{{Short description|American indie rock band}} {{Use mdy dates|date=April 2025}} {{Infobox musical artist | name = Vinyl Theatre | image = | caption = Vinyl Theatre in Chicago | image_size = 200px | landscape = | alias = | origin = Milwaukee, Wisconsin, U.S.<ref name="facebook.com">{{Cite web|url=https://www.facebook.com/VinylTheatre/info?tab=overview|title=Vinyl Theatre|website=Facebook.com|access-date=2016-06-13}}</ref> | genre = {{flatlist| * Alternative rock * indietronica * electropop * indie rock * {{nowrap|indie pop}} }} | years_active = 2012–2019, 2020, 2022 - Present | label = *Outerwave Records *Fueled by Ramen<ref name="fueledbyramen.com">{{Cite web|url=http://www.fueledbyramen.com/news/please-welcome-vinyl-theatre-fueled-ramen-family-651111|title=Please Welcome Vinyl Theatre To The Fueled By Ramen Family!|website=Fueledbyramen.com|access-date=2016-06-13|archive-date=April 17, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150417040310/http://www.fueledbyramen.com/news/please-welcome-vinyl-theatre-fueled-ramen-family-651111|url-status=dead}}</ref> | website = {{URL|vinyltheatre.com}} | current_members = * Chris Senner * Nick Cesarz * Keegan Calmes | past_members = * Josh Pothier }}
'''Vinyl Theatre''' is an American indie rock band from Milwaukee, Wisconsin, formed by Keegan Calmes and Chris Senner. The band later grew to include Josh Pothier and Nick Cesarz.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.930.com/event/789371-smallpools-washington/|title=Smallpools - Tickets - U Street Music Hall - Washington, DC - April 25th, 2015|website=930.com|access-date=2016-06-13|archive-date=2017-10-13|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171013013132/http://www.930.com/event/789371-smallpools-washington/|url-status=dead}}</ref> Before being signed to an official record label, they produced several singles that were released on the band's SoundCloud page,<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://soundcloud.com/vinyltheatre|title=Vinyl Theatre|website=SoundCloud.com|access-date=2016-06-13}}</ref> leading up to the release of ''Chromatic EP'' in 2014.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://fana.me/vinyl-theatre-chromatic-ep/|title=Vinyl Theatre – Chromatic (EP)|website=Fana.me|access-date=2016-06-13|archive-date=2016-09-29|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160929233504/http://fana.me/vinyl-theatre-chromatic-ep/|url-status=dead}}</ref> The band was then signed to Fueled by Ramen later in 2014.<ref name="fueledbyramen.com"/> They released their first studio album, ''Electrogram'', with Fueled by Ramen on September 23, 2014. Vinyl Theatre supported the album by going on a national tour in the United States with the musical duo Twenty One Pilots.<ref name=MilJournal082514>{{cite news|last1=Levy|first1=Piet|title=Milwaukee band Vinyl Theatre signs with Fueled by Ramen|url=https://www.jsonline.com/entertainment/musicandnightlife/milwaukee-band-vinyl-theatre-signs-with-fueled-by-ramen-b99337806z1-272612761.html|access-date=April 30, 2015|publisher=Milwaukee Journal Sentinel|date=August 25, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140826162342/https://www.jsonline.com/entertainment/musicandnightlife/milwaukee-band-vinyl-theatre-signs-with-fueled-by-ramen-b99337806z1-272612761.html/|archive-date=August 26, 2014|url-status=dead}}</ref>
The band has said to be influenced by other bands such as Death Cab For Cutie, Two Door Cinema Club, The Shins, The Killers, Young the Giant, and Twenty One Pilots.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://groundsounds.com/2014/09/17/interview-vinyl-theatre-releasing-debut-album-electrogram/|title=Interview: Vinyl Theatre on releasing debut album 'Electrogram'|date=2014-09-17|website=GroundSounds.com|access-date=2016-06-13}}</ref>
