Let Us Make A Scene

Blackpoint is vocalist, guitarist and bass player Ernesto Rivas and drummer Josh Stevens. Formed in March of 2012 the band set out to create an album designed to showcase prominent and emerging local musicians. Rivas, originally born in Okinawa, Japan grew up predominantly in North Carolina before attending Appalachian State University in Boone, North Carolina. Rivas previously played in several prominent bands including Evan City Saints, the Several Devils Band and Mandala. He is also a member of the successful local band Dirty Kin. It was during Rivas's tenure in these bands that he first met Maine native Josh Stevens, a founding member of the Gibbets. Following graduation from the University of Maine at Orono in the early 90's, Stevens moved south and has spent the last 13 years splitting time between Raleigh and Fayetteville, North Carolina. Ernesto and Josh possess a shared a passion for similar musical genres with many of the same artists responsible for shaping their individual musical styles. Both cite artists including Nirvana, the Pixies, the Lemonheads, Built to Spill, Band of Horses, Wilco, Elliott Smith and Andrew Bird, among others, as extremely significant influences on their sound. Beginning in March 2012 at Digital Wave Studios in Fayetteville, North Carolina they began work on their forthcoming album Let Us Make a Scene. Produced by Stevens with Chris Alley serving as Co Producer and engineered by Andy Pow, the band began to recruit contributing musicians. With notable names including Brad Muffett, Derek Lee Bishop, Aaron Bradley and Search Theory, Blackpoint were able to craft an album spanning numerous rock genres. Paying tribute to some of their greatest influences, Stevens and Rivas worked with local talent to match tracks and arrangements with the natural sound of the contributing artist. Whether it is Aaron Bradley's soulful vocalizing matched with Brad Muffett's exceptional guitar on Cream's classic track Badge or Search Theory's energetic contributions and unique arrangement in Everlong, each track is as unique and distinct as the artists playing on it.