Monday, Dec. 03, 2007

Chase Thompson and The Reach

One of Tri-Cities most promising acts has come home. And he's not alone.

Pasco native Chase Thompson has returned home after a three-year stint in L.A. and has come back a changed man.

"That was the craziest thing in the world," Thompson said of the experience. "It was insane and the people and atmosphere are so different. It is so shallow, yet you find those people who are genuine and we just help each other out; especially in the music community."

Originally embodying a Christian sound, Thompson has dabbled in hip-hop and even had the chance to open for Lil' Romeo. Due to poor ticket sales, the concert was canceled and later on the hip-hop group parted ways. Thompson then moved to L.A. to attend the Musicians Institute.

"I grew so much in the three years I was there, and I plan on going back," he said. "I think the only thing that kept me from getting caught up in the drugs and alcohol was going to church. That gave me a base and helped me stay grounded. You see so many talented musicians go there and it tears them apart and these talented people can't share it with the world because they no longer have control over themselves."

In the meantime he is focusing on his new band Chase Thompson and The Reach. Playing off of their Tri-City background, the members of the group are excited to perform at First Night this year.

Experimenting with alternative pop, their first demos were relatively mellow, says Thompson. Now, they are picking up the tempo and breaking more into the alternative pop rock genre.

Their style is all over the spectrum. Thompson is able to carry out songs by Coldplay and Timbaland, as well as compose unique songs of their own. Carving a distinct sound of their own, Thompson makes sure to have an uplifting message in all of their songs.

On the track Lifeless, guitarist Brook Floyd exudes talent effortlessly. Varying in range, Floyd's sound is similar to Coldplay's Jonny Buckland. Drummer Chris Newbury eases in on Shoot You Down in such a soft way, then gives an intensity in Hollow/We Are Lifted, showing a wide range of styles. With such hard players as Floyd, Thompson, and Newbury, bassist Juan Hernandez sometimes gets lost, but his presence is never lost. One thing is for sure; they are all compliments of each other.

"I get a lot of inspiration from the other guys," Thompson said. "I try to find people that I feel have good talents and good abilities and try to put myself around them so I can kind of learn from them because education is so important to continue learning."

Musically, they are almost there and have yet to really push through, which should make fans very excited to hear their new stuff and see which direction they take.

The group plans on completing their album and touring next year. To kick off the New Year, catch them at First Night, at 11 p.m., on Dec. 31, 2007, in the HUB at CBC.

For more information and upcoming shows, check out their website at www.chaseandreach.com or at www.myspace.com/ChaseThompsonMusic.