== History == === Formation (2012–2014) === Singer and guitarist Keegan Calmes first met keyboardist Chris Senner at a cross-country meet in high school. They decided after getting to know each other that they would meet up again, this time to begin writing and practicing songs.<ref>{{Cite web|url = https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jbuew_rXxwM|title = Vinyl Theatre: Behind the Band - Chris Senner - YouTube|date = December 9, 2014|access-date = January 31, 2014|publisher =YouTube }}</ref> Calmes left Wisconsin to attend college at Adams State University in Colorado while Senner attended college at University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee. The two wrote songs and shared ideas over Skype and email and eventually recorded a demo CD together. Senner emailed one of his friends from college, Nick Cesarz, and asked him to record drums over their tracks.<ref>{{Cite web|url = https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Am4jx5mCoDA|title = Vinyl Theatre: Behind the Band - Nick Cesarz - YouTube|date = November 24, 2014|access-date = January 31, 2015|publisher =YouTube }}</ref> Cesarz was brought into the band once Calmes and Senner gave their approval of his recording. Keegan returned home from Colorado, having dropped out to be able to pursue music as a career. The band was in need of a bass player, so Chris contacted a high school friend, Josh Pothier, and asked him to join. With his parents' blessing, Pothier dropped out of college, where he was close to finishing a degree in psychology, to join the band.<ref>{{Cite web|url = https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eli_u-el6Gc|title = Vinyl Theatre: Behind the Band - Josh Pothier |publisher=YouTube|date = December 16, 2014|access-date = January 31, 2015}}</ref>
The group first called themselves "Alchemy", but after searching on the internet, they found other bands either with the same or similar names, making it difficult for themselves to stand out.<ref>{{Cite web|url = https://www.jsonline.com/entertainment/musicandnightlife/vinyl-theatres-hitting-its-stride-in-the-music-world-b99296500z1-265575401.html|title = Vinyl Theatre's hitting its stride in the music world|date = July 2, 2014|access-date = January 31, 2015|website=Jsonline.com }}</ref> They dropped the name when they had new management and replaced it with "Vinyl Theatre", stating that the vinyl aspect meant "When you buy a record on vinyl, it’s often for a band you’re truly dedicated to..." and "theatre" represented the theatrics of music.<ref>{{Cite web|url = https://www.directlyrics.com/directlyrics-interviews-vinyl-theatre-on-signing-with-fueled-by-ramen-debut-album-electrogram-first-headlining-us-tour-news.html|title = DirectLyrics Interviews Vinyl Theatre: On Signing With Fueled By Ramen, Debut Album "Electrogram" & First Headlining U.S Tour!|date = November 7, 2014|access-date = January 31, 2015|website=Directlyrics.com }}</ref>
With their name, members, and management being settled, the band began collaboratively writing songs and began putting them on social music sharing site, SoundCloud. There, they released their first song, "Breaking Up My Bones", which received large amounts of feedback from around the world. Looking back, the band realized that the combination of the site's only weeks-old "trending" feature and self-promotion on other social media networks was what provided them with so much feedback.<ref>{{Cite web|url = http://174.123.25.3/music/articles/atlunchwithvinyltheatre.html|title = At lunch with Vinyl Theatre|date = October 4, 2014|access-date = January 31, 2015|website = 174.123.25.3|archive-date = June 16, 2015|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20150616141623/http://174.123.25.3/music/articles/atlunchwithvinyltheatre.html|url-status = dead}}</ref>
===Fueled by Ramen and touring (2014–2016)=== In March 2014, the band was put on Billboard's Next Big Sound Chart<ref>{{Cite web|url = https://www.billboard.com/charts/next-big-sound-25/2014-03-22|title = <nowiki>Next Big Sound | Billboard</nowiki>|date = March 22, 2014|access-date = January 31, 2015|website=Billboard.com }}</ref> and was also announced to the setlist of Summerfest's Emerging Artist Series to take place in July of that year. New York City-based record label Fueled by Ramen, which has bands such as Paramore and Twenty One Pilots on their roster, picked up on the attention that Vinyl Theatre was receiving and contacted the band to ask for a performance. People from the label flew out to Milwaukee and watched the band perform in their practice space, which was also Nick Cesarz's basement. On August 19, 2014, Vinyl Theatre announced via their Facebook page that they had just been signed to Fueled by Ramen and that their first album, ''Electrogram'' would be released on September 23, 2014.<ref>{{Cite web|url = https://www.facebook.com/VinylTheatre/posts/946931008666218|title = Vinyl Theatre - We are happy to announce that we have...|date = August 19, 2014|access-date = January 31, 2014|website=Facebook.com }}</ref>
