Making A Connection with Midnight Skies

Making A Connection with Midnight Skies

Midnight Skies is a pop punk band on the rise based out of Seattle who has been making a connection with music fans all across the nation.  They recently released their debut EP entitled Disconnect on We Are Triumphant, jammed packed with explosively emotional vocals and vibrantly memorable tunes.  Midnight Skies recently supported the likes of Drake Bell and plan to play quite a few more shows when the country reopens again.  Highwire Daze recently caught up with Sullivan Burkart, the charismatic front man from Midnight Skies to find out more about a band destined for stratospheric glories…

Introduce yourself, tell me what you do in Midnight Skies, and how long the band has been together.
Hey, I’m Sullivan Burkart, the lead singer/ rhythm guitarist.  Midnight Skies was formed in 2018.

Where is the band based out of and what is the local music scene like there?
We are based out of Seattle, Washington.  The scene here is pretty awesome, we have some really great local talent of all different genres including some label mates in Osatia. I feel like in a lot of ways our scene is opening up a bit again and it’s cool to see more people coming out to shows and supporting local bands/artists.

How did you wind up signing with We Are Triumphant?
I had ended up seeing a post from an A&R rep for WAT on Facebook looking for new music to check out so I decided to comment a link to our debut single Mind Reader. After sending it, I just remember getting a dm on Fb Messenger from the WAT rep Justin (who is now our manager) saying “where has your band been all my life?” Haha.  Ever since then we’ve dropped 4 singles and our Debut EP Disconnect with them.

Is there any overall story or concept behind the Disconnect title?
In the process of writing and recording the EP I was in the midst of a pretty rough depression. I feel like Disconnect was a great title for the EP considering how I felt in many aspects.

Songs like Am I Still Here and Dizzy Spells especially expressed the dark state of mind that I was in, but I am happy to say after getting all of that out I felt a lot better. I hope that others who listen to the EP who are struggling with similar battles would find peace knowing that they aren’t alone in those things.

Select two songs from Disconnect and what inspired the lyrics.
Mind Reader is about being in a struggling relationship that just can’t seem to click. All relationships need good communication and I feel like anyone who has been in a relationship can connect to the lyrics in this song in some way shape or form. Mind Reader was also the first song we wrote and recorded as Midnight Skies!

Dizzy Spells is a song that especially hits home for me. I wrote a majority of this song in my basement alone and put everything I had into it. The lyrics were inspired by the darkness, frustration, and depression I was in. I felt horrible for the people around me even if I never really showed my true feelings, I just didn’t want to bring others down. And that’s ultimately what inspired part of the chorus lyrics: “Don’t follow me down through the black hole, cause no ones gonna save me now..”

Who produced Disconnect and what was it like working with them?
We worked with a couple producers on Disconnect.  We recorded 4 of the tracks with Jon Lundin – Mind Reader, Falling Apart, Pushing You Away, and Am I Still Here.  And then last summer we were able to hit the studio with Courtney Ballard to record Dizzy Spells and Bloodthirsty. Was great to work with two talented producers who took different angles with our music and made it blend very well together.

What could one expect from a live Midnight Skies show?
We like to have a lot of high energy.  You can expect us to give you not just the music but a performance you won’t forget!

What was it like opening for Drake Bell and did you get to meet or hang out with him at all?
That was a great show! We were fortunate enough to hang out with him after our set!  He was super cool.

If Midnight Skies could open for any band either now or from the past, who would it be and why?
Oooh, that’s a good one. There are so many cool current and past bands that I’d love to play with.  I can’t speak for everyone else in the band cause they all have different music taste but I’ve always been such a huge Paramore fan.  I feel like Paramore was one of those bands that I just really connected with as a young teen and they always stuck with me. Would be incredible to play a show with them.

Have you guys ever played in the Los Angeles/OC area and if so, what was the experience like?
We have yet to tour with Midnight Skies, but in our last band we played LA multiple times and loved it every time!  The last time we played was at Chain Reaction and it was so cool to play such a legendary venue.

What is your favorite Warped Tour experience and has your band ever played Warped?
Favorite Warped Tour experience was definitely when our old band had played.  We ended up winning the battle of the bands competition and it was incredible being able to play such a rad music festival. I still have a glimmer of hope that one day it will come back so Midnight Skies can do the whole tour.

If the music of Midnight Skies was a donut, what kind would it be and why?
Midnight Skies would for sure be a maple bar! I have no idea why except for maybe the fact that those are my fav. lol

What’s up next for Midnight Skies?
Lots more writing! Obviously with the coronavirus pandemic we won’t be doing any touring, shows, etc until things calm down.  We’re going to be working on maybe a live stream or two soon and will be working on a deluxe edition of Disconnect over the next few months so hopefully more music will be dropping very soon!

Any final words of wisdom?
Don’t let fear of the unknown ruin your dreams, your goals, and your life. I’m learning that dreams are important to have no matter what anyone else tells you. Fight for them and those dreams will fight back for you.

Band Members:
Sullivan Burkart – Lead Vocals/Rhythm Guitar
Kalevi Burkart – Drums
Kyle Spooner – Lead Guitar/Backup Vocals

(Interview by Ken Morton)

Midnight Skies on Facebook