Jackson Wetherbee of The Elovaters

If you’ve been tapped into the reggae rock scene over the last few years, there’s a good chance The Elovaters have been on your radar—and if not, this is the episode to change that.

On this episode of Caught on the Mike, I sit down with Jackson Wetherbee to talk about the journey from local Massachusetts shows to chart-topping success and sold-out crowds across the country. We get into the early days as The Cornerstone, the breakout moment with Defy Gravity, and how the band has continued to evolve their sound through projects like Castles and Endless Summer.

Jackson opens up about the realities of life on the road, the pressure that comes with success, and the importance of staying grounded while everything around you scales up. We also dive into the creative process behind their upcoming album Shark Belly Motel, what makes this chapter different, and how collaborations with artists like Bryce Vine and Jared Watson helped shape the record.

Plus—we talk about what it means to headline Red Rocks Amphitheatre, one of the most iconic venues in the world, and how moments like that redefine what “making it” really looks like.

If you’re into real conversations about music, growth, and building something that lasts—this one’s for you. 🎙️

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Transcript

SPEAKER_00 0:45

We get into everything from the filling days, grinding it out as a local fans to breaking through with Defy Gravity, evolving your stone on Assel the Ellis Summer, and now stepping into a new chapter with Shark Belly Motel out of May 15th. We also talk about life on the road and what it really means to make it to music, but what it feels like to headline Red Rock amphitheater. Ladies and gentlemen, this is Caught on the Mic. Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to another new exciting episode of Caught on the Mic. This one's a personal one for me. Every once in a while I have to do one for me, and this one is it. Over the last few years, this band has quietly and not so quietly become one of my absolute favorite bands. And if you know, you know. There's something about their sound that just hits. It's coastal, it's soulful, and it's real in a way that sticks with you. Today I am sitting down with Jackson Weatherby of the Elevators as they step into a huge new chapter with their upcoming album, Shark Belly Motel, and a headlining show at Red Rocks. This is one I've been looking for forward to. Jackson, welcome to the show, brother. I can't even talk. Yo, yo, how are we? Dude, dude, amazing, amazing. It's raining like hell where I'm at in Lincoln, Nebraska. So I'm just hoping the power holds up, bro. God, fingers crossed. So let's get right into it. When you were starting off, what was it that you were really chasing before there was a band? Was it music or just a feeling that you couldn't explain yet?

SPEAKER_01 2:27

It was music. I was just um I loved listening to it. And then I started teaching myself how to play the guitar because I wanted to learn how to play all my favorite songs. And um yeah, and then I just fell in love with writing music, writing music with friends, performing. There's nothing like writing a good song and looking at each other with all your bandmates and being like, damn, we like this one.

SPEAKER_00 2:49

Yeah. So what were some of your earlier inspirations?

SPEAKER_01 2:53

Early on, uh my first album ever was Louis Armstrong's Greatest Hits. I loved like kind of old soul music, stuff like that. But then um, as I got older, Led Zeppelin, Bob Marley was huge. Um, and then when I got into high school, it became very quickly dispatch, slightly stupid, sublime, old school reggae stuff.

SPEAKER_00 3:14

Yes, yes. So, how did growing up between Georgia and Massachusetts coast kind of shape you, not just musically, but as a person?

SPEAKER_01 3:23

I mean, you get some of that southern soul, right? Yeah. When you're when you're down south, um, you're raised with all the good manners. And then coming up here, um, yeah, there's just a different speed to life. Living on the coast up here has really become like a major part of me. It's kind of something that is a part of my heartbeat.

unknown 3:41

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 3:42

And um, yeah, I would say those are the two major overlaying factors.

SPEAKER_00 3:48

So do you hear a lot of that contrast in your music whenever you're writing it?

SPEAKER_01 3:53

I do. I mean, I I can't say like it's maybe easier from like a bird's eye view. You know, whenever I'm writing, I'm just kind of writing from the heart. I'm writing whatever's coming to me. What do I think sounds good? You know, probably some influence on what I've been listening to over the last year, something like that.

