Cosmosfest announces first headliner:


Saturn Records and Cosmosfest are pleased to announce the first headliner booked for the festival:


Hayden!



The alternative rock, soul, pop rock artist signed to Studio60 Records will be one of three headliners this summer at Cosmosfest! The judge of the TV series "StarFactory" will definitely blow the house down. Hayden has one album under his belt with two hit singles as well. See you at Cosmofest!

Cosmosfest announces two co-headliners!

The first co-headliner is:






The local experimental three piece will co-headline the festival along with one other co-headliner who has yet to be announced. The band is a favorite among Seattle hipsters and weirdos who love to get their harsh noise punk on in basement shows and bars. To date, this will be the largest venue Aqua Manhattan has performed which will make this extra special for the mysterious costumed punks. For anyone who comes out to see them, a wild show ensues, they get pretty crazy during shows; be advised. See you at Cosmofest!



The second co-headliner is:






Amy-Jayne will be the second co-headliner to play Cosmosfest! Amy-Jayne's story is an inspirational one, she lost both her parents, and she experienced a bout with cancer! Though her losses and her bout with cancer put her career on halt, she has released two albums and seven singles. Amy-Jayne plays pop and R&B with influences such as: Lady Gaga and Selena Gomez, she will definitely please the crowd and show the fans how to have a good time! See you at Cosmosfest!

Cosmofest announces day one schedule!





The festival's first day will feature:

Police Code
Sabina
Aikya Balan
Amy-Jayne
Hayden

All meet-and-greets are free with a one day, weekend, or V.I.P pass except for Hayden. V.I.P passes will get you a backstage pass to hang with the awesome bands and artists at the fest! Merch of all bands and artists will be available after their set, it'll go fast!

Cosmosfest announces special late night party show!

Cosmosfest will have a post festival show for people who buy a VIP pass. Though the VIP passes are available to all ages, attendees must be 21 and up to be a part of the late night show. All 21+ attendees who have drank more than three drinks will be refused more alcohol, none compliance will result in attendees getting kicked out without a refund.

The bands playing the post fest show are:





Gelotophobia, is the fear of people laughing at you; it is also the name of Bryan Kobayashi and Jeremy Salazar, or My Own Violence's harsh noise project. They will kick off the post festival show with an hour long noise jam. The group features a treasure trove of guitar pedals, circuit bent instruments, and contact mics. It'll be a show you most definitely should not miss!

The second is a pretty talented woman, and will be a great send off to attendees to the fest. Introducting:





Abie Lena's set will be an amazing closer for the fest, we hope that everyone who is over 21 and is attending the fest shows up to this one, it's going to be a fucking party! See you at Cosmosfest!

Cosmosfest releases an interview with headliner Hayden!





We're so excited to have you as a headliner! You'll be the first headliner for the fest, do you plan to set the bar for the other headliners?

Hayden: Thank you, I'm glad to be a headliner, and considered to be one. I plan to just focus on myself and bring a great set of music to my fans and everyone else. To be honest, I've never been a headliner before but I know there's some sort of hidden pressure to be the greatest. I'm quite confident in my skills that I know I'm the greatest. I'm very excited to be playing.

What do you think about the other artists and bands playing?

Hayden: I've not really met them in person, except my wife's best friend, but I'm sure they make some good music. I'll probably stick around and catch a few shows, or not.

Congratulations on your best couple award last night. Do you feel like you and Katie deserved it?

Hayden: Thank you. Of course! We're one of the few couples who are a real couple, you know? We've been through stuff but we didn't just say 'I love you' and move in and then you know, start of story. I've known her for a while and I used to be an ass to her but I fell in love with her. We're not completely public but we're not completely private. We enjoy sharing moments with fans. I'd say we're the best couple in the industry.

So you're coming out with an album later in June, what should fans expect in it?

Hayden: Well they should expect it to be my best album yet. I've been letting a few tracks stream day by day and have received some great response from it so far. It's really a good rock and roll album with some soul and folk mixed into it.

Describe how the recording process was, like, what were the ups and downs of it?

