in this band. Glenn, Dave & Joey are the oldest, and you can readily
see their favorites are the earlier prog bands like YES, ELP, and
King Crimson, Im a little younger so I was into bands like Rush
and UK. Ryan is the youngest and hes into bands Like Dream Theatre
and Animals As Leaders. When you bring all of these generations and
associated influences together to develop new music, you get what
we think is a pretty unique and original sound and style.
Ryan Rivas: I agree and will probably be repeating a lot of
the points Reed made, but I think the basic description that I tend
to give people is instrumental progressive rock. But really,
that doesn't give the full picture. So then I try to paint that picture
with more recognizable bands that we sound similar to. Definitely,
the one that seems the most apparent is YES. We are all big YES fans.
Glenn, Joey and Dave saw them play in the 70's and have been inspired
by them ever since. I got turned on to progressive rock when Joey
introduced me to YES a few years ago. So YES definitely represents
the one universal influence for all of us, and to some degree that
influence invariably shapes our music. That said, there is absolutely
zero conscious effort by the band to mimic or in any way try to sound
like YES. For one, I don't really play guitar like Steve Howe
well maybe sometimes!
And
then there's the mandolin, which I think is safe to say is extremely
uncommon in rock music, not to mention that Glenn has such a very
unique and unorthodox approach to playing it. As for that blend of
1970's prog rock with the modern twist, I think that is really a reflection
of our mixed tastes. As I mentioned, Joey, Glenn, and Dave draw a
lot of their influences from older bands like ELP, YES, Jethro Tull,
etc. I am a huge Dream Theater fan, which is more like progressive
rock/metal. Reed loves Rush and in fact played in a Rush tribute band
for several years. I think our writing style and musical approach
has more of a classic rock lean to it, but I really tried to give
the recordings a more modern sounding mix. A lot of modern recordings
I hear have a more full and punchy sound, versus that more raw sound
typically found in your classic rock songs.
mwe3: Can you tell us something about where Magnatar is from?
I had not heard of the Florida town called DeLand. Can you tell us
about living in DeLand and where the band members are originally from?
Glenn Smith: DeLand is a small college town in central Florida,
situated about 18 miles west of Daytona Beach and about 35 miles northeast
of Orlando. It is home to Stetson University and it has a pretty eclectic
art and music vibe going on. That said, it is still a pretty laid
back place all in all. Dave and I were both born here. Joey is originally
from Wadsworth, Ohio, but relocated here with his family when he was
14. Ryan is from Miami and Reed is from Chicago, and both relocated
to DeLand when they were 6. So you can see that we all have long and
deep roots to the area.
mwe3: Was the decision made to go all out progressive rock
on the first Magnatar album and to keep it instrumental? During the
history of the band, various members were in other bands with names
like Drama and Cat Food so I guess the decision to go full out progressive
on the Parallel Worlds album was an easy one to make. I read
the bios and there are so many progressive rock connections in the
band history that it boggles the mind but I was happy to see and hear
such dedication to the instrumental music genres.
Reed Hayes: Yes it definitely was. The reason I joined the
band almost ten years ago was because it was instrumental music. For
a drummer like myself who grew up listening to prog and fusion it
was a no-brainer. I just want to play the music that I like, and can
feel good about. I was lucky to find a group of like-minded players
who wanted to do instrumental music, which allowed me to play the
way I like to play. And the best part is they are all really cool
guys!
mwe3: Is instrumental rock underrated?
Reed
Hayes: Is instrumental music underrated? Maybe for some, but everyone
listens to music differently. Some people only care about whats
on the surface of the music, like vocals and melody, while others
hear the layers of whats underneath all that. It just depends
on what your interest in music is. And thats how it should be.
Its all about the enjoyment. I can appreciate the interaction
between musicians playing off of each other, or a good drum solo.
While to others its like shoes in a dryer. That understanding
has helped keep me grounded in what I do. I know there are a lot of
people who dont care about the music that I do. But I cant
let that affect who I am. Im not going to do something Im
not fired up about just to get a pat on the back. Weve had people
say to us you know if you guys got a singer more people would
like you. I know they mean well, but Im the one putting
my heart and soul in this. I happen to love instrumental music, and
at the end of the day, I gotta be happy with what I do, and that is
what Magnatar gives me.
mwe3: Thanks to the focal point of the Magnatar sound being
Glenns mandolin, one of the first things I noticed was a Jethro
Tull influence. Would you say that sound of Ian Andersons silk
and steel acoustic with the heavy Tull guitar sound was an influence
on you and does mandolin being the focal point, set Magnatar apart
from other bands? Its such a unique sound but the mandolin is
so well integrated and recorded that it all makes perfect sense.