SPEAKER_00 4:08

Yeah. Yeah. So when you guys were kind of still the cornerstone, what made you believe that this could be more than just a local band?

SPEAKER_01 4:18

I don't know. Stupidity? I'm just kidding. No, I think uh, you know, we had everybody in the band had been in great bands, and um we s kind of very quickly locally started getting a fan base, and um, it just happened very organically. And so I think like hitting all those milestones, you just keep hitting milestones, and you keep believing that man, I think we could do this, and we still kind of live by the same ethos, just work hard, um, you know, do uh do right by the craft, sing from the heart, play from the hip, stay on the road.

SPEAKER_00 4:58

Yes. So what did the risk look like at that point?

SPEAKER_01 5:02

Well, we were still so young that I don't know we were fully thinking about the risk that we may have thought about it now as we're older.

SPEAKER_00 5:09

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 5:10

But yeah, I mean I was a father, um, I was a real estate agent. I was trying to figure out what my what my next steps were gonna be. And this was kind of my last um, you know, roll of the dice to see if we could make this happen, start touring, try and get on some bills with some of our favorite bands. Yeah, we had a lot of people helping guide us too early on, which was extremely helpful.

SPEAKER_00 5:34

Yeah, yeah. That's crazy how life kind of happens whenever uh whenever you're kind of focused on a goal like that.

SPEAKER_01 5:42

Yeah, yeah, it happens quick, man. It's like can't even believe it. So were you a good real estate agent? I didn't do it long enough to maybe answer that, but I was doing pretty good up in the city, yeah.

SPEAKER_00 5:55

Well, at least you got that in your back pocket, but I don't think you'll ever need that again. I hope not. So at that point, this was what, 2015, 2016? Or was it a little earlier than that?

SPEAKER_01 6:09

2013-14 is when we started kind of playing. I think 2017 we put out our first album called The Cornerstone, when we had to change our band name. Um 2017, you know, once you have an album under your belt, you can kind of start booking out shows, trying to get on festivals. That was kind of I guess maybe the starting point for us was around 2017.

SPEAKER_00 6:32

Yeah. So did f changing the name feel like stepping into a bigger identity, or was it just kind of part of the grind?

SPEAKER_01 6:40

It was just kind of part of the grind. Um our original band name was The Cornerstone, and um we had to change it, and so we came up with the elevators. We thought it was a just a good name for our kind kind of music, what we sing about. Ended up calling the first album the Cornerstone, so people could still find us. And yeah.

SPEAKER_00 6:59

I love that. I love that. And what's you know, we're gonna get into the upcoming album here in just a moment, but one of the things I've noticed, and tell me if I'm way off base, but you know, 18 songs on the new album, eight singles already, and it feels like there's a kind of a full circle moment back to the cornerstone with Shark Belly Motel. Am I off base on that?

SPEAKER_01 7:24

Uh no, I don't think you're ever off base on something like that. I mean, still the same guys um playing the music. Yeah, we just had so much stuff that we had written. Um, you know, that we've been releasing singles for a while now, but that was because we had then, and we just wanted to give people music. And so um yeah, I mean, it's it's nice to feel like we're giving our fan base a nice big chunk of music for them to sink their teeth into. It's kind of like maybe a hybrid of like the new age style where people are just releasing singles.

SPEAKER_00 7:58

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 7:59

I can't say that anybody in the band really loves that that method or that model, even though it seems to be what's trending or is popular right now. So this was kind of our way of um being able to do a bunch of singles to hopefully keep getting traction and also give people, you know, an actual body of work.

SPEAKER_00 8:17

That's funny you bring that up because I've had that conversation, I think, a million times on this show about what are your feelings about the current model and the release strategy thing? Because some guys love it. Other guys are like, man, I would rather just release the album and tell the story all at once.