Hayden: It was easy once I started to just write. Everything came to me naturally, there was no forcing a song out of me. I've written over 40 tracks for the album, and recorded about 45. Of course, only 12 made it onto the album but those were just the ones that I knew would be perfect for the album. If I could, I'd release a 40 track album but I don't want to give away all my tricks just yet. (laughs) I didn't really struggle except with pushing the date back. I wanted it to be out earlier but I'm a Merjos so we have perfectionist qualities in our blood.

What's your personal favorite track on the album?

Hayden: My personal favorite would have to be 'LSD' it just represents the album perfectly. It's got a great mixture of multiple genres and I worked really hard on the track. I'd have to say I love that one a little more than my other tracks, but I really love the entire album.

So there are plans to tour the album, is Cosmosfest going to be a stop?

Hayden: There's no tour plans quite yet but after the album is released, I'll be going on a tour to promote it, stop by a few festivals and play a few gigs here and there. I've always enjoyed performing but you know, most people don't want to hire someone who's not some big, overrated artist.

What can fans expect in your set?

Hayden: They can expect no tricks, just music. I'm not one to get glamorous costumes or stuff like that but I've got my band and me playing all their favorite songs so that's good enough. I've always been a loud, vocal person so I've never been shy to a crowd. Anyone who's ever been to a concert or show by me, they know it's always a good time and it feels like a great, home show. It's great for all ages too. Don't expect me to be setting my instruments on fire or making out with chicks because then I'd get in trouble with everyone but most importantly my wife. (grins) Overall, fans should just expect a great show with some equally great tunes being played.

Are you looking forward to any of the other artists and bands?

Hayden: Uhh, I suppose. I'll probably check a few bands out, might go scope an Isaac Lovelock show, just for the hell of it. I'll be honest, after the first day, I might leave and continue on some other promo gigs I'm attending so we'll see.

So go see Hayden and the other talented bands and artists playing the fest! C'ya at Cosmosfest!

Lovin' her face!

A massive crowd draws into a designated spot in the Wenatchee National Forest. The crowd waits anxiously as Police Code sets up. The finish setting up the drumset and amps and walk off stage. The owner of Saturn Records walks onto the stage and grabs a microphone "Good afternoon everyone, my name is Bryan Kobayashi, welcome to Cosmosfest. This is going to be a great three days of music. I hope a vast majority bought three day passes because the bands and artists playing are phenomenal. Before we get to the music, I want to talk a little bit, is that okay?" The crowd cheers in approval. "I'll make it quick I promise. I can't believe this is a thing, I'm not a rich man and I could just barely afford to put this on. So thanks to all my friends, fans, and music lovers who donated to help this first year be a smashing success. I shouldn't take any credit for this fest, it's all them, I'm giving them all the credit because without them, I wouldn't be able to put on such a high caliber festival. Give it up for Police Code!"


Police Code walks up on stage and do a short soundcheck. Erica walks up to the microphone "Holy shit, this is a really big turnout, we've never played a crowd this big. Make us feel welcome here at Cosmosfest! We're the first fucking band to ever play Cosmosfest, this is worth celebrating! Yes, that means audience participation, yes that means start god damn pit! We're Police Code, make some fucking noise!" The crowd erupts in cheers as fans get ready for one crazy mosh pit. Their first song starts out with Jared doing a distorted guitar riff and Erica takes the mic off of the stand

I'm not an open book
I have no best friends
The spend my time trying to figure out the means to my end
They tell me how to look
But I think they suck
Hey!
Just makes me wanna shout
(Crowd) Fuck you!

I try to make you happy
I feed you and your friends
I'm sick of trying to pretend
That my life isn't crappy
I fucking suck!
Hey!

The crowd erupts in a roar of cheering "That was an old one, it's called You Suck. Especially this guy wearing a Black Flag shirt over here." She points to a man in the front wearing a Black Flag t-shirt. "Black Flag doesn't make you cool!" She laughs "Actually it does. This song is dedicated to this guy right here, what's your name?" People in the front can hear a man shout out "Garrett!"
"Alright, Garrett, this is for you."

The song starts out with drums and the band starts to go crazy on stage and the mosh pit erupts.

Tell me anything you want
I definitely can't make it happen
But I'll keep your wants close to mind as I swallow a fuckload of pills

I honestly don't give two shits about you
And your punk rock record collection
Cause when I'm laying a gutter
I'll be burning your records for a fire.