Glenn Smith: I must say that you are the first to ever comment
on the Jethro Tull influence, and yes, I am a huge Tull fan. While
I cant say that the guitar sound was a direct influence, I do
view a parallel between blending a power-prog band around a mandolin,
similar to the power of Tull with Ian's acoustic and flute as
a centerpiece. In terms of writing, my approach to composing on mandolin
differs from other mandolinists in an almost simplistic manner. Not
being formally trained, I write a lot of melodies and
rhythmic chordings in my head by simply humming or playing notes,
while relying on muscle memory to visualize that, and develop a feel
for a entire piece which takes quite a bit of time. For inspiration,
I combine random searching with a theme that is usually personal to
me. My method is so unorthodox but yet so workable for me, and it
gives the players of Magnatar a chance to experiment, without just
playing randomly, to be different. As far as the sound, Ryan and I
worked very hard to find just the right EQ and mix, but really all
the credit goes to Ryan for the finished product. When we somehow
put it all together, it just seems to work!
mwe3: It seems like a number of fortuitous events helped shape
the Magnatar band and sound. For example, three of the band members
seeing YES play in Florida in 1971. Its memories like those
from 1971, and Im sure other memories you have, that made the
band so important to so many people. Also YES fans will appreciate
your dedication at the end of the CD liner notes.
Joey Costa: I would say very fortuitous. It really is quite
amazing to think about how all of the events intersected and our paths
crossed over the years. But first and foremost, there is no denying
the influence YES had on me, Dave and Glenn, which profoundly shaped
our taste and style of music over the years to this day. I still remember
the specific date when I saw YES for the first time. It was July 7,
1971, when YES opened for Jethro Tull at the Orlando Sports Stadium.
It was their first U.S. tour and I remember being incredibly excited
to be there. I was already a huge fan and was very familiar with their
material, but I never really thought that I would actually see them
live. They were not well known at all to most people in the crowd,
who were really there to see Tull who were really hot at that time.
This was The Yes Album tour, and of course both bands
were just fantastic! From that night on, YES was and still is my favorite
band of all time, and I guess it goes without saying that Chris Squire
is my favorite bassist.
Then
only a few months later something amazing happened that I could not
have imagined in my wildest dreams. On November 21, 1971, YES played
a free show outside under the stars in a sinkhole converted to a small
concert stage in our hometown of DeLand, Florida! They had just released
Fragile about 2 weeks earlier. It was almost like seeing beings
from another planet! After that I wanted to create music that took
you on a journey. By 1973, Dave and I helped start a band called Fantasia,
and I finally had a band that was able to take me on that journey.
Unfortunately, things always seem to happen to bands, especially the
really good ones, and we were no exception. We had our moments and
came close, but it just wasnt to be.
Fast forward forty plus years
I had the opportunity to record
my friend Glenn's band at my home studio in 2007. It was all
acoustic music with really great riffs. Before I knew it I was playing
bass with them. Around the same time I met Ryan when he was just 14.
I played some YES for him and he played some Dream Theater for me!
We had shared our passions, so why not blend our passions? When you
are playing with like minds, there is no age rule or limit. At times
I feel like I am still 14 and playing with Magnatar seems timeless.
There are still times that it seems like it was only yesterday when
first I heard YES. I know a lot has happened with and to YES over
the years, and the death of Chris Squire was truly a devastating event
to me personally, and I know for YES fans everywhere. Glenn, Dave,
Ryan and me got to see the opening night show of the ARW tour in Orlando
a while back, which was great, but it really would be nice to see
a real YES reunion in the future, or as close as possible, that is
without the presence of Chris Squire.
mwe3: Another lucky break in Magnatar history was Glenns
fast mastery of the mandolin, which is a mainly an acoustic-based
string instrument with the strings in reverse from a guitar. Does
Glenn still have dyslexia and is writing / performing music a kind
of cure for it? Interesting how a disorder can sometimes have a positive
outcome!
Glenn Smith: My dyslexia is both my friend and my foe. Each
one of us has to learn how our minds work, and that can be a life
long challenge in my case. In some strange way it has allowed me to
go down different avenues that others wouldn't understand. It has
always helped me in trouble shooting, but not so much in a classroom
setting. The real epiphany for me was many years ago before I switched
to mandolin. For several years I worked pretty hard at learning to
play rhythm guitar. I was a decent, mediocre player, but really not
much more.
