Christian band hopes to take off

On Friday, Nov. 12, Christcore band Nigh is the Hour played at Northville’s Pink Chicken. The local quintet is made up of Ken Carmen, Jon Ostrander, Eric Turner, Jake Dietrich and Jon Kiernan.

When asked what inspired the name Nigh Is The Hour, Ostrander stated, “It’s from lyrics for the Christian metal band Crimson Armada, but what we get out of it is Jesus is coming and time is short.

The band members gets most of their inspiration from the Bible and their faith in Jesus.

“We take verses and base the music off of that,” Carmen said. Ostrander said, “The music is a testament of our faith.” As to why they got professionally involved in music, Dietrich said, he “just got bored.”

Carmen said, “We all just got together, started playing and took things from there.”

Ostrander responded with, “I went over to Coke and Toast to see what they were doing, and I picked up a guitar. Everyone went along with it, and I always wanted to do a ministry with metal.”

Turner got involved in music when Ostrander asked if he wanted to be the vocalist in newly formed Nigh is the Hour.

All the members of Nigh is the Hour had some musical background before becoming involved seriously. Turner played percussion in the school band for several years.

Ostrander, a music major at SUNY?Plattsburgh, said that writing helps a lot with his music. Dietrich played guitar before switching over to drums. Carmen started playing acoustic guitar two years ago.

Both Ostrander and Dietrich said they always wanted to be in a band.

Carmen said, “I always wanted to be in a band, but I never thought I’d be in a hardcore band.” If there’s one band that Nigh Is The Hour would most love to open up for, it’s the famous Christian Screamo band The Devil Wears Prada. The band has already opened for popular band The Gun Show.

As for which band they’d like most to open up for them, they answered as a group with, “We love every band, we can’t pick one to open up for us. We’d love to do a tour with A Mourning Envy and As Our Heroes Burn.” If they couldn’t be musicians, what would the occupations be for Nigh is the Hour? Carmen said that he would be a math teacher. Ostrander said he’d love to open up his own music studio. Turner said he would be a respiratory therapist. Dietrich said he would probably work in the business side of the music world, perhaps in Ostrander’s studio. Kiernan said if he couldn’t be a musician, he would open a restaurant called “Nigh is the Hour to Eat.” Part of being in a band is, of course, the occasional embarrassing moment that will happen while on stage. Nigh is the Hour was willing to share some of their funny moments.

Ostrander said he once had a guitar strap snap on him.

Turner said he has messed up lyrics accidentally.

Dietrich says that he’s once broken three pairs of drumsticks at a show.

Carmen said, “I screw up all the time.”

As a group, though, the whole band’s worst moment was when they had to play at a graduation party to a group of senior citizens. They all kept asking for Johnny Cash. When asked where in the world they would most like to tour and who they’d like to tour with, Dietrich said he’d love to tour Mongolia with the band We Came As Romans.

Ostrander said that he’d love to tour South America with The Devil Wears Prada.

Turner said that he’d love to tour Australia and Europe, with August Burns Red on the European tour. Carmen, too, wants to tour Australia and Europe, but with the band Creations.

Kiernan would enjoy touring Europe, too, also with The Devil Wears Prada.

Asked what they would do if they could do any one thing, they each had a unique answer. Ostrander said that he would love to stand on stage with The Devil Wears Prada.

Turner said that he would perform a lifesaving surgery. Dietrich said he would love to play the first show on the moon.

Carmen would like most to be in the starting lineup in the World Cup final for the U.S. national soccer team.

Kiernan said, “I’d love to go on a huge tour and then come back and play a show in my hometown.” The band members said they are shocked at their success so far. They recently signed a deal to record for Red Cord Records.

“We didn’t see this happening, nor going this far this quickly,” Turner said. Dietrich gave an enthusiastic, “Six months and we’re signed!”

Carmen said, “I honestly didn’t see this going anywhere at all.” In 10 years, Nigh is the Hour sees themselves touring with well-known and established bands, as well as visiting other countries. They also said that they see the band growing closer together, as well as making an impact on people.

“We want people to not know our names, but know that we’re there for Jesus,” Carmen said. “That we’re just a bunch of normal guys who are Christians, because the advancement of God’s Kingdom is what’s most important.”

Gretta Marino is a junior at Broadalbin-Perth High School.