Riala

Riala

Hailing from Kansas City, Missouri, Riala is a three-piece group determined to create spaces and places within their layers of sound. Their music draws from (and subverts) elements of shoegaze, math-rock, jazz, and noise while utilizing them in a through-composed, integrated manner. Nick Turner sings and plays guitar, Kalo Hoyle plays bass, and Morgan Greenwood plays drums. From their initial meeting as students at the UMKC Conservatory of Music and Dance, the group quickly coalesced around mutual enthusiasm for each other’s playing. Their first musical endeavors taken together were within an improvisatory music ensemble in which music making is dependent upon listening and reacting to one another in the moment, without need of sheet music or verbal communication. Nick and Morgan soon started jamming between classes in the school’s cramped basement practice rooms, slowly collecting songs and eventually bringing Kalo into the fold.

Riala’s debut album Be Here | Be There was released September 4th, 2015 through Haymaker Records. It was recorded with Joel Nanos at Element Recording Studios in Kansas City, Missouri.

• Fairgrounds Vol. 2
  It’s a wrap, the Fairgrounds Vol. 2 compilation is finally finished! This 16-track compilation will be released as a limited run of professionally replicated CDs and given as a free door gift at the Fairgrounds Vol. 2 Release Party presented by Haymaker Records. A BIG BIG thanks to all of the artists that contributed music to this compilation. Copies will also be mailed out to independent radio stations across the United States (Use the contact form if you’d like for your radio station to receive a copy). If you’re into nostalgia and physical copies of music, CDs can be pre-ordered now and we’re selling these at cost because we just want the music to be heard. This release will also be available as a free download from this website or the Haymaker Records Bandcamp. Click the Fairgrounds Vol. 2 Product Page to view information on the compilation, stream audio, pre-order a copy of the CD, or download a copy for free.

  Download the Haymaker Records – Fairgrounds Vol. 2 – Booklet

  Bandcamp
  

  Product Info – See Detailed Information / Streaming Preview of Album / Order a Copy

• Riala Interview – Touring, DIY, Oranges, and More… Riala has had a busy year so far. But despite opening for prog metal heavyweights, playing a festival, releasing new music, and completing a tour of the West, the best is yet to come for these guys. Haymaker Records correspondent Tommy Walzer had the pleasure of talking to drummer Morgan Greenwood and guitarist/vocalist Nick Turner about the Kansas City math rock band’s upcoming projects, DIY, oranges, and more.
  So first and foremost, you guys just came off a big tour of the West Coast. How was that experience? Nick: I’d say it was pretty good. A lot of shows turned out to be way better than I was expecting. That sounds kinda shitty… Morgan: Same with me. I was really surprised by the turnouts at all the shows?
  Awesome. People were really receptive? Nick: For sure, and also just the sheer amount of people that decided to show up. It was impressive.
  What was your guys’ favorite city to play in and why? Can you talk about the scene there? Nick: Probably San Francisco. We played a sold out show there. It was pretty incredible.
  Was that the only sold out show on the tour? Nick: I guess it depends on what you consider sold out. In Denton (TX) we also had like 200 kids show up, it was a house venue though, so it wasn’t “sold out.” Morgan: Way over the fire limit though.
  That’s pretty good. If you get dangerous conditions that’s always a plus. Nick: It adds a certain intensity to the show for sure! So you played some house shows in addition to actual venues? Morgan: Ya, I’d say maybe a third or so, maybe half at the most.
  Did you like those better than the venues? Morgan: I mean I think it’d be hard to objectively say whether we preferred one over the other. They definitely have different dynamics, each of which I think we appreciate on some level. I think at a house show, the atmosphere is way more relaxed and people are generally there to just sort of “turn up,” if you will, and party. House shows are generally really relaxed. The people wanna come out and party but they were also super supportive, especially in a city like Denton because it’s such a music and art focused city. The kids there are really like, about everything, which is really cool. So that’s sort of juxtaposed by like, real venues, if you will. It’s cool to be a little more structured, and also you’re working with a sound guy and a promoter and all that. So everything is going pretty strictly by the books. And the people that are there, they’re obviously trying to party and drink too, but the atmosphere is a little different. But I think they’re both valid and I think they’re both fun, just in different ways.
  
  So at the house shows, was it more like a straight up DIY kinda thing, or do the hosts there help you with your gear and sound and all that? Morgan: I mean, people who own the space obviously were running the show, so they always had that on their plate. Certainly more DIY, which isn’t necessarily a bad thing either. There’s nothing less valid about that. Nick: It really depends on which house show though. Like Denton was done really really professionally actually. They were really strict about time and stuff, which actually worked out pretty well. But compared to Albuquerque, which was also a house show, they were way more relaxed. And we had guys running sound for us and sort of helping us out with the gear . But as far as the time allotments, it was way more chill.
  Awesome. Another thing I was wondering about…You guys have a pretty good relationship with Kansas City natives Via Luna. I know they were on that tour with you and you also released a split with them not too long ago. How’d you guys originally meet? Morgan: Umm, I think I was probably the first one to meet them. I was just sort of walking around one night, cruising through Westport, and I heard them playing at Harling’s. It was like an upstairs bar that used to do shows. But their windows are open so you can always hear the music on the street whenever you’re walking past. And I was like, “This actually sounds pretty cool!” I don’t know…I feel like based on the kind of music that we are, it’s always a pleasant surprise to find music in Kansas City that is like, similar on some level. And I think both bands respectively sort of realized that, and so we got along pretty well. But they’re also just pretty good dudes, you know? They’re fun to chill with, so it works out pretty well.
• Haymaker Records Summer Showcase Videos

  Here are a collection of videos of full concert sets from the artists that played the Haymaker Records Summer Showcase at The recordBar on July 24, 2015. Thanks to DMac for the video footage and Brodie Rush for the editing work.