SPEAKER_01 8:34

Yeah. I kind of live in the kind of live in the middle of that. I mean, I I love the idea of releasing singles, it's just you can kind of get them out there quicker. Um, it keeps everybody kind of locked in. You're letting people know you're still writing music, but um, you know, all of that leading up to an album, I think I'm still I still am somebody that listens to a full album. And so I don't know if that's like the old school romantic style or whatever it is, but yeah, I think I think we found a happy middle ground with this this format.

SPEAKER_00 9:05

Yes. Yes, so kind of going back to the cornerstone and defy gravity and your albums after thereafter, you're kind of finding your way in this new music industry and finding a bit of success along the way. Did that moment when you started collaborating with some of the artists that you've looked up to in the past and playing on these bigger shows and doing these bigger tours, did that create pressure for you internally at all? And did you find a way to tune it out?

SPEAKER_01 9:38

I think it creates pressure for sure, um, but not in a bad way. Um, you know, everything just the stakes get a little higher. The idea that this is like a real job and this is what we do, and there's like a way to actually afford a living comes into perspective. I think I'm lucky enough with the guys surrounding me where we try not to let the nerves affect us too much. It's it's very much just organic and from the heart, and whatever it is we're feeling in the moment is what we're writing and recording. And it's it's done us well so far. So I think I think over worrying about it makes you second guess yourself. And um you know, you have to ask yourself, how did you even get to the point now? Like it probably wasn't by second guessing yourself a lot. So just trying to stay true to yourself and stay true to what you've been doing and try not to throw a super you know left-hand turn at people, but yeah.

SPEAKER_00 10:35

So, did you have to develop like hacks along the way to keep yourself staying honest creatively? Honestly, no.

SPEAKER_01 10:43

I just I love that just kind of stay authentic, grab my acoustic guitar, my electric, write some songs. I do a lot of great writing with one of my dear friends down in Nashville, which is something I've fallen in love with. And um, yeah, it's it's great to write with very talented writers and just throw a bunch of ideas at the wall and yeah.

SPEAKER_00 11:03

You know, moving forward as we're kind of moving along in your story, you guys dropped a ton of music in 2020. And I'm sure a lot of it from was from being shut in a bit. Um, was that coming from inspiration, or did you just need to stay grounded during a weird time?

SPEAKER_01 11:21

I think it was probably both, right? It's like you're feeling inspired so you're writing, but you're not really on the road anymore. And we're we're pretty hard on the road. We we tore a lot. So uh when you don't have that outlet, you know, you just find yourself grabbing one of your guitars and just playing because that's what you've known to do forever. So uh yeah, I think just songs kind of come pouring out of you. Maybe some of the boredom of being home in COVID, you can't really go out and do much. So you're you're kind of forced to become a bit of a homebody, which probably led to some more inspiration and more time creating.

SPEAKER_00 11:53

You know, with such a bold catalog and so much music by that point in time, is there any project or set of songs from that era that you feel were a bit underrated or deserve a little bit more notice?

SPEAKER_01 12:08

I don't know, man. It's it's hard sometimes to know what's gonna stick with people and what's not gonna stick with people. Yeah, I mean, there was so much music that I maybe I haven't wrapped my head around the ones that I thought should have been like more like bangers or accepted by the scene. It's just it's just kind of like you pick your you write all those songs, you record them, you pick your singles, and then you start going through the whole process of like art and um release dates and all that, and during that same time, you're still just kind of writing music, or at least I'm always just kind of writing music. So I think just the perpetual forward motion of everything just kind of keeps you just like chugging along. There's not a lot of like introspective what-ifs really.

SPEAKER_00 12:51

I'm glad you use the word introspective because I think that's one of the elements of your music that has really struck me is you don't hear a lot of I mean you do, but you don't, you don't hear a lot of introspection in music that's kind of influenced by reggae and you know the the Cali sound or the coastal sound, if you will. But I hear a lot of it in your music. And one song in particular that really got me is I I I was in a moment in life, have the headphones on, I'm mowing the lawn, and House of the Stoic comes on, one of your earliest songs, and that song has become my go-to song if I just need to stop and think since. And you've got a lot of songs like that. Is that an intentional choice?

