Versaemerge

VersaEmerge was formed by former drummer Anthony Martone and guitarist/vocalist Blake Harnage back when both members were in high school. Although the duo instantly experienced regional success selling out their first ever gig and gaining critical acclaim in their local music scene, it wasn’t until the band solidified their line-up—which currently includes guitarist Harnage, vocalist Sierra Kusterbeck and bassist Devin Ingelido—that things really started happening for this dedicated group of young adults. “When Sierra first tried out for the band we didn’t know what to expect,” Harnage explains, adding that the then sixteen-year-old female vocalist lied about her age in order to land an audition. “She’s always been amazingly talented, but now she’s learning how to use that talent to its full potential.” At the age most of us would be concerned with sneaking into R-rated movies, VersaEmerge were busy crafting an EP of original material called Perceptions that attracted the attention of Fueled By Ramen Records. In addition to listening to everything from Björk to Thrice during their free time, the band have toured with artists in nearly every genre and taken a little bit from each of these varied experiences in order to come up with something completely unique and unprecedented when it comes to their own music. “We’ve gone on tour with everyone from dance-pop to metal bands,” Harnage explains with a laugh. “I guess people seem to think that we can play with pretty much anyone.” The band has toured with everyone from Chiodos to We The Kings; and more recently, the band spent time refining their new material and releasing their debut EP for Fueled By Ramen with James Paul Wisner (New Found Glory, Underoath). Currently, they are writing and recording for their new full-length effort for Fueled By Ramen and just finished the entirety of the 2009 Vans Warped Tour. On September 19th, 2009 it was announced on his Twitter page that drummer Anthony Martone, a founding member of VersaEmerge, would be parting ways with the band. Spencer Peterson, of the disbanded Hidden in Plain View, revealed via Twitter that he would be filling in as drummer for Versa's upcoming fall tour. The band will be opening for Boys Like Girls and Cobra Starship alongside The Maine and A Rocket To The Moon. Jerry Pierce announced his parting with the band on November 29, 2009 with a message on Twitter stating that the day's show was his "Last show with VE". He stated that his leaving was because of "Family stuff. It has nothing to do with my band-mates- they're my best friends in the world I just cant keep touring as much as VE does :(" on November 22. The band began writing and recording for their upcoming full-length for Fueled By Ramen immediately after they wrapped Warped Tour and are presumably set to release the album sometime in the first half of 2010.