On the same day of their signing announcement, Vinyl Theatre announced that in the fall of 2014 they would be the opening band for their labelmates Twenty One Pilots along with indie-pop band Misterwives. After the tour finished, the band embarked on their first ever headlining tour across six states.<ref>{{Cite web|url = http://www.fueledbyramen.com/news/vinyl-theatre-kick-headlining-tour-tonight-1112736|title = Vinyl Theatre Kick Off Headlining Tour Tonight|date = November 26, 2014|access-date = February 1, 2015|website=Fueledbtramen.com }}</ref>
Vinyl Theatre announced that they would be touring with Magic Man and Smallpools. They also announced that they would tour with The Mowgli's, following with their ''Alter the Sound'' tour.
In February 2016, it was announced that bassist Josh Pothier parted ways with the band due to ongoing health issues.<ref>Band Facebook Page</ref>
===Origami (2016-2017)=== Vinyl Theatre had been in the studio recording new material for a sophomore record as early as early-mid 2016.<ref>{{cite tweet|number=730566047032430592|user=vinyltheatre|title=Putting years of pieces together. Sophomore record in process.<!-- full text of tweet that Twitter returned to the bot (excluding links) added by TweetCiteBot. This may be better truncated or may need expanding (TW limits responses to 140 characters) or case changes. --> |date=May 11, 2016}}</ref> Throughout the following year, they continued to tease new material via each of their respective social medias. In December 2016, they announced that they would support rock band Dashboard Confessional on their dates for their early 2017 U.S. tour.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://substreammagazine.com/2016/12/dashboard-confessional-2017/|title=Grab your tissues because Dashboard Confessional is going on tour|date=6 December 2016|access-date=8 February 2017|website=Substream Magazine|archive-date=11 February 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170211080021/http://substreammagazine.com/2016/12/dashboard-confessional-2017/|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{cite tweet|number=806267393274212352|user=vinyltheatre|title=Looking forward to seeing you all this winter with @dashboardmusic. Tickets available at:<!-- full text of tweet that Twitter returned to the bot (excluding links) added by TweetCiteBot. This may be better truncated or may need expanding (TW limits responses to 140 characters) or case changes. --> |date=December 6, 2016}}</ref> On January 13, 2017, they performed at a headlining show in their hometown of Milwaukee, Wisconsin, at local concert venue The Rave / Eagles Club and premiered their new record in its entirety live.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.jsonline.com/story/entertainment/music/2017/01/14/vinyl-theatre-triumphs-hometown-rave-show/96581538/|title=Vinyl Theatre triumphs at hometown Rave show|date=14 January 2017|access-date=8 February 2017|website=Journal Sentinel}}</ref> On February 9, 2017, the band released the tracks "30 Seconds", "New Machines", "My Fault", and "The Island" as a preview for their upcoming album, with "30 Seconds" being the lead single. The album titled ''Origami'' and was released on May 5, 2017.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.billboard.com/music/rock/vinyl-theatre-new-album-origami-songs-interview-7685883/|title=Fueled By Ramen Pop-Rockers Vinyl Theatre Announce New Album, Premiere Four Glistening Tracks|date=9 February 2017|access-date=10 February 2017|website=Billboard.com}}</ref> In September, they toured with Smallpools and Misterwives in the 'Connect the Dots' tour.
