No rest for road-weary Mae

By Paul Lane
NIAGARA GAZETTE (NIAGARA FALLS, N.Y.)

NIAGARA FALLS, N.Y. Sat, May 17 2008

— Having made three visits to the Eastern Hemisphere prior to stops in Japan and Australia last month, Dave Elkins is used to overcoming jet lag.
That didn’t help much this time, though. The Mae lead singer returned stateside with his bandmates soon after a March 3 show in Perth, Australia, and immediately had to prepare a headlining U.S. tour that kicked off Sunday in Philadelphia. That tour visits Buffalo on Saturday before heading west.
Despite having only a few days to regroup, Elkins is glad for the experience.
The band has enjoyed more success in Japan than in more places, he said, perhaps thanks to a fluke; Mae means “beauty,” “in front” or “bright” in Japanese depending on its usage, which no one in the band realized when the name (which stands for multi-sensory aesthetic experience) was devised.
“It was absolutely one of my favorite shows Mae has ever played,” he said of the band’s Tokyo show in February. “Just seeing over 1,000 Japanese faces singing along to our songs was great.”
Large crowds are also expected at the upcoming tour, which is in support of the band’s latest record. “Singularity” reached the Billboard top 40 in Mae’s major label debut this past summer but has forced the band to reconsider how it connects with fans in the digital age, as Elkins said people continually clamor for more of a connection with the group.
To that end, band members have frequently blogged on the Internet and made an effort to revamp live shows.
The latest tour includes a video complement to the stage performance, with footage shot by the band during its travels; the set list will be synched up with the video to create a multi-layered element, Elkins said.
A video journal and Webisodes are also being offered during the tour.
“We’re trying different things out, trying to get more visual with production,” he said. “We really wanted that to be the focal point of our band, just try and do things outside the box ... we’re really wanting to help people escape from life.”
In addition to offering an escape, Mae will help raise funds for Habitat for Humanity. For $5, fans can come to a venue when the doors open to hear an acoustic Mae set and lob requests at the band.
Having worked with Toys for Tots to raise Christmas gifts for children this past winter, Elkins is happy to give back.
“We have just really wanted to use out platform to help people,” he said. “You write songs and people tell you how they affect you, and that changes over time for the greater good. But that’s not enough.”
Plans are to work on another album after this tour concludes in late April, with Elkins having at least 15 songs in his head that he’s ready to record. All of the work, he hopes, is to the benefit of his band’s followers.
“It’s always very important for your fan base to know you care. Ask them what keeps them connected to you,” he said.
“They’re the ones who pay our bills. They’re the ones who facilitate our dreams.”

Paul Lane writes for the Niagara(N.Y.) Gazette.