SPEAKER_01 13:39

It's just it's just whatever is feeling uh, you know, what is the inspiration that's giving you? We're definitely not afraid to to write music that's a little deeper. Um, it's not, you know, every song is not about like what is the wittiest chorus we can come up with, or um, you not every song is about you know, beers by the beach type thing. And my band loves that as l as well with the lyrics that I write. You know, they like writing just deeper stuff they enjoy when I come up with something a little more poetic that hits home a little harder, in the same way that they love you know, this is a really good idea for a song. Yeah, that's a witty idea. Let's try and make this like into a banger that everybody can relate to. But, you know, it's just like anybody else out there. If you have a heartbeat, you have a lot of thoughts, and everybody goes through a lot of stuff. And so there's a lot of things people can relate to. I don't think we're afraid to sing about them.

SPEAKER_00 14:33

Yes. So is there any fear in being so transparent and vulnerable lyrically? No.

SPEAKER_01 14:41

No, I mean I feel like most of the things I sing about when I'm being super transparent, I feel like it's relatable for people. Um I've never I've never second guessed myself in that way. But I have a pretty good do north for you know, even in some of the darker songs, there's a little bit of hope that's tinged in there, which I think everybody can feel. You know, having a good do north for what is what is your message, you know, you can have several different messages, but what are what are things you don't want to sing about? You have to feel proud of what you're saying over a microphone when you're singing it to a lot of people, or you know, when people are listening. We get a lot of families that listen to our music, and big part of that is because you know, we keep it pretty universal. It doesn't have to be bubblegum, but it doesn't have to be um topics that are are cringy either.

SPEAKER_00 15:32

Yeah. You know, as things kind of got bigger with Endless Summer, how did you hold on to that effect that made people connect with you guys in the first place?

SPEAKER_01 15:43

Yeah, I think just different production ideas. You know, we started coming up with like witty ideas instead of them all being a little more deep, just like just for you type of thing. How do you make some like universal songs that are a little more fun, a little more lighthearted? So just kind of keeping that balance of like, you know, people do like our music that is coming from a little bit more of a personal place. At the same time, they love songs like MIA and like, you know, driving down the driving down the street just with the ocean by your side with your homies, like that's also you know, it's a real part of life as well. So just trying to trying to learn how to play both sides of that coin and get better and better at it, become better and better writers, better musicians. That's what I think we were trying to attempt to bring into uh Endless Summer.

SPEAKER_00 16:30

Yeah, yeah. So by that point in time, what had changed the most with Jackson?

SPEAKER_01 16:39

I think um getting used to always being out on the road, yeah, you know, that that grind and just wanting to become a better songwriter, you know, you create an idea for a song and then you tell the story of the song. So if the chorus is kind of the overarching idea, the verses are telling the story. How do you how do you relate those all together? You know, trying to make everything catchy but not like bubblegum pop, keeping some of the really fun and just interesting musicianship, you know, into it all. Johnny always has beautiful guitar licks, like just making sure that we're not we're not making it too fluffy either. Like we have to stay true to ourselves.

SPEAKER_00 17:19

Do you have a lot of internal competition within yourself whenever you are kind of putting together a a song like where it almost never feels complete?

SPEAKER_01 17:30

No, I I don't, man. I I truly just am writing, you know, as it comes out, you know, there'll be some stuff I'm like, I don't I need to work on that. I'm not sure about that line. You know, I I use my voice memo app on my iPhone, record it. And you just kind of keep you kind of keep just working on it. Some songs come out an hour, some songs take a couple days. Yeah. You know, allowing yourself moments of peace as well when you come home where it's you know, you need some downtime. Maybe you don't need to pick up the guitar every day. You know, it's time to just go outside, go for a walk with your your family or you know, go see some friends, go to a Celtics game or something.

SPEAKER_00 18:06

Nice, nice. Where do you spend most of your days now, like residing, I guess?

