~Photos by Trish Cassling, 102.1 The Edge, Global News, GreaterTorontoDay, LiveMusic, Mill Street Brew Pub, Not Country, The Edge, Toronto, Ubiquitous Synergy Seeker, USS Awesome, Entertainment, Music
Late Thursday afternoon we headed to the Mill Street Brew Pub to check out USS [UBIQUITOUS SYNERGY SEEKER]. Stripped right down, the guys looked happy and super comfortable in this environment. Human Kebab announced at the start of set that they'd be buying everyone a round which was met with a round of applause and cheers.
The Brew Pub was the last stop of the day for Ash "Boo-Schultz" Buchholz and Human Kebab, aka Jason Parsons, who were hanging out in Toronto, doing their part for #GreaterTorontoDay. Also in attendance was Global News anchor Cheryl Hickey who had the honour of doing "the throw" for the live TV audience. It was a great surprise for the all in attendance who enjoyed the performance, the free beer and the company of the band after their songs.
We were treated to acoustic (no speakers, no mic, no amps) versions of Who's With Me and Work Shoes, and the songs off the new album felt like old favourites. Great energy, great beer and a final act of kindness by the band.
We had a chance to ask USS about their day, the music and lots of other things. Check out their answers below.
Q. New World Alphabet was released in January (the 13th), you toured for a month and now you've got a handful of dates in Ontario, how is the music being received live?
Related - New World Alphabet: USS Album Review
USS: People are responding to our new music in a way that we have never quite seen before. They are singing and dancing and connecting with us from the crowd to our stage like they've known New World Alphabet their whole lives. It gives our band an immense sense of accomplishment going back to the early days of writing the music in California.
Q. What made you want to get involved with #GreaterTorontoDay?
USS: Toronto is the city where it all began for USS. We are forever indebted to this city and its residents that have embraced our band from our humble beginnings to now. We feel that it is our civic duty to try to give back to the very place that rewards us all everyday.
Q. Tell us about your stops on Greater Toronto Day?
USS: We made two incredible visits to well known USS fans with two completely separate lives; a gentlemen in insurance and a female lifeguard. We made stealth visits to their workplaces and COMPLETELY surprised them both. You should have seen their faces. As we started to perform songs for both of these people, we really shared a moment with them and in their personal lives. From downtown Toronto to Scarborough, it was truly a Greater Toronto experience!
Q. I understand that you do your own social media, that's very cool. What's your favourite thing about the social connection?
USS: Social media is extremely rewarding to do ourselves because you really get to understand and appreciate the people that support your music. You see their faces and their posts and learn a little bit about their lives and how they relate to your lyrics and moments live and in person. Being active on social media is the very reason why we know our fellow Torontonian's face-to-face and thus had a successful experience seeing them once again on Greater Toronto Day.
Q. Do you give a lot of thought to wardrobe? Comfort, style etc?
USS: Wardrobe is the key to driving home the message in our music. Be yourself and don't take things too seriously. That's how we wear our respective styles everyday when we walk out the door and also during performances and appearances. Ash currently prefers a lighter fashion sense that parallels his physically active and zen-like lifestyle whereas I delved deep into entertainment mode with dark Gotstyle suits and winged orange Adidas shoes.
Q. What's the biggest difference between 2007 and 2017 USS?
USS: We are both very comfortable and confident in our music, performances and ourselves in 2017. We both know all of our strengths and apply those to every single aspect of USS. Starting a band is an arduous and tricky endeavor that involves a lot of early good feelings: seeing it through for over ten years is living it.
Q. You were announced as one of the early headliners for the CNE this summer, are you excited to get back on the Bandshell stage for the all-ages crowd?
USS: Four years ago when we first played the CNE we had never witnessed the true feeling of coming home and playing the city that started it all for us. To look out onto that sea of people during the summer at one of our most cherished Toronto events was truly a once in a lifetime experience. To do it again and after having grown as a band and learned so much since 2013 we are grateful, ecstatic and as hyped up as the Toronto Maple Leafs most recent playoff run.
Q. Last question - what are you listening to?
Thanks to 102.1 The Edge and Global TV for having us out and congrats to the team for their awesome work on #GreaterTorontoDay.
You can find USS at these fine internet locations.
Facebook: USSMusic
Twitter: USSMusic
Instagram: USSMusicBandsinTown: USSMusic
Spotify: USSMusic
Google Play: USSMusic
iTunes: USS