The band has since parted ways with label Fueled by Ramen.<ref name=":0">{{Cite news|url=https://substreammagazine.com/2018/03/premiere-vinyl-theatre-feel-it-all/|title=PREMIERE: Vinyl Theatre re-emerge with a renewed hunger on 'Feel It All'|last=Funk|first=Joel|date=1 March 2018|work=Substream Magazine|access-date=2 March 2018}}</ref> On October 4, the band released a new song, "Me, Myself, and I", as a standalone single.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://music.apple.com/us/album/me-myself-and-i-single/1292603081|title=Me, Myself, And I - Single|website=iTunes|date=4 October 2017|access-date=4 October 2017}}</ref>
===Starcruiser (2018–2020)=== Their next independent single, "Feel It All", was released on March 2, 2018.<ref name=":0" /> The band toured with Vesperteen throughout March and April of that year.<ref>{{cite tweet|number=950413717962977280|user=vinyltheatre|title=We're hitting the road this March with @_VESPERTEEN_ . Tickets go on sale Friday at 10AM CST!<!-- full text of tweet that Twitter returned to the bot (excluding links) added by TweetCiteBot. This may be better truncated or may need expanding (TW limits responses to 140 characters) or case changes. --> |accessdate=2018-03-03|date=8 January 2018}}</ref> On July 13, the band released their second single of the year "Masterpiece".<ref>{{cite web|url=https://music.apple.com/us/album/masterpiece-single/1395583841|website=iTunes|access-date=2018-08-12|title=Masterpiece - Single by Vinyl Theatre|date=13 July 2018 }}</ref> They announced the Starcruiser Tour for September and October on July 31,<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://twitter.com/vinyltheatre/status/1024344069168873474|title=The launch is a go. Pre-sale tickets to the Starcruiser Tour are available August 2.pic.twitter.com/DHCqkU0Ldu|first=Vinyl|last=Theatre|website=Twitter.com|date=July 31, 2018}}</ref> followed a week later by the announcement of their third studio album "Starcruiser" set for release on August 31.<ref>https://twitter.com/vinyltheatre/status/1029910269655437315 {{dead link|date=April 2020}}</ref>
On May 4, 2019, lead vocalist and guitarist Keegan Calmes announced on Twitter that he would be parting ways with the band, though the band itself may still continue.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://twitter.com/KeeganCalmes/status/1124820609521922053 |title=Keegan Calmes on Twitter: "In regards to the future of ▼╤… " |website=twitter.com |access-date=12 January 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190614035849/https://twitter.com/KeeganCalmes/status/1124820609521922053 |archive-date=14 June 2019 |url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{cite tweet|number=1124856902503084032|user=KeeganCalmes|title=Just to clarify, Vinyl Theatre may do more projects, songs, albums. I'm not sure. I just will not be returning to t…|date=5 May 2019}}</ref>
===Reunion (2021-present)=== On September 17, 2021, The band announced on Twitter that lead vocalist and guitarist Keegan Calmes was rejoining the band.<ref>{{cite tweet|number=1439073206233673731|user=vinyltheatre|title=9/17/2021|date=18 September 2021}}</ref>
A new single titled "Love You To Death" was released on May 27, 2022. A second single titled "More Than Friends" was released on August 18, 2023, along with the next single that was released on October 13, 2023 titled “Blisters.”