SPEAKER_01 18:11

Yeah, we live on the south shore of Massachusetts, like so south of Boston, kind of like um almost down to the Cape, right around the Plymouth area. My wife and I just moved onto a beautiful farm. My best friend's farm here. Like it's beautiful. There's 14 horses, bunch of cows, very peaceful. Um starting to get nicer outside, so yeah.

SPEAKER_00 18:35

Gotta love that, man. Gotta love it. Gotta love it. So, how do you unplug? Because you had like, you know, we've touched on a couple of times. You've been dropping singles off this upcoming album for a while now, so I'm sure that has just kept you busy as hell. So, how do you decompress whenever you're not working on music?

SPEAKER_01 18:54

Yeah, I think it's important to have other hobbies too. You know, uh get into things, you know, it's starting to get nicer, go play some golf. Recently got into motorcycles. So, you know, went and took a bunch of motorcycle classes, got my license, bought a motorcycle. Um, just you know, life is as rich as you want to make it. So um just getting into things and having hobbies and activities and great friends that you share that with. All of those things make it easy to slip into other parts of life where it doesn't feel like it's just a one-lane highway to Yes, yes, I absolutely love that, dude.

SPEAKER_00 19:29

Like, you know, you're about to kind of put the grind on and like do a lot more touring, a lot more live shows, obviously, as we talked about multiple times, new album coming out. What's something about touring that a lot of fans completely misunderstand?

SPEAKER_01 19:44

I don't think a lot of people know that we all sleep on the tour bus. You know, there's there's 12 guys, there's 12 bunks, one bus. So, and a lot of times when you're sleeping, you're sleeping on a moving bus. So if it's a bumpy ride that night, you know, it's hard enough to try and fall asleep when when your life is in somebody else's hands. But yeah, just it it's it could be a grind, but it's a grind that we choose because uh it's the most rewarding thing I've ever done. Yeah, you know, it's like you have your days where you slept well, you have days where or two days in a row where you didn't sleep well, and you're kind of dragging ass all day, and then by the time it's time for the show, all that kind of just dissipates, disappears, and you're ready to go out there and just you know connect with the energy that the crowd is bringing. And um, you know, our favorite things to do is plug in your guitar, let it rip, and sing as sing as hard as you can for people, and it helps when you hold the microphone out and they're all singing back at you.

SPEAKER_00 20:40

Hell yes, hell yes. You know, twelve people in such close quarters. How do you guys keep the band tight and like stay to a point where you're getting along?

SPEAKER_01 20:52

Yeah, um, I'm not the best at this on the bus, but just being clean, uh not leaving your shit just like hanging out everywhere, clean up after yourself, label your food in the fridge. Uh, you know, if your food's three days old, maybe go throw it out, buddy.

SPEAKER_00 21:08

Um this podcast serves as a PSA to the other members of the band, by the way. You guys are doing great. I love you, boys. Dude, I love that. So, was there ever a moment in your history of doing this where you almost walked away and you thought about walking away from it? Or is your love that deep? No, never once.

SPEAKER_01 21:30

I don't know what I don't know what else I would go do.

SPEAKER_00 21:33

Yes. Yes, we're gonna talk about this new album. Shark Belly Motel dropping on May 15th. What can you say about the album so far?

SPEAKER_01 21:45

I think it's our best album to date. We had a um we used part of the album was used by our uh we use, sorry, our old uh producer Danny Cald, who's a dear friend of ours, and then we also went to LA and used our new friend John Joseph. For a majority of the album. And yeah, I mean, the energy was just fantastic. It was nice being out in LA for that length of time. He brings such a cool approach, a more of a hands-on approach than we've had in the past. And we came in with just so many songs. So we got to kind of cherry pick which songs we thought would be strong. And this time we gave ourselves ample time to record where it didn't feel like you're under the gun a lot. Yeah, I mean, it just you know, being out somewhere, we try and do destinational recordings so that way we can kind of get out of the normal, like, you know, my wife eats me home for dinner, or like, I'm gonna go meet up with a buddy. And it's kind of nice just getting in a different atmosphere with all your boys, being out in California, um, you know, getting to know a town. We had a really good schedule, and it was um it was just rewarding. My favorite place is is just being in the studio, coming up with stuff every day.

