From the moment of their inception, MAE have existed in the cross-sectional spaces of creation. Art and innovation. Intricacy and accessibility. Beauty and chaos. Head and heart. Theirs was a meticulous crafting of soundscapes; painstakingly deliberate and blissfully spontaneous. This multidimensional juxtaposition formed the friction point that sparked the creation of their now-classic early releases (2003’s Destination: Beautiful and 2005’s The Everglow), as well as the flame that guided their continued exploration throughout the ensuing decade (Capitol debut, Singularity, and the self-released Morning, Afternoon and Evening E.P.s). Attempts to categorize the band’s sound were made regularly and typically culminated in a hyphenated variation of the nebulous “emo” catch-all. But, the defining thread of MAE’s creation was their uncanny ability to find the heartstrings of the listener and make them resonate with a sympathetic hum. However, within those juxtapositions lay a deeper revelation of MAE’s creative direction, a foreshadowing, perhaps. It was there if you listened closely—a tension within the manuka honey melodies, a yearning in the empty spaces, a kicking at the goads of limitation within the pre-determined structures. It was a longing for transcendence, not only of genre, but of consciousness—and not only of consciousness, but of perception. It was the entire reason and impetus behind the name, an acronym for “Multisensory Aesthetic Experience,” the evolving theory that enveloped drummer, Jacob Marshall’s foray into academia. It’s no accident that MAE’s fourth studio LP bears the self-fulfilling prophecy of their namesake. Multisensory Aesthetic Experience, the band’s first full-length release in nearly a decade, is the arguable realization of their aspirations since conception. There is a liberation that occurs within the first few notes of the album, an untethering of the straight jacket of expectations. Categories are tossed back to the game shows where they belong, and the music becomes music, gloriously expansive, explorative, and addictively melodic. Presented by Songbyrd. This is an all ages event