The band goes into a fast punk jam session "This fucking jam sessions for Garrett!" Erica shouts as she stage dives. Erica starts moshing and then climbs back onto the stage. "Another old one for you guys, especially for Garrett." She laughs We'll be behind the stage for a while, Garrett, I'll let you in, we can drink or something." She counts to three and they go into a slower song.

What would you say
If I saw dead people
I don't trust men well enough to tell them something like that
I'm so tired of talking without an answer.
Ohhhh Ohhh
I reap what you sew
Ohhhh

I'm so tired of talking without an answer
Did I mention how much I hate the press
And how you say you can't stand rap
I like it when I can't stand up
From all the hard liquor
We drink together

The song ends as the crowd cheers wildly. "Thanks, I like that song a lot, it's a new one. It's called Talking." She lets the crowd cheer for a little bit. "So, recently Jenny went to the Chaos Awards with her boyfriend. Awwww! They got super drunk there, I wrote this about them."

I need a real man who doesn't smoke pot
I need a real man who doesn't hate the smell of booze
I need a real man who doesn't put me down
Put me down
Strap my head to table and cut out my brains
Cause I'd let you kill me
If I actually loved you

I could stay a single woman
I don't play the white women stereotype

I need a real man who likes my band
I need a real man who likes the way I drink

I need a real man
Hey!
I need a real man

The mosh pit dies down and Erica smiles "I like this fest, you guys are fun. We've got a couple more for you." She picks up a Gibson LPJ "This is my guitar, she's the fifth member of Police Code. Her name is "Holy Fuck, I Really Really Hate Feminism. It's written on the back here." She holds up the guitar so the crowd can see. "This one is called Gnarly Moves, the only word in the song is Gnarly Moves, so you guys can sing. One two three four!"

Gnarly Moves
Gnarly Moves
Gnarly Moves
Gnarly Moves
Gnarly Moves
Hey Hey Hey Hey
Gnarly Moves
Gnarly Moves
Gnarly Moves
Gnarly Moves
Gnarly Moves
Hey Hey Hey Hey

The crowd goes wild as the finish, they now have the crowd in there hands. "Yeah, that one is awesome to play, especially at bars with a fuckton of drunk dudes who wanna mosh." She laughs "So, we haven't really toured much in our time as a band. Which is why we're really stoked to tour with the awesome Space Punk band Some Kind of mother fucking Planet. I think they're playing the fest as well. Right? Give it up for them. They're not until tomorrow but still cheer for them. I'm sure as shit they're here. Hi, Noel! It looks like we've got three more, sorry Garrett. So, this one is a brand new song, we've never played it in front of anyone. It's called I know, He Knows, She Knows."

I swallow too much pride too many times
I know
I tend to bite off more than I can chew
He knows
I like it when guys are racist fucks
Not really but she knows too well!

Do the world a favor
And cut your own head off
Cause I know you're an asshole
He wants to cut off his oxygen
He knows
She's too stuck up
She knows

Don't try and fight it!
I know, He knows, She knows!
Yeah!
*Make some fucking noise, Cosmosfest! Fuck yeah!*

I swallow too much pride too many times
I know
I tend to bite off more than I can chew
He knows
I like it when guys are racist fucks
Not really but she knows too well!

They end the song and the crowd cheers loudly again. "Hahaha, thanks guys, we have two more. I don't sing this one, Jared does. Give it up for Jared Sandoval." The crowd cheers as he walks towards the microphone
"Hey, Cosmosfest, I'm the guitarist. This song is called "Give us the Boot"

You don't understand
Why I don't like you
You think you are so cool actually you are
I have seen far more than you

I have seen far more than you
I guess you should just give us the boot

You don't understand
Why I don't like you
You think you are so cool actually you are
I've seen far more than you

The crowd starts chanting his last name "Sandoval! Sandoval! Sandoval!"
Jared laughs "Hey, thanks dudes. I'm gonna hand the mic to Erica now. I love you all."
"This is our last fucking song, it's famous one so sing along. It's called Seattle Hardcore!"
Rodger does a drum fill which leads into the song

Seattle is too hardcore
Seattle is too hardcore
Don't make me stay
It reminds me too much of the days with you.
Just put the gun to my jaw if you want me to stay here.
Cause staying here reminds me of the days with you
I don't care what you think about it
I don't wanna hear about it
Just pull back the hammer and stay out my life
Seattle is too hardcore

The crowd cheers loudly and chants their name. "Thank you all so much, we're so glad we got to kick of Cosmosfest! It's gonna be awesome, we're so happy to have this awesome opportunity. We're Police Code, next up, Sabina! She'll blow your minds! Thank you all! I can't say it enough, especially this guy Garrett. Seriously we need to hang." The band walks off stage as the crowd cheers wildly.

