The Blind Eyes

The Blind Eyes were a south St. Louis-based indie/power pop band featuring guitarist/vocalist Seth Porter, drummer Matt Picker, bassist Kevin Schneider, and guitarist Andy White. They formed in July 2007, and garnered consistent praise for their infectiously catchy songs, varied (and sometimes unconventional) songwriting style, and strong live performances. They toured regionally (including two shows at SXSW in 2012), and held the opening slot for national acts such as Ted Leo, the Greenhornes, Blake Schwarzenbach, French Kicks, Black Lips, Times New Viking, and more. The band holds the distinction of being one of very few local bands to have been featured on the cover of the St. Louis alt-weekly Riverfront Times (March 4, 2009). They played multiple live sets on various KDHX radio shows, appeared live on TV for Show-Me St. Louis, and were the subject of a PBS documentary on local music. In November 2012, the Blind Eyes were named one of Music Connection Magazine's 2012 "Hot 100 Live Unsigned Artists & Bands" in the US. The Blind Eyes released their debut album, Modernity (recorded at Firebrand Recording with producer Brian Scheffer) in March of 2009. Their sophomore album, With A Bang, was released on June 11, 2011. Upon its release, With A Bang spent four weeks at #1 on the CMJ Top 30 charts, and met with glowing reviews from local, regional, and national press. The album ended up as KDHX's #1 played album of 2011 in both the local and national categories. In November of 2014, the song "Hold Down The Fort" was named one of the 100 Greatest St. Louis Songs (#29) ever recorded in a Riverfront Times article alongside artists like Scott Joplin, Chuck Berry, and the Rolling Stones. Their final recording, the 5-song EP World Record, was released in June 2013, and was the #2 played album of 2013 on KDHX, both locally and nationally. The band held their sold-out farewell show at Off Broadway on March 15, 2014, after nearly seven years together.