Back in May, I drew some sketches inspired by the band Kings Kaleidoscope. Check out the sketches again here. I drew these around the time I saw the band in concert. I was still feeling all of the excitement and magic from that night. That was my third time seeing Kings Kaleidoscope live. But there was one thing that was different about this show. It was the opening act.
OLY
Going into the concert, I didn’t have any background on who the opening acts were going to be. Based out of Olympia, Washington, OLY has traveled all over the United States performing their music. From Nashville, to Orlando, New York, St. Louis, Dallas, California, and even to Toronto to name a few places. When I first heard the lead singer of OLY at my concert, I remember turning to my sister looking so confused but in the best way possible.
He could sing. The best way I can try to describe the lead singer’s voice is soulful and full- smooth like butter. It makes you melt but makes you feel safe at the same time. The kind of rush it gives off is a serene, calm wave of passion. Their music was good. Four months later, the band has some new music. I can say that OLY is back on my radar.
Max Gaver
From what I could remember, and from what I’ve been able to see, Max Gaver seems to have a good sense of personal style. Since I started this slight theme where I’ve been digging more into how guys dress, I thought asking a musician about fashion could be a good continuation.
I debated whether it would be worth it to try reaching out to Max and asking him about his style. I thought there was a 0% chance I would get a response. I’m glad that I took the chance because I was able to gain some good fashion insight. I’m such a sucker for style. Like I’ve said before, style isn’t just what someone wears. It’s a person’s aura, the energy they give off and the way that they speak. Max Gaver has it clearly figured out.
I sent Max the same survey I used not too long ago to see how guys like to dress. His answers didn’t sway the overall summary of results too much, but I was surprised to see that some of his responses were the exact same as what I would have picked. Favorite color, likes summer, warm weather and preference for street style were a few of the things I found in common. His favorite brands to shop from were even some relatable ones.
When I asked Max in what situations he feels like he dresses the best, he had a response I didn’t expect.
“I try to dress the best I can on a daily basis. I only have clothes that would all look good together. But if I had to pick, probably when I go to the airport to perform with Kings K.”
I asked him why he chose the airport of all places. This question led us to the point in the conversation that really described his style. In conclusion, Max is all about comfort.
“Honestly my main thing is dressing comfortable. I think it is really cool when all you have is a fanny pack, white Fear of God sweat shorts, a BIG comfy sweatshirt with the hood on and some Yeezys or whatever. And what better time to dress like that than on a six-hour plane ride.”
OLY is out of their old merch. The lead singer wasn’t a big fan of the old design. He says the new design is going to be based around the style he’s been explaining. He couldn’t reveal details, but the plan is to make less of a “band” statement and more of a fashion statement. Personally, I’m excited to see how this turns out.
I asked about both music and fashion and how they connect for the singer. He says that his personal style reflects his music.
“I feel like my music is always pushing boundaries, and I do the same with my outfits when I’m on stage.”
“When I pick an outfit to go on stage, I take note of two things.
Am I going to be comfortable?
Am I going to look like I’m supposed to be on stage?
I try really hard to ‘look like the artist’ and how I apply this is wearing what I normally do but just with a twist. If I’m wearing orange Champion shorts, I’ll wear the same orange print on a hoodie. If I’m wearing white pants, I’ll try and put on a white shirt as well. Checkered shorts with a green fury jacket was the weirdest one by far. Nothing too crazy but enough to go on stage and you can recognize that I am not just a crew member, I am in the band.”
After I got over the shock that Max was actually taking the time to answer my millions of questions, I realized that I didn’t have much to feel intimidated about.
He’s gone through fashion fads just like the rest of us. Max says he’s glad he got over the phase of wearing a flannel around his waist with a long tee tucked underneath. He appreciates quality over quantity. One of his hobbies is reading. His one piece of fashion advice would be to only wear outfits you want to wear.
In this situation, we have two people from very different backgrounds. There’s the most likely very busy musician from the west coast and a struggling college student from the Midwest. But, for a few moments, we were able to converse on the same level.
That’s thanks to fashion.
Kempress Closet 