The 2015 Billboard Hot 100 Fest featured a wide range of pop
radio acts, but there were a few bands in the lineup injecting an important
element that is considered vital to any music festival - rock and roll. Air Traffic Controller was one of the lucky bands
handpicked to do just that. After
letting a few songs out of the box from their upcoming full length release,
Billboard was a perfect setting for ATC to give a very large audience a taste
of what's just around the corner. The
band may be a new to the pop scene, but they've come a long way to get to the
main-stage.
Serving in the US Navy as a real-life air traffic
controller, singer/songwriter Dave Munro sent home demos written and recorded
during deployment. With his enlistment up, he returned to his hometown, Boston,
and discovered a surprising number of fans and collaborators, prompting the
genesis of the aptly-named band.
Nominated for an MTV “Best Break-Out Artist” Video Music
Award in late 2009 and winner of "Best Indie Rock Act" of the 2010
Boston Music Conference, Air Traffic Controller and their debut album,
"The One", found its way onto many of the Northeast media outlet's
Best-Of lists. During the height of its
radio campaign ATC's debut became one of the top three most-added albums on college
radio stations nationwide.
In 2012, Air Traffic Controller were ready for round two
with their founding producer, LA-based artist William James McAuley, better
known as Bleu. Having a home-run success on Kickstarter and raising over $12k
to support the production of “NORDO” – the team set out to create a place all
their own in the indie pop world.
Taking advantage of band member Steve Scott’s experience composing and
conducting, they went the distance and recorded a forty piece orchestra on the
song “Blame.” The album also features band member Casey Sullivan singing on two
duets “You Know Me” and “Any Way.” ATC
(including female singer-songwriter/bassist Casey Sullivan, lead
guitarist/multi-instrumentalist Steve Scott, and Dave's brother, drummer Richie
Munro) released the effervescent all-American indie pop record
"NORDO", and received many accolades and award nominations such as
the “Artist on The Verge” award by NMS. The album's most popular song from “You
Know Me” graced the #1 spot on The Hype Machine, was placed on the NPR Hot 100
List for SXSW, was named Best Indie Alternative Song in the Independent Music
Awards, and has led the band to over 10 Million plays on Spotify. The bustling single "Hurry Hurry,"
also garnered a great deal of attention, as they were named Band Of The Day by
the Guardian UK and a Top 5 College Radio act by WERS and MTVU.
In 2015 Air Traffic Controller is touring the US and ready
to launch the next studio album with returning producer Bleu, incorporating
more duets and solo lead songs with fellow songwriter Casey Sullivan,
additional strings by Jeremy Van Cleave, and percussion by Seth Kasper and Adam
Salameh. The album reaches into new, often dark, territory but is consistent
with the everyman spirit of ATC, featuring new songs “The House,” “People
Watching,” and “On The Wire” – all of which have been featured on Spotify’s
official New Music Tuesday playlist.
Citing iconic influences like McCartney, Simon, Petty,
Springsteen, and Fleetwood Mac, Air Traffic Controller keeps it honest, with
autobiographical lyrics and thoughtful storytelling. "Casey Sullivan comes forward as lead vocalist, adding a
dreamy overtone to the band's already exuberant sound" (BuzzBands LA). On stage, the band is normally a 5-piece
band, but they have been accompanied, on numerous occasions, by an entire
string section to capture and recreate the sonic landscape of their
recordings. ATC has toured the US and
London and since have been asked to perform with acts such Joshua Radin,
Kongos, The Lone Bellow, Catfish & The Bottlemen, J. Roddy Watson & The
Business, and played festivals like The Nines Fest with Dr. Dog and Delta
Spirit, Life Is Good Fest with Dave Matthews, and the Billboard Hot 100 Fest
with mega-stars like The Weeknd, and Justin Beiber.
ATC's music has been licensed by Bose, MTV, FOX, NBC, ABC,
Disney, Verizon, Toyota, Lincoln/Mercury, Ecko, Hollister, Eddie Bauer, TBS,
USA and CW networks.
