The Outer Vibe

The Outer Vibe Bio:

Formed in 2000, The Outer Vibe is currently made up of five friends (four guys and a girl) from the suburbs of Grand Rapids, Michigan. Evolving over more than a decade, the band’s popularity stems from their energetic and fun live shows, their mastery of creative pop songwriting, and a “hard work always wins” independent approach. They created themselves a sound reminiscent of Maroon 5’s hooks and rhythms laced with the confident vocals and showmanship of Queen’s Freddie Mercury, and one of the band’s best-liked characteristics that shines through during their performances is the genuine friendship among all five members.
The band’s humble beginnings included endless 8:00 A.M. Saturday rehearsals in guitarist Nick Hosford’s parents’ house to write the first songs and learn the first covers, giant home cooked meals around the dining room table at every practice, and a driving determination to cut a record, book shows, and start the journey of professional touring musicians. Hosford booked their first show before they even had a name for themselves, so the name “The Outer Vibe” quickly surfaced – “vibe” suggesting music, and “outer” because they wanted their audience to understand their music’s differences from other rock bands of the time. In January 2001, less than two months after the band formed, the excited teens recorded their first eight original songs in a local studio in an artsy corner of Grand Rapids called Eastown. Hosford’s parents bought the band a small trailer for hauling gear to their shows, which they outgrew in less than a year because they began traveling with a sound system and lights to earn more gigs and better pay – partly to pay back Hosford’s parents and partly to buy more and better gear. The first hundred or so shows, the band members were too young to hang out in the places they played.
Hosford and lead singer Sean Zuidgeest graduated from high school in 2002 and pursued college degrees in music performance and audio engineering at Grand Rapids Community College, in addition to booking the band more shows throughout Michigan and working part-time jobs. Their 2003 album Pretty Good began as a project for a recording tech class and evolved into a full-length CD recorded and mixed by Hosford and mastered by their teacher. Piece by piece, the band members purchased the gear necessary to create their own recording studio.
Hosford and Zuidgeest met trumpeter Lisa Kacos in college, and Andrew Dornoff (one of Hosford’s guitar students at the time) took over the bass guitar. Surrounded by classically-trained musicians and new creative friends in music school, the band expanded their already-eclectic style with the 2006 release of Games We Play, the first album flavored by Kacos’ trumpet and keyboards, along with Latin drums and percussion by Luis Trejo, a friend who drummed with the band for a year before moving back home to Venezuela.
Most of the band members finished college; Hosford and Kacos continued studying to earn Master’s degrees in music while the band toured more than ever, branching into the Midwest states that surround Michigan. They won several battle-of-the-bands, sold out large venues regularly, and performed with national bands such as: REO Speedwagon, The Tubes, Starship, We The Kings, Days of the New, Electric Six, Local H, The Verve Pipe, Caroline’s Spine, Sponge, Lucky Boys Confusion, Mustard Plug, Primer 55, and Bliss 66. The members agreed that, in addition to their lengthy list of covers containing mostly classic rock and top 40 hits, they needed to refine their original sound into a more polished brand of their own that would still be easily accepted by pop/rock listeners. They earned a reputation for a high-energy, must-see live show full of antics, crowd participation, and an overall fun atmosphere, and they wanted their original songs to portray the same energy and contagious fun. Using money they earned playing shows, they upgraded most of the studio’s gear and started recording again. Monster EP was released in May 2009 – only four tracks, partly because the band was between drummers and partly because they felt their sound was about halfway to where it should be before pursuing agents and talent buyers at the next level.
The Outer Vibe needed a new drummer, so they posted an ad on Grand Rapids Craigslist. Within five minutes of posting the ad, drummer Jeff Brems was the first to respond, and less than 30 minutes later, he arrived at the band cave for the grand tour. He left with a list of 75 songs to learn, both originals and covers. The band interviewed more than a dozen drummers and purposely did not call any of them back to see who would step up to the challenge; Brems appeared a month later, armed with the learned songs and a never-ending optimism.