It was almost by accident, when one day I picked up the mandolin that
had been stored in my closet for over 20 years, and began playing
around with it. All of a sudden the layout of the strings made so
much more sense to me. It was almost like an immediate natural comfort
holding and playing the instrument. From a music standpoint, it was
nothing less than life changing, and probably the only reason there
is a Magnatar today. I wish I could explain better.
mwe3: Why do you call the first Magnatar album Parallel
Worlds and is there a mystical connotation to the title or is
it more about the band members and how they were all kind of moving
in the same direction?
Dave Norton: I wouldnt really say there is a mystical
connotation to the name. The title track, Parallel Worlds,
is actually one of the older songs Glenn wrote, even before Reed and
Ryan came on board. It was one of the songs that really pushed the
band in an even more progressive direction, and it basically became
one of the signature songs the band was known for as the group continued
to evolve. I also think it does accurately represent the story of
the band as it pertains to who we are today and how we all came together.
For me personally, it also represents one of the songs where the addition
of the keys really made a significant impact during the recording
process. I came up with an idea for the big middle break, which had
historically been a basic guitar solo. Ryan and I essentially rewrote
that entire middle part around the keys, which also lead to Reed completely
redoing his drum parts. The result was a much bigger and more dramatic
sound than it had ever been. All that said, as far as the name of
the album itself, it just made sense, sounded pretty cool, and once
I found the images for the front and back cover, it was a done deal.
mwe3:
There are 3 generations of musicians in Magnatar, so can you explain
how that plays into the diversity of sounds and ideas on the Parallel
Worlds album? I guess great music truly transcends age and time
of birth. Are you amazed at the continuing interest in progressive
rock, both vocal and instrumental-based, 50 years now after the first
YES album and what do you think of the current world of progressive
rock?
Ryan Rivas: As Dave discussed earlier, we have band members
from very different eras. Glenn, Joey, and Dave lived through the
1970's, when some of the greatest rock bands were in their prime.
Reed is a little younger, but he still got a lot of the 80's and certainly
still appreciated 70's music. I'm the youngest, and I've really only
seen the era where pop music dominates the charts but there are still
some successful rock bands. I think progressive rock tends to be more
"underground" in this day and age. I tend to listen to newer
bands, like Haken, Plini, Animals as Leaders, etc. So I think our
playing styles are all a direct reflection of our main influences.
But each member has a way of injecting his style into the music without
sounding out of place. And actually, what I find impressive about
Magnatar, is that we all independently write our instrument parts
nobody dictates what part someone else should play. Not to say that
we don't occasionally have ideas for each other, but ultimately each
musician has executive control to play the part he chooses. And somehow,
we never really have problems with one person writing a part that
clashes with another's. It just works out and that has been one of
the great pleasures of this band and this music.
mwe3: Guitarist Ryan Rivas is credited with producing the Parallel
Worlds album. Can you explain what is involved in producing a
masterpiece album like Parallel Worlds and who else was key
in the creation and production of the album?
Ryan Rivas: First of all, I can't tell you how much I appreciate
your very positive compliment! To have anybody refer to a product
of my work as a "masterpiece" is very rewarding. I live
for it. Thank you so much. As for who was involved, it was really
everybody to some extent. Reed predominately mixed his drum tracks.
Joey, who actually had his own recording studio for many years, taught
me some of the basics about mixing and helped me nail down the bass
sounds that he wanted. I then regularly sought and incorporated feedback
from my band mates during the mixing process. The album was mastered
by Steven Morrison at Mad Life Studios, (Atlanta, GA), so he played
an important role as well.
As for what is involved, it is really anything that makes the music
more appealing. Whether it's doubling up on guitar tracks to create
a bigger sound, adding a track for nothing but a few small percussive
accents, or playing with the compression and EQ to make the mandolin
fit into a loud, rocking part
it's all about making that song
something that a listener can really jam to. Because the songs were
already mostly written, I think I spent more time mixing than I did
writing or rewriting musical ideas. In all honesty, it was a lot of
trial and error.
