It’s a typical Monday morning for Evin Daniels. He’s kneading 12-ounce dough balls into a greased, aluminum rectangular pan.
“The trick is to make sure the oil doesn’t get on top of the dough . . . it could make a really big mess,” Daniels said.
When he isn’t tossing and saucing dough at his local pizza shop or attending college in hopes to land a teaching career, Daniels plays drums and schedules weekend jaunts with his three-piece band, seizing the opportunity to see the country for little or no money.
“I really started to book mini-tours within the last year,” Daniels said. “It’s like having an all-expenses-paid vacation. If I could do a tour and see a new state or a new city I’ve never been to, and only spend 20 or 30 bucks, it’s really not that big of a deal.”
Daniels describes his new band, Outside, as alternative rock, a loud three-piece in which all three members contribute in the writing process. The band includes guitarist/vocalist Sean Casey, bassist Cody Harris, and Daniels on drums/vocals. Daniels has played in hardcore/punk bands in the past (the last of which was with Harris on vocals), but Outside leans more on the alternative side, heavily influenced by alternative giants Dinosaur Jr., Counting Crows, and Goo Goo Dolls.
Daniels’ attitude coincides with a new generation of rock band, one with members that have a backup plan and are not concerned with making a livable wage as a musician. Daniels is studying to become a math teacher, Casey is planning to attend school in the fall, and Harris has other plans apart from the music scene. Playing a majority of house shows and small bars while on tour, the band typically breaks even for the night or nets only about $20 or $30 in profit.
“I have to plan around school, and we all have individual lives that come first,” Daniels said. “If I could make some money with music, that would be great, but it’s not the ultimate goal. I would just like to travel and meet people.”
Touring on a budget is a must for a band who wants to see the sights. Outside has mastered the art of networking, traveling to states where they have made friends with other bands. They’re able to book shows with these bands and often land a floor on which to sleep. The band plans to embark on their next weekend jaunt early next year in Daniels’ Honda Fit with minimal equipment.
“We’re sharing a bass amp while on tour, so we just have to carry guitars and drums. All the shows have a sound system already,” Daniels said.
Outside’s next mini-tour will kick off in their hometown of Monroe, MI on Thursday, January 8. Other stops include Athens, OH, Cleveland, and Pittsburgh, PA. Toledo’s Ottawa Tavern has a provided a home for the members of Outside for more than a year. The band plays its next show there on Thursday, December 18.
“I have the ability to express myself through music. I’ve made a lot of great friends, whether it’s from playing shows or going to shows,” Daniels said, pressing the last of the morning’s dough into the pan. “There. That’ll make the perfect pizza.”
See Outside at the Ottawa Tavern, 1817 Adams St. on Thursday, December 18 or Wednesday, December 31 (New Year’s Eve). Listen at gooutside.bandcamp.com.