SPEAKER_00 22:58

I love that. Was there one particular song? And I know this is like asking you to pick your favorite child, but was there one particular song on this album that you feel kind of defines this new era of the elevators?

SPEAKER_01 23:14

That's tough, man. I mean, we have like different vibes about us, so we there's a couple songs that get a little heavier, which we love, especially live, translates really well. Kind of bringing in some of that soul, you know, like with songs like uh, you know, I really love red wine, which was off our last album. So kind of leaning into that, you have songs like Jean Jacket. I mean, I just love that style of music. I love folk music, so we have some songs like uh, you know, Borderline. We always have a little bit of a folk element mixed in as well. Pockets full of sand, maybe, is is a good middle ground where it has like a nice kind of bit of a pop sheen, but still feels organic. You know, it's us playing acoustic guitars, us you know, making a beat, Asta crushing the drums in the in the live room, getting someone like Bryce Fine to want to come hop on it. Um I'm a big fan of his, I've listened to him for years. My wife actually introduced me to him and um ever since, and I'm like, man, he is like so talented. So it's just kind of like a perfect, you know, worlds collide. When I wrote that song, I immediately thought it sounded like a Bryce Fine song. And um, so then to actually have him down to hop on it, it's just like, all right, that was like I felt a little easier than it should have.

SPEAKER_00 24:30

You know, good old days is one of those songs that really hit me hard because I have this weird relationship with nostalgia, as I'm sure all dudes do. Totally agree. Total. So, what's your relationship with nostalgia like? You know, having written that song.

SPEAKER_01 24:47

I mean, that's the same. I I love nostalgic things. It's it's really easy to pull inspiration from that. The idea was, you know, a lot of people always talk about back in the good old days, and everything's been going so well for us, and we're loving it, that I was like, maybe we're living in the good old days right now. And um, then I thought that was a good mental state for people to maybe lock into. Um, it's oftentimes people are you know looking forward to the future or living in the past, and uh, but having Tentoes down right here in the moment, I think people could uh probably find a little bit more peace and happiness if they realize that they're just doing really, really good right here where you are. Maybe you're just living in the good old days, and if you can realize that in that moment, you can enjoy that moment that much more.

SPEAKER_00 25:35

Yes, yes, and it's not lost on me that you also have a song called Nostalgia as well. So, like it's kind of weird. Maybe you're referencing the past and that song and good old days in the present, you know. I I'd love that, man. Thank you. Yeah, yeah, it's it's funny, you know, you mentioned about your wife introducing you to Bryce Vine because uh last night my wife and I we decided, well, what are we gonna do for dinner? I think we're gonna go hit up a food truck. And of course, I, whenever I'm driving, I get the aux control, and I'm like, we're gonna listen to elevators. And my wife, her and my music tastes are so different, but every once in a while I get her on something, and it's like a small victory, and she absolutely loves you guys, and that's like a total win, right there, man. So, yes, of course, nostalgia came up, red wine came up, you know, all her favorite songs came up, and like we're singing along, eating cousin's main lobster and a party. Nice one, nice one. So, so like how your relationship with your wife, how much do you guys bounce back music back and forth? Has she introduced you to other artists before or you her?

SPEAKER_01 26:52

Oh, yeah. I mean, I've maybe I've introduced her to some more of the reggae stuff, but she's interested in like great bands. Uh one of her favorite bands was Camp. Yeah. It's you know, there's there's been so many Quinn 92. Yeah, I mean off the top of my head, I mean, uh now it's kind of our playlist, but um I mean just so many so many bands where she would play a song, and I'm like, who the hell is that? Like that is such a good song. I love that sound. How they get the bass to be that fat. Like, yeah.

