MANSFIELD — The first Newsroom After Hours show of the 2024 season will draw from local and regional talent for a goth and punk rock show on Friday, May 17.
Richland Source is collaborating with Henry Screen Printing for this show.
Jake Henry, who owns Henry Screen Printing with his wife Jillian, said the pair wanted to host headliner Academy Order in Mansfield during the band’s tour.
“Academy’s lead Matthew used to sing in a couple other bands that Divebomb toured with back in the day,” Henry said.
“They reached out to see if we could book a date for them, and we try to book things where we’re not competing with other music shows. It ended up working out to collaborate with Richland Source for Newsroom After Hours.”
Henry Screen Printing offers custom screen printing and embroidery services for clothing and other merchandise. Jake Henry said he and Jillian have also been hosting music shows around Mansfield.
“My goal is if people see Henry Screen Printing on a flier or wherever, they’ll know it’s something me and Jill are involved in and we know that the people performing are good musicians and will make it a good time,” he said.
“I think it’s really cool that Richland Source can accommodate a touring band like Academy Order too, and give people the chance to see something new.”
Doors are scheduled to open at 7 p.m. in the Idea Works basement. The basement’s address is 40 West Temple Court, located west of the Relax, It’s Just Coffee parking lot.
The free show includes food provided by Doc’s Deli and beer (21+) from Phoenix Brewing.
Lee McIntosh of Potent Studios will be in charge of lights and visual production for 2024 After Hours shows.
Raven Starr
Mansfield native and Ashland High School graduate Raven Starr will open Friday’s show. It will be their first solo live performance.
“The last time I was on stage was at an open mic night probably 10 years ago,” Starr said. “I think the first time I sang publicly was at my high school during lunch when someone had brought in Guitar Hero and I did a Sublime song.
“I had my eyes closed the whole time, and when I opened them there was a crowd that had gathered. It was a very Hollywood movie vibe.”
Starr said they’re grateful to the Henrys for listening to their music and suggesting them for the After Hours lineup.
“I didn’t even know they had even heard my music,” Starr said. “It’s really nice to know that so many people believe in me and what I’m doing. I hope that at this show and all my future shows that I can give the audience a good time.”
Starr described the music as a combination of electronic body music, goth, techno and industrial. Their current influences include Ministry, Nine Inch Nails and Go_A.
“I got made fun of for listening to electronic music but when I was an adult, I figured ‘Screw it, I’m my own person and I can like what I like,’ ” Starr said.
“That’s my goal for the audience, too. I want to help create an environment where you can dance, sing, just for it to be a release for everyone. I want everyone who’s there to see that they can just let down their mask and be their weird selves.”
Raven Starr is on Spotify, Instagram, Facebook and TikTok.
MK Ultra
Punk rock and alternative band MK Ultra is based in the Cleveland and Akron area, but three of its members are from Ashland.
Vocalist and guitarist Paul Murray along with lead guitarist Nick Schaffner and bass guitarist Matt Long are all Ashland natives. The drummer Matt Grasse is from Canton.
The band played at Ashland’s Springfest last month.
“I was actually in a different band that was scheduled to play After Hours in 2020, but of course, that didn’t work out,” Murray said.
“We’ve formed a new band since then and we’re getting excited, just trying to do a lot of shows around the area.”
Murray said some listeners have compared MK Ultra to Arctic Monkeys and The Killers.
“We have a good amount of an old rock sound mixed with punk and alternative, so we have a little something for everyone,” he said. “Our top song on Spotify is called ‘Lost With You,’ which is more of a softer alt rock song.”
Murray said his goal for MK Ultra’s set on Friday is for attendees to have one of the band’s songs stuck in their heads.
“We try to make songs that are not only memorable and catchy, but also ones that resonate and stick with people,” he said. “If we can make that happen and have a ton of fun while doing it, then that’s awesome.”
MK Ultra is on Spotify and Instagram.
Academy Order
Lead vocalist Matthew Green said it’s difficult to categorize his band’s genre.
“On the simplest of terms, I’d say we’re a spooky punk band, but it’s more than that,” he said. “We also play some death rock, hardcore punk and the 80s metal rock sound.”
Norelle Green, Matthew’s wife, plays the synth and is a backing vocalist. Henry Hall is the band’s bass player, with Chris May on drums and Holden Morgan on guitar. The band is based in Philadelphia and is currently on tour across the continental United States.
Their latest album was produced by Protagonist Records.
“ ‘A New Kind of Fear’ is like a eulogy,” Green said. “In the last two months of touring, I experienced two deaths and this is mourning those.
“What I want from this tour and for our audiences is to reach people that need to be reached. I want the show to be a comfortable place to be upset.”
Green said his first musical influences as a kindergartner were mostly from his mother’s record collection.
“My mom had Buddy Holly, the Stray Cats, a lot of the classic stuff,” he said. “I listened to Blink-182 for the first time around third grade.
“I didn’t play any music in a band until another kid in my neighborhood also liked punk rock when we were around 12.”
Academy Order completed its first tour about a year ago and Green said the members are revisiting some familiar towns.
“There’s a very real scene developing and a fanbase for us in South Dakota,” the New York native said. “We played Rapid City in November at a punk house and the whole vibe was awesome.
“It’s been extremely humbling to get in front of rooms of strangers that have become fans. Every time we revisit a city, there’s been at least a couple fans from the last time.”
Green said Friday’s show will be Academy Order’s debut in Ohio, though he’s played Ohio venues with other bands. Academy Order will also include stops in Columbus and Cincinnati.
The band plans to record a new record in June.
Academy Order is on Spotify, Instagram, Bandcamp and YouTube.
Skate Ohio to offer pop-up games of skate at After Hours
Skate Ohio is also bringing skate ramps and rails to set up in the Temple Court alley for Friday’s show. Skaters are welcome to bring their own boards and join the group for mystery games of skate.
“We have some things planned but we’re also keeping it loose and just seeing what people want to do,” said co-founder of Skate Ohio B.J. Price.
“We’re going to do some giveaways too for the games of skate — we have a Skate Mansfield deck, a couple skateboards, some Stoke Run passes, shirts and things like that.”
Price said he plans to have the ramps open around 7 p.m. and through the duration of the show.
“This will be the first pop-up that we’re doing,” Price said. “Adam (McElroy) and I would definitely like to do more of that or give people some notice that we’ll be at a different park so they can come out if they’re free.
“A lot of the big national skating events usually have live music, so I think it will be a little taste of that. We should be out of the way of the music too, but if anyone wants to watch the skating, they can come do that and go back inside for the music.”
Raven Starr will open Friday’s show around 7:30 p.m. followed by MK Ultra and Academy Order. Musicians will also have merchandise available for purchase.
