Eric Anderson

Interview: Boyce Avenue Previews Boston Performance

Superstar acoustic band Boyce Avenue will be performing at House of Blues Sunday, October 26, in an appearance that is sure to be spectacular. Coasting in the upper echelon of the music industry with over 1.5 billion views on Youtube and 6.2 million subscribers, Boyce Avenue is no stranger to fame. The band of three brothers recently released their newest EP No Limits to critical acclaim, and performed their hit song “I’ll Be the One” on Good Morning America.

Perhaps best known for their flawless covers of popular songs, Boyce Avenue has proven with the success of No Limits that they are also capable of smashing out original tracks. However, their covers should not be overlooked, as there are many gems among their unique renditions, such as their acoustic cover of “Superman” by Five For Fighting.

We recently spoke with Fabian, 1/3 of the group, to discuss their upcoming show in Boston, their new EP, and tips for aspiring musicians.

TK: I understand that Boyce Avenue will be playing in Boston the 26th of October at House of Blues. Is this your first time playing in Boston?

Fabian: No it’s not actually, it’s one of our favorite places to play. We’ve done a lot of shows there and we tend to hit it as one of the major markets. My brother went to Harvard Law School and I remember loving to visit him in Cambridge. We as brothers love Boston, and always love performing there.

TK: You just released your No Limits EP on your own label 3 Peace Records in April full of original tracks. Can you tell us a little bit about it and what to expect from the tour, both performance-wise and content-wise?

Fabian: The music industry is crazy right now because its about longer full-length albums. We like the idea of shorter, smaller EPs but more often so that fans are constantly getting new material. For us this is like a transitional EP. We’re really excited about it. What we tried to do with No Limits is to do more upbeat pop tracks. They’re super fun to play live because they can get crazy on stage.

TK: What inspired you to expand into other genres from a traditional acoustic background for this EP?

Fabian: We tried to be more versatile and do an EDM track, even though we’re more known for the acoustic sound. Unfortunately, in the music industry, this can be a problem. Back in the day if you were a punk band and you did anything that wasn’t punk you would get lots of criticism. This EP shows a different side of us, and I think on our next EP we will do more acoustic stuff and emotional ballads. We’re constantly in the studio writing new music, but for now I’m definitely glad how well it’s been received.

TK: Do you foresee incorporating elements of traditional Puerto Rican music from your roots into possible future productions?

Fabian: We actually have thought about that, as well as including some salsa or merengue. We have a lot of ideas that we want to try out, especially hard rock, like the Black Keys and Cage the Elephant kind of sounds.

TK: You catapulted into superstardom from Youtube sensations to touring around the globe. You’ve appeared in Seventeen Magazine and People, and were vocals coaches for the X-Factor. In other words, you’ve reached the upper echelon within the music industry. What’s next for the band?

Fabian: We want to continue what we’re doing because it seems like its working, so there’s no need to change it. We’re going to continue touring, hitting up places Australia, the Philippines, Brazil. We just hope to keep it going. It’s crazy.

TK: Given how hard the music industry is to break into, do you have any tips for upcoming musicians?

Fabian: I think I would try and utilize all the social media sites and platforms. It doesn’t cost [musicians] anything to upload to Youtube. Youtube is an amazing platform and it’s a great way to convey a lot of content to your fans. I would just try and maximize video content and just get yourself out there.

Catch Boyce Avenue performing at House of Blues on October 26. Buy your tickets here.