  
  Riala
  

  HMPH!
  

  Be/Non
  

• Haymaker Stage at Crossroads Music Festival 2015

  The 11th annual Crossroads Music Fest kicks off tonight at 6:00 at seven different venues in the Crossroads arts district of Kansas City. The Haymaker Records Stage will be at MOD Gallery featuring the KC Psych Fest showcase with Dark Satellites, Riala, Freight Train Rabbit Killer, The Philistines, Janet the Planet, 3 Son Green, and the psychedelic DJ workings of DJ Mod Professor (DJ Ray Velasquez). We’ll have brilliant screen projection work by VJDN8.

  It will be a real treat for the eyes and ears and cheap drinks all night. We can’t say enough about CMF and all the great local music acts it has helped expose over the years and are so happy to be a part of it. See you tonight!

• Riala “Be Here | Be There” Vinyl Release Party @Harling’s Upstairs 2015-09-04

  Haymaker Records and Riala invite you to the Vinyl Release Party for the album Be Here | Be There. The vinyl is now available for pre-order but this will be your first opportunity to hold a copy of the awesome milky-clear colored 12-Inch vinyl. The show will be held at Harling’s Upstairs at 3941-A Main Street in Kansas City on Friday, September 4th, 2015 with support from DJ 5-htp, The Author and the Illustrator, and labelmates Jorge Arana Trio. See you at the release party!

  
  
  Facebook Event Page.

  Also, check out the Riala promo video assembled from the Haymaker Records Summer Showcase.
  

  
  

• Crossroads Music Fest 2015

  The 11th annual Crossroads Music Fest will be held on Saturday, September 12th, 2015 on 7 different stages in the Crossroads District. Haymaker Records and KC Psych Fest are pleased to announce a stage at the 2015 Crossroads Music Fest.

  The Haymaker Records / KC Psych Fest stage will be at MOD Art Gallery on 1809 McGee St. The lineup for the stage is as follows

  6:00PM – DJ Mod Professor (Ray Velasquez psyched-out hearlucinations DJ Set)
  7:00PM – Dark Satellites
  8:00PM – Riala
  9:00PM – Freight Train Rabbit Killer
  10:00PM – The Philistines
  11:00PM – Janet the Planet
  12:00AM – 3 Son Green

  Advanced tickets can be purchased from Crossroads Music Fest.

  Crossroads Music Fest Facebook Event Page

• HMPH! “Headrush” & Riala “Be Here | Be There” Vinyl Pre-Order

  
  
  New vinyl available for pre-order now!
  
  

• Crossroads Music Fest 2015 – Haymaker Records & KC Psych Fest Stage

  Haymaker Records and KC Psych Fest are pleased to announce a stage at the 2015 Crossroads Music Fest. A fundraiser for KKFI 90.1FM Kansas City community radio, the festival is on its 11th year and will be held on Saturday, September 12th, 2015 on 7 different stages in the Crossroads District.

  The Haymaker Records / KC Psych Fest stage will be at MOD Art Gallery on 1809 McGee St. The lineup for the stage is as follows

  6:00PM – DJ Mod Professor (Ray Velasquez psyched-out hearlucinations DJ Set)
  7:00PM – Dark Satellites
  8:00PM – Riala
  9:00PM – Freight Train Rabbit Killer
  10:00PM – The Philistines
  11:00PM – Janet the Planet
  12:00AM – 3 Son Green

  Advanced tickets can be purchased from Crossroads Music Fest.

  Crossroads Music Fest Facebook Event Page

• 2015-07-22 KKFI Wednesday Midday Medley w/ Haymaker Records & KC Psych Fest

  On 2015-07-22 KKFI 90.1FM Wednesday Midday Medley‘s Mark Manning interviews Brenton Cook of Haymaker Records about the Haymaker Records Summer Showcase Party and Brenton Cook & Dedric Moore about the KC Psych Fest 2015-08-01 Riot Room show. Featured music includes tracks by Schwervon!, Riala, HMPH!, Be/Non, Jorge Arana Trio, Ancient River, Psychotic Reaction, and Mysterious Clouds.

  
  
  Stream here…

• The Bridge (KTBG) Eight One Sixty Radio Podcast feature on Haymaker Records Summer Showcase

  Haymaker Records owner Brenton Cook was a guest on last week’s Eight One Sixty show on Kansas City public radio station KTBG The Bridge 90.9. The conversation was to promote the Haymaker Records Summer Showcase Party at The recordBar on Friday, July 24th. Play the podcast below and listen to featured showcase artists Jorge Arana Trio, Schwervon!, Be/Non, HMPH!, and Riala.

  
  

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