However, having our song, ‘ Who I Once Was’ played on 93.7 for the first time and performing for their ‘Support Local Music’ show is definitely a memorable highlight for the year. THE CMFs – “We’ve been hard at work on preparing our up-and-coming album for most of the year. The challenges we experienced were not having a permanent place to practice that resulted in a SWAT team showing up at our very first practice, not having the funds to really finish and release the EP and not having merch for our fans. The year just kept getting better and better. Later on in the year we were asked to play the Whisky a Go-Go and The Viper Room in Hollywood. We played many memorable shows, including our first festival. We also played a show where Nick Oliveri (former QOTSA, Kyuss) joined us on stage to perform the song Green Machine. Yet again, we were surprised by taking home a win. We also participated in a local competition to have our music played in a 30-day rotation on 93.7 KCLB. Amidst all of this, we were in the studio recording our first three-track EP with Mikey Doling ( Snot). We were also asked to perform during the 2018 CV Music Awards and were awarded ‘Best New Band’ and ‘Best Drummer’. We regrettably could not make the date due to members being out of the country but were ecstatic nonetheless. We did not win our round but were called and told we were a ‘wild card’ for the finals.
To name a few highlights, we entered the CV Music Showcase and performed in front of industry professionals as our first show taking any advice and critiques from judges. MEGA SUN – “Being that 2018 was Mega Sun’s first year as a performing band, there were many highlights and challenges. There is just so much and it would be a book’s worth of words to describe all the awesome experiences we’ve had this year.” WHEN TIDES TURN – “2018 has been a great year for us, from getting to play with tons of amazing bands like Murkocet, He Films the Clouds, Ormus, Sentiment, Annabelle Asylum, Kill the Radio, the CMFs and so many more, to recording our first EP with Jerry Whiting at Room 9 Studios, to being nominated for ‘Best New Band’ to putting out our first music video and all the love and support we have gotten from the valley, CV Weekly and CV Independent. In next week’s edition, we talk about their outlook on 2019. In celebrating the year that was 2018, Coachella Valley Weekly decided to ask some of our preeminent musicians about the past year and their most memorable highlights and challenges.