SPEAKER_00 27:25

I know, man. It's again, like, like my wife is kind of like doesn't fuck with my shit for the most part, but I got her on to Gregory Allen Isaacov. I got her into Jason Island.

SPEAKER_01 27:36

He's one of my favorite, by the way. Mike Jude Black Car.

SPEAKER_00 27:40

Yes, yes, yes, uh Suitcase Full of Sparks is my is my my favorite one. Like, I saw him on the Weatherman tour in a small club, probably less than 150 people.

SPEAKER_01 27:53

It was lucky lucky. He is like, he is, yeah, he's one of those people that haunts my soul a little bit. Yeah, so beautiful. Another new one that I love is um Steven Wilson Jr.

SPEAKER_00 28:07

He was just he was in my market last night. I just didn't get a chance to go to the show.

SPEAKER_01 28:12

Dude, he is built of different stuff. It is insane.

SPEAKER_00 28:16

Yeah. Uh Gregory is one of two people I can say this with. They're guys that I kind of met on the come up, and then they came through um my market six months later, and they remembered exactly who I was, and we were able to pick up the conversation from the last time we saw each other. He and Steven Christian from Anne Berlyn that used to sing for Anne Berlyn, and it was just like crazy, crazy, crazy stuff, man.

SPEAKER_01 28:40

Crazy, yeah. I'm big fans of those guys. That's that's totally a big um influence for me. It's just that that's kind of what the folk music I was talking about. There's another great band called Red Bird. You know Red Bird? Yes, yes, yeah. Yeah, they're uh their version of uh Buckets of Rain, that Bob Dylan song. Insane.

SPEAKER_00 29:01

I love this, dude. Well, you are about to set foot on stage two days after your album release on a place where Gregory has played multiple times. Uh headlining Red Rocks on May 17th. How does that feel, brother?

SPEAKER_01 29:20

I mean, it's mind-blowing, dude. We s we s it's our first time headlining. We sold it out a couple months early. I think it's our fourth time playing there, but talk about bucket lists. You know, every time we've opened for somebody, I think the whole group is like, how do you even get to a point where we're headlining Red Rocks? And uh Yeah, it's just wild. I don't it's kind of uh no no words, just all thankfulness. And uh if that isn't a reason to to keep putting gas in the tank and just and just keep going, keep going, I don't know what is.

SPEAKER_00 29:53

So did it feel like a grand arrival, especially when it sold out, or just just another step on the ladder?

SPEAKER_01 30:00

No, that's a grand arrival moment for sure. I think it'll feel more like a grand arrival once the show's over, because there's like you know, just a lot of butterflies, a lot of um you know, everything from the lighting and and lasers and the the set list and um you know, just it's it's a lot that goes into it. And it's um it's been a it's been a blessing to get to understand how to navigate in that that next step of of our our worlds. Um yeah, I mean, but really no words past that. It's just you know I don't know. I've I've I grew up listening to like Dave and Tim live from Red Rocks and like you know how many great bands that was always the legendary spot. You can ask almost anybody in the country have you heard of Red Rock? So they've all heard of it, even if they haven't been there. So um it's an honor for the town of Golden to have allowed us to come and and take a shot at headlining. And uh yeah, I mean, much love to everybody that's coming out. It's it's mind-blowing.

SPEAKER_00 31:02

So, what would younger you say after learning this? It's like get the fuck out of here, no way. Yeah, right. For real, though. I mean, there's there's just something magical about that area of Colorado.

SPEAKER_01 31:18

Yeah, totally, totally. Yeah, our management and booking agency is um based out of Denver, too. So it's really nice to get out there and have such a monumental feat, right where our manager and our booking agent live, right there. And um, yeah, I mean, it was strategic to get us into this position, and we kind of can't believe it all worked out, and um we are ready to throw down like we've never thrown down before.