In 2009, The Outer Vibe partnered with the Michigan State University Community Music School (the local music outreach program run by MSU’s College of Music, Kacos’s alma mater) to start up a highly successful summer Rock Camp, a program designed to teach musical teens everything there is to know about being in a band. MSU faculty approached The Outer Vibe after observing the amiable, professionally-run group of role models during a concert. Since its first year at MSU, Rock Camp has expanded into all corners of Michigan and continues to impact the lives of several hundred teen musicians from across the country as The Outer Vibe teaches that hard work, passion, and setting goals can lead to unforgettable experiences, friendships, and new levels of musicianship.
Hosford took advantage of a great opportunity to buy a house close to his parents, and decided to convert the unfinished basement into a state-of-the-art recording studio, rehearsal space, and living quarters. This was the first time the band rehearsed somewhere different from Hosford’s mom’s dining room she had graciously provided for the band for almost 10 years. The Outer Vibe now uses the space to rehearse and record not only themselves, but other local musicians. All five members currently teach music lessons in the energy-efficient, vibrantly-painted studio.
The sudden death of Hosford’s father in June 2010, while shocking to family, friends, and fans, strengthened the bond between the already-closer-than-family band members. The five band mates and some close friends formed the White Lightning Motorcycle Club, an alter-ego to The Outer Vibe, as a nod toward “Wild Bill Hosford,” and now the band enjoys riding motorcycles during their summer tours as long as they have a reliable driver to take charge of the tour rig. In August 2011, they took a two-week bike trip out West to experience America’s natural beauty and ride some of the most challenging motorcycle trails while recharging and preparing to write and record their projected 2012 album.
The Outer Vibe’s 2012 full-length album, “Hoka Hey,” combines the culmination of many learning experiences and projects from the past with the forward thinking and optimism of what’s to come. The album’s name is a quote from the legendary chief Crazy Horse during times of war, and is also the name of an annual motorcycle race across the country. Translated to, “it’s a beautiful day to die,” the saying is better understood as a sense of urgency to live life to its fullest and to live fearlessly today, not tomorrow. Inspired by their motorcycle trip out West, the band members unanimously agreed that titling the album “Hoka Hey” best described their recent life experiences and the underlying theme throughout most of the album’s songs.
At any live show, it is common to hear the audience commenting that the band members are obviously the best of friends, clearly portrayed from their big smiles and positive energy together onstage. They’re a group that has an annual band Christmas party, complete with Secret Santa gifts for each other, and give each other custom made birthday cards. They also spend time off from gigs vacationing together at attractions like Niagara Falls and Yellowstone on motorcycles. One can often spot The Outer Vibe’s tour bus and trailer on any given day of the week around 4:00 A.M., stopped at a Midwest gas station in the pouring rain as the five members, laughing hysterically, apply Rain-X to the bus’ massive windshield so the driver (Hosford) can see where he’s going; typical occurrences in the life of this persistent independent band.

Current members:
Nick Hosford (electric, classical, and 12-string guitars, musical saw, backing vocals) 2000-present
Sean Zuidgeest (lead vocals, acoustic guitar, harmonica) 2000-present
Lisa Kacos (trumpet, keyboards, backing vocals) 2003-present
Andrew Dornoff (bass, rhythm guitar) 2006-present
Jeff Brems (drums, percussion) 2008-present

Past members:
Matt Alberts (drums, percussion, backing vocals) 2000-2004, 2007-2008
Kyle Elkins (bass, backing vocals) 2000-2005
Luis Trejo (drums, percussion, backing vocals) 2004-2006
Tyler Steimle (bass) 2005-2006
Nano Paulson (drums) 2006
Dan Leonard (bass, saxophone) 2006-2008
Dan Bouley (drums, backing vocals) 2006-2007
Dan Syswerda (euphonium, saxophone, keyboards, accordion) 2006-2007