I would finish mixing one song, move on to the next, and then, in
the process, discover some way I could improve the overall clarity
of the whole thing. Then I would end up redoing the first mix to incorporate
my improvement. This happened quite a few times. I still have a few
improvements in mind, even after the album has been released. But
at the end of the day, the objective was to complete an album that
we all could be happy with and proud of, and I think we all believe
we were successful in that sense. I have heard a lot of good responses,
and even some constructive criticism. So, I look forward to applying
what I've learned and doing an even better job on the next album.
mwe3:
What do you think about the current music world and why do you feel
its so hard for bands and artists to get heard these days?
Reed Hayes: Thats a tough question for me to answer.
I have my own music world that I live in. I guess if my goal was to
be a part of the current music world, whatever that is,
I would know more about it. I guess what I am trying to say is that
I am just focused on doing my thing as a drummer and contribute to
our bands music the best way I can. If we get recognized for
what we do that is obviously a great thing, but as long as we are
happy with what we are doing, that is really all that matters.
As far as being heard in todays music world, I think that is
really a relative issue. With the internet it seems anyone can get
heard to some degree. I remember a time before CD Baby and iTunes.
If a major label didnt sign you, you were passing out cassette
tapes to your friends and thats as far as it went! But now if
you want to promote your music and do all the networking yourself,
it is possible to get your music out to a lot more people. I hear
these days record labels arent interested in any bands unless
theyve already established an audience of their own through
social media.
mwe3: Dave Norton and Glenn Smith did a great job on the CD
booklet design. Can you say something about the Parallel Worlds
album cover art and mixing the outer space images with the back cover
cityscape photos?
Dave Norton: There are really 2 very different components to
how the album cover and the 8-page booklet that is included in the
CD all came together. Once we decided on Parallel Worlds for
the title, I started researching sites for imagery related to the
concept of parallel worlds. I found a few different ideas that I sent
to the guys for feedback, but the first round just wasnt quite
right. With a little more poking around I came across what is the
front cover, and knew immediately that was the image I was looking
for. I also found what became the back cover shortly thereafter. The
idea / imagery of the macro, space view of the two worlds for the
front cover, combined with the micro, surface level cityscape for
the back cover, just made for a great, cool looking combination. Everyone
agreed and we licensed the rights to use the images for the album.
As far as the inside booklet, I designed the overall layout, but it
was important for it to reflect who the band is and our very organic
roots. Glenn is well known for taking magnificent sunset shots and
posting them on his Facebook page. He also does mixed media abstract
art that is very creative and unique. I wanted to use a combination
of both the sunsets and the pictures as the backgrounds, to then overlay
the credits and other text pages for the booklet. I then had to pick
just the right sunset shots and art pictures from Glenns extensive
portfolio, that best blended the colors and worked well with all of
the text.
I am very proud of the finished product as a total in-house effort,
with the exception of the licensed images for the front and back covers.
For all of us, but for Glenn in particular, the merging of beautiful
sunset pictures, colorful creative abstract art, and this interesting
and unique music we make, just all fits together as an organic foundation
for the band. I even incorporated both the sunset shots and artwork
as major components of our website at www.magnatarworld.com.
mwe3: So with this first Magnatar album out, what plans does
the band have for the rest of 2019? Because the US is so large, I
guess its pretty difficult to plan a tour to some of the major
cities and towns. How will the band proceed forward as far as new
music and recordings and possible live shows?
Dave
Norton: First and foremost, we are definitely moving forward with
our next album. Much like Parallel Worlds, it will be a combination
of some songs from the earlier days of the band, as well as some new
material. We already have a working title and a pretty good idea of
which songs will be included. As far as live shows, that is a much
bigger and more difficult issue. We all want to find opportunities
to play live, but we are severely limited in this regard due to each
members other outside commitments, including full time jobs for a
couple of the guys. That situation, combined with the almost nonexistent
venues for our kind of music in the immediate local area, severely
limits our playing opportunities. We would however welcome the opportunity
to open for some shows around Florida. As I am sure you are aware,
there is a network of amphitheaters in the state that put on some
really good concerts, and we certainly feel like we would be a great
opening act.
Perhaps through additional exposure like your site, we may catch the
eye of one of these promoters. All that said, and as a result of these
circumstances, Glenn and Joey over the last few years, have slowly
but methodically, built several expansions to our rehearsal and recording
studio and other improvements to the surrounding area. With the latest
enhancements, we have the ability to completely open the front of
our studio, and put on our own concert. We can easily accommodate
several hundred people for such as event. We even have our own permanent
sound system and light show. We can also host additional acts in conjunction
with our own private event. So we will just have to see what the future
brings. For now, we just want to continue to write and record Magnatar
music, and perform for our families, friends and fans when we can.