SPEAKER_00 31:43

Buckle up for some knuckle up at Red Rose. Hey, dude, like I said, 18 songs, eight singles released so far off of Shark Belly Motel, Staring at the Sun, Sky High, featuring Jared of Dirty Heads, good old days, Sunburn, Leave the Lights on, another one of my favorites so far, by the way. Bills to pay, Gene Jack, Pockets Full of Sand. Dude, like this is, and that's only eight of eighteen songs. Yeah, that's it's awesome, dude. I think you gotta be, I'm sure you just gotta be stoked. You probably have that anxiety where you're just like, let's get this thing out now.

SPEAKER_01 32:25

Totally, totally. I mean, absolutely. Yeah, I can't wait for everybody to hear all the music. You know, we're gonna be brushing up on how to remember how to play these songs and and and play them live. Um, we're just so excited.

SPEAKER_00 32:38

Dude, I'm excited for you, and I know anybody that's watching or listening to this is excited as well. So when it's all said and done, what do you want the elevators to represent for people?

SPEAKER_01 32:49

Um, just continue being their playlist, hopefulness. You know, it comes from a place of love. Hopefully, you guys can hear that in our music. You know, just represent the fact that we're just working real hard, you know, or trying not to take a whole lot of time off. Um, you guys are helping our dreams come true, and the only thing we can do in reciprocation is just keep trying to write better music and give it to you guys. So thank you so much.

SPEAKER_00 33:16

My goodness, dude. Like I said, last night, date night, listening to Elevator's playlist, so many songs that I'm singing along to. And I sincerely had a moment when we were driving around where I was like, holy shit, these guys got a lot of fucking music. And I love every bit of it, and it always makes me smile, dude. I didn't mean for this to whole thing to be a fanboy session, but no, no, but for real, man, like like I had a couple of really good moments, and I don't get to say this very often, but thank you so much for all the music that you've created over the years because it it makes a difference in a guy like my day. You know what I mean?

SPEAKER_01 34:02

Thank you so much, Mike.

SPEAKER_00 34:04

Yeah, yeah. So my closing question that I ask everybody that does the show, and I want to hear it from your perspective through your experience, is what's your advice for making the world a better place tomorrow than what it is today through the things that you've experienced?

SPEAKER_01 34:21

Find what it is you're passionate about and good at, and do that with um as much intensity as you you possibly can, and do it in a way that is fair and just and um is doing right by other people. And I think if everybody were to find that thing, it's gonna be a beautiful world. I believe it is a beautiful world.

SPEAKER_00 34:42

Yes, yes, sir, yes, sir. Why don't you tell everybody where they can find you and the music online?

SPEAKER_01 34:51

Yeah, the elevators, E L O, V-A-T-E-R-S.com, Instagram, all the socials, all future socials to come, YouTube.

SPEAKER_00 35:06

Dude, I know, dude.

SPEAKER_01 35:09

Whatever app is brewing right now, we'll be on it. Whatever apps are brewing right now, I'm sure we'll be on them. And uh trying to figure out those algorithms.

SPEAKER_00 35:18

I was just gonna say that exact thing. It's like, can't even master the algorithms that are already there and just get to figure out a few more, bro. Yeah, for real. Oh my gosh. Maxon, I have really appreciated you taking the time out of your afternoon, hanging out with me. It means the world to me. Thank you so much for doing the show. The world's a much better place with you and it, my friend.

SPEAKER_01 35:41

Thank you. You too, Mike. Thanks for doing the show.

SPEAKER_00 35:44

That was awesome getting to sit down with one of my personal favorite songwriters and having a conversation. The Elevators Shark Belly Motel comes out May 15th. Go check out their past catalog, check out their current catalog, more things coming in the future, and check out their calendar and find when they are coming to your town. I had to miss them back in February when they were in my market, and I was devastated, heartbroken. I can't even begin to explain it. But it sounds like I will be attending some elevator shows here in the near future. Make sure you follow them on all social media platforms at the elevators. And while you're being generous with those social media follows, make sure you're following at Caught on the Mic on all social platforms. Give me a subscribe on YouTube and visit me www.caughtonthemic.com. This has been Caught on the Mic with Michael Clark. I'm Michael Clark. Till next time. Thank you.