==Band members== ===Current=== * Keegan Calmes - lead vocals, guitars (2009–2019, 2021–present) * Chris Senner - keyboards, synthesizers, piano, programming (2009–present) * Nick Cesarz - drums, percussion (2009–present), bass (2017-present)
===Former=== * Josh Pothier - bass guitar (2009–2016)
== Discography ==
===Albums=== * ''Electrogram'' (2014, Fueled by Ramen) * ''Origami'' (2017, Fueled by Ramen) * ''Starcruiser'' (2018, Independent/Outerwave Records)
====Compliation Albums==== * ''Time Capsule'' (2022, Independent)
===EPs=== * ''Gold'' (2013) * ''Chromatic'' (2014, POST/POP RECORDS)
===Singles=== {| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;" |+ List of singles, with selected chart positions |- ! rowspan="2"| Year ! rowspan="2"| Single ! colspan="1"| Peak chart positions ! rowspan="2"| Album |- style="font-size:smaller;" ! style="width:35px;"| US Emerging Artists |- | rowspan="3"| 2013 | style="text-align:left;"| "I Need You Here"<ref>{{Cite web|url = https://music.apple.com/us/album/i-need-you-here-single/703192141|title = iTunes - Music - I Need You Here - Single by Vinyl Theatre|website=iTunes| date=July 2013 |access-date=January 31, 2015}}</ref> | — | {{n/a}} |- | style="text-align:left;"| "Summer" | — | style="text-align:left;"|''Electrogram'' |- | style="text-align:left;"| "Tokyo" | — | style="text-align:left;"|''Gold - EP'' |- |rowspan="3"|2014 | style="text-align:left;"|"If You Say So" | — | style="text-align:left;"|''Electrogram'' |- | style="text-align:left;"|"Take Me Home"<ref>{{Cite web|url= https://midwestaxn.com/music/vinyl-theatre-releases-new-single-take-me-home/|title= Give It a Spin: "Take Me Home" by Vinyl Theatre|website=Midwestaxn.com|date= 5 February 2014|access-date=February 1, 2015}}</ref> | — | style="text-align:left;"|''Chromatic - EP'' |- | style="text-align:left;"|"Breaking Up My Bones"<ref>{{Cite web|url = http://www.absolutepunk.net/showthread.php?t=3706756|title= Vinyl Theatre Sign to Fueled by Ramen - News Article|website=AbsolutePunk.net|access-date= January 31, 2015}}</ref> | 46<ref>{{Cite magazine|url=http://www.billboard.com/charts/twitter-emerging-artists |access-date=January 31, 2015 |title=<nowiki>Billboard Twitter Emerging Artists Billboard</nowiki> |magazine=Billboard |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150201024031/http://www.billboard.com/charts/twitter-emerging-artists |archive-date=February 1, 2015}}</ref> | style="text-align:left;"|''Electrogram'' |- |2017 |style="text-align:left;"|"30 Seconds" <ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.billboard.com/music/rock/vinyl-theatre-new-album-origami-songs-interview-7685883/|title=Fueled By Ramen Pop-Rockers Vinyl Theatre Announce New Album, Premiere Four Glistening Tracks|newspaper=Billboard|access-date=2017-02-16}}</ref> | --- |style="text-align:left;"|''Origami'' |- |2022 |"Love You to Death" | --- | |- |2023 |"More Than Friends"<ref>{{Cite web |title=Vinyl Theatre – "More Than Friends" out August 18th |url=https://vinyltheatre.com/ |access-date=2023-08-16 |language=en-US}}</ref> | --- | |- |2025 |"Insomnia" | --- | |- | colspan="10" style="font-size:8pt"| "—" denotes releases that did not chart |}
=== Music videos === {| class="wikitable" !Year !Song !Album |- |2013 |"I Need You Here" | {{n/a}} |- | rowspan="2" |2014 |"If You Say So" | rowspan="4" |''Electrogram'' |- |"Breaking Up My Bones" |- |2015 |"Gold" |- |2016 |"Shine On" |- |2017 |"30 Seconds" |rowspan="1" | ''Origami'' |- |2018 |"Feel It All" |rowspan="1" | ''Starcruiser'' |- |2019 |"Thank You For The Good Times" |rowspan="1" | ''Origami'' |- |}
==References== {{Reflist|colwidth=30em}}
==External links== * {{official website|https://vinyltheatre.com/}}
{{Authority control}}
Category:2012 establishments in Wisconsin Category:Alternative rock groups from Wisconsin Category:Indie rock musical groups from Wisconsin Category:Fueled by Ramen artists Category:Musical groups established in 2012