For the first time in a long time, Hayden Merjos takes center stage in front of a few thousand adoring fans. It was almost rare to get a performance out of the infamously big headed Merjos, who would grace his presence to few over the years, but today he felt it was time to get back into the old grind. He'd perform a few songs from his new album, which was coming out soon, as well as some fan favorites. As much as he loved his old music, there was a certain aura to his new album which gave him a bigger, more noticeable ego than before. The air was thick with excitement, you could feel it. There was a surge of electricity running in his veins as he took to the stage. His guitar strapped around him and a smile on his face. He always had his grin which made him seem a thousand times more likeable or smug, whichever you saw first. As he introduced himself and his band to the crowd, he began assessing what type of crowd he was dealing with. Sometimes he had a lot of female fans who were there just for the pure enjoyment of seeing him and then there were the small amount of guys who listened to his music. He never cared for specializing music for just one genre but he knew a guy with a guitar was bound to have tons of girls going crazy. Then there were his true fans. The ones who knew every lyric, every riff, and everything about Hayden. Crazy, is how he might define them, but at least they knew their music.

His first song, Connection To The Stars, was one he always liked to open his shows with. Something about the song was inviting and a great way to introduce Hayden to any new listeners among him. "Sing along," he chimed to the crowd. He was a man who loved hearing his own songs sung back at him though he also liked the sound of his own voice as well. The mid tempo song proved to be a definite crowd favorite, as he powers through with his confidence that keeps him separate from the rest. It was his first time being a headliner and he took that seriously. It not only meant that he was seen as a big name now but also that he was worthy enough to stand in line with some big names. He would have to push the bar, set it higher, and then aim to do that each show he played. Midway through the song, he'd break out into hand claps and start to whistle, which was in the song but wasn't one of the main points of the song. However, he made it the highlight of the performance because that's what he did. He'd take the smallest things and make them seem as if they were the only parts of the songs that mattered, while also making the whole song a pleasure to sit through. He would then transition on to the high energetic song, How To Get On By, which it was only his second time performing. Trumpets are blaring behind him as he surges in the chorus of the song, which almost lights a fire under the crowd.



His next performance is joined by pop/rock singer Jennifer Armstrong and their hit song, Piece Of Mind. It's the first time they've performed the song together, but she's more than happy joining him onstage. She was preparing for her own personal concert in a few weeks so it was a great trial run before returning to the stage later this month. She's standing beside him as Hayden delivers the first verse of the song as she comes in for the chorus. Both of their voices blending together live sound even more magical than on the track. Jennifer Armstrong was a very strong live performer, her magnificent voice alone was more than enough but she also brought character and personality. Combined with Hayden, the two of them could very well own that stage, and they did. She decided to also stick around to help sing his more recent single, Take Your Place, filling in for Allison Cooper. Although the song was perfectly crafted for Cooper, Armstrong doesn't do a bad job at taking her place temporarily and is able to put her ow magic on the collaboration. It's clear the chemistry between Hayden and Jennifer is visible as well as audible. They are almost at their best when performing together, but separately they can shine too. Once the song is finished, Hayden thanks her for performing with her and also decides to throw in a few plugs for her upcoming concert. "And on July 28th, you could quite possibly hear us perform together again....only if you're at her concert though. It'll be great, Jennifer Armstrong everybody!"

