2020 was devastating for the entire music industry: bands, venues, guitar techs, event staff, everything. Especially for a band that released their monstrous sophomore album on March 13, 2020: Stitched Up Heart.
Their second album release The Darkness came out exactly right before California Governor (Gavin Newsom) shut the state down; Stitched Up Heart was put on pause. But during that rollercoaster year, they reserved & kept that album release energy for 4 hard hitting dates, and finished it at Upheaval Fest in Grand Rapids, Michigan.
During our pre set interview, Alecia "Mixi" Demner discussed how she at first thought before these dates if she would remember how it felt to be on stage again, but those doubts were very quickly washed away, just like the memory of 2020.
When Stitched Up Heart took to the stage, no dust had settled on their shoulders and they had fans roaring the entire time. If you only heard their music through a playlist online, and never saw a band photograph, you would automatically assume they were a five piece band, when in fact they are just the traditional four; their sound is just larger than life.
I was very curious how well from they would transition from studio recording to live presence, as I ironically have never seen them before since we’re both in Southern California.
Mixi is the complete musician & front woman, her stature is commanding on stage, while her voice knows how to hit your soul. Guitarist Merritt Goodwin, is an absolute shredder and his riffs sound just as good live as they do on record. For Bassist Randy Mathias his sound actually comes out more live than from studio work, which I love that as it compliments with Goodwin and adds another layer of heaviness to the band. For drummer James Decker, he absolutely rips and his style reminds me very much of original Korn drummer David Silveria.
It is said that no band ever has a perfect set, well for Stitched Up Heart at Upheaval fest, it was pretty damn perfect.
Check out Mixi and I’s pre set interview below and as we have fun discussing monster flavors, 2020, her collaboration with Sully from Godsmack and more.