Breaking Laces

Breaking Laces is:
Willem Hartong: guitar, vocals
Rob Chojnacki: bass guitar, keyboards, backing vocals
Seth Masarsky: drums, percussion, harve

Breaking Laces is a three-piece alternative acoustic rock band from Brooklyn, NY, with the rare ability to sound completely original but at the same time recognizable, combining stellar songwriting and organic musicianship with electronics and a guitar sound that pushes the envelope of "acoustic" to create a sound that is fresh, accessible, and at times, mind-blowing

With a description like that, it's no surprise that it's hard to place Breaking Laces' music within a certain category. Various comparisons they've received over the years: Death Cab for Cutie meets Martin Sexton, Weezer meets Cat Stevens, even Squeeze meets Radiohead

"There are a lot of bands that we say we're like, and we're compared to a lot of bands," explains lead singer and guitarists Billy Hartong, "but the thing about our music is that it's as much about a feel as it is the actual sound. We go out and play music the way we would want to hear it; we are extremely serious about having a good time.

Breaking Laces began with a grassroots vision and big time goals, and after years of fever touring, they built a loyal following. They were declared the 2006 Best Band in NYC by Indie Sounds NY, scored the honor of being the XM Radio Artist in Residence for June 2007, and flat out won the 2007 National Starbuck's Music Makers Competition

The band's studio performances on their albums Sohcahtoa (2003) and Lemonade (2005) and their 2006 EP, Astronomy Is My Life But I Love You, are only a small part of the Breaking Laces experience. In concert, they're a force to be reckoned with, with a dynamic mastery of sound which allows them to capture the attention of any crowd

"When people come up and ask me what Breaking Laces are like," says Hartong, "I just say, 'Hey, we're good...but whether or not you're going to like us, that's up to you.' But I do think we're the kind of band where the more you get to know us, the more you're going to like us.

Festivals/Awards:
Winner 2007 Starbucks MusicMaker's Competition
XMU Artist In Residence at XMU (XM43) for June 2007
Named Best Band in NYC 2006 (IndieSoundsNY)
Astronomy EP on many top ten lists for 2006
CMJ Radio National Top 200 for both Sohcahtoa and Lemonade LPs
CMJ 2007/2006/2005/2003
UK Tour 2008/2005
NEMO 2006/2007
NXNE 2004/2006
SXSW Showcase 2008/2004
Fleshpot Festival 2006/2005
SummerFest 2007
MidPoint Music Festival 2007
Dewey Beach Festival 2006/2005
Camplified Tour 2008
Featured XM Live! concerts 2003, 2007...top 5 of all time, only repeat visitor

Stats:
Total CDs sold in excess of 26,000
Sold Digital Downloads in excess of 90,000
Email list over 17,000
450+ shows in 4 years
Over 51,000 plays on Myspace and 2900+ friends
3 very sexy guy