The crowd was loving his set so far but little did they know, it was just beginning. He was about to take them through some of the best live playing they've ever experienced and to Hayden, that consisted of giving his very best tonight, no matter how much it would take out of him. He did this solely for his own love of music. Sure, the pay was great but if he didn't love what he dd, there would be less and less of Hayden floating around. It was only a matter of time now before he really got into his new album. "So you wanna hear some new tracks do you? This is exclusively for you. This will be the first time I've played these songs live so hope you enjoy them." He gives a count of three, jumping right into the Motown inspired, Hide, wit his leather jacket and stylishly cool slicked back hair. He almost looked as if he belonged in the 50's and was dropped off to give off his air of coolness to those around him. His solo was nothing less than short of amazing. In fact, any chance of getting to thrive in the spotlight, Hayden was taking it. His voice was enough to make the ladies in the audience swoon but the guys were cool with it because he was cool. To follow up with his grasp on his sex appeal, he immediately went into his free track, Girl, which was a real turn around for someone like Hayden in terms of music. He was used to having the well thought-provoking, brooding tracks but this one was fun and even included some rap skills from the singer. The beat, which was a mixture of something you'd heard from an old Justin Timberlake album and a little reminiscent of 'Blurred Lines' melody, Hayden had created something of his own to show he wasn't stuck in his old sounds anymore and he could keep up with the times without completely selling himself out. The crowd was loving it, as they sang along with him, his high falsettos garnering more screams as well as his some well deserved whistles and such. He smirked, enjoying the attention, but also because he knew his songs live, probably sounded a lot better than on his album. He knew it didn't do his tracks justice and he loved playing them live. It was almost as if the crowd wasn't expecting to hear what they did.



Following that performance with an already revved up crowd, he'd go into Dancing Shoes, a jazz inspired track which re-introduced the horns to his performance. For this performance, it sounds more like a pep rally as he's cheering on the home team and the audience is somehow caught in the middle. The song was one big dance party in its own right, even Hayden seemed to want to dance a little, as he was rocking back and forth. He was somewhat of a showman but he also knew dancing wasn't quite his expertise as playing guitar was. Hearing the crowd during the bridge was something you had to be there to hear, as the thunderous 'Na na nas' can be heard ringing from the front to the back and onstage. There wasn't a still fan in the house as he played on, going to the more sullen track, Mad. Even though the song was slowed down a little, this did nothing to shake his energy. And from that, he went on to the popular folk song, Is There More? He chose to do this strictly for time purposes, but the crowd didn't seem too disappointed in not hearing the full version live, as they were too busy being mesmerized by the foot stomping track he was playing now. He began to form beads of sweat on his face. It was hot and the beginning of June so of course he had worked up a sweat by performing.

"Please don't die on me now, Comsos Fest! I'm just getting warmed up!" Hayden meant it too. He still had a few tracks up his sleeve that he was about to pull out, starting with two of his favorite tracks on his album because of their authenticity and unique sounds. They also both have a sort of simple sound to them that at the same time seems fuller and more interesting because of it. The first one, She Just Looked Better To Me But You're Alright, has hints of early 90's west coast hip hop in the beat. Hayden isn't known for his fancy costumes, his dancing, or even his dramatic stage lights. He's known for entertaining in the only way he knows how; instruments. He was a pro when it was just him and a guitar, even acoustic driven performances he could manage to turn into a great show. It was in his blood to perform, he knew that and somehow his fans knew that as well. As he looked out into the crowd, he couldn't help but to grin as well. His fans were smart and managed to catch on fast when it came to the lyrics. Some were mumbling, some knew every line before he could get it out, but they cared enough to sing along. It was the same with LSD, except this track was more slowed down with the psychedelic rock in effect. It too had the foot stomps driving it as his voice echoed to the audience. "Sing it if you know it!" His voice had changed significantly since he was a young boy in the industry, deeper and less squeaky as before. It fit him on this track as his voice thundered over the PA system.



When the song ended, it seemed he was finished. He thanked the crowd, appreciating their interest. "How about I give you another? Another track okay with you?" The sound of cheers came roaring in as he signaled to the band to gear up for another song. He decided to take them back to his first album, leaving on a high note. His song, Criminal, started to be formed together with the band as he nods his head to the beat while he begins to sing. During the chorus, you can hear the excitement from them, Hayden really capitalizing on his chance at being a headliner. He was giving a show of a lifetime, at least he thought so in his eyes. It wasn't as if he had many chances when the industry basically saw him as maybe a C list player. He was determined to show that once you saw Hayden, you instantly thought different of him as opposed to his online personality. Once he was finished, he bowed at the crowd. "Thank you! You were wonderful! My album is in stores on the 13th!" He waved as the crowd was applauding for him and wanting more but unfortunately, his time had run out.