April 2, 2020 – Orlando-based rock outfit FELICITY is thrilled to announce that they have signed to Adventure Cat Records. The band makes their label debut today with their ferocious new single and music video, “Hit and Run,” premiering exclusively on
The Noise.
“This is a huge milestone achievement for us as a band and we couldn’t think of a better partnership than Adventure Cat Records and Brightly Management,” FELICITY shares. “We’ve always admired Mike Kaminsky and Matt Clarke of Adventure Cat for being a label who truly cares for their bands, supports them every way imaginable, and treats a band’s success the same as their success. And none of this would’ve been possible without Dayna Ghiraldi-Travers and Katy Cooper of Brightly Management, whose constant hard work and dedication continues to help the band grow every day.”
About their label debut “Hit and Run,” the band adds: “This is one of the more personal tracks for us because it was inspired by a near-death car crash we were in. We were driving home after a show one night being safe like good law-abiding citizens we are, but a driver who wasn’t a law-abiding citizen ran through a red light and t-boned us on the passenger side.
“They never stopped to check if we were okay and fled the scene, which not only showed us how lawless life can be, but how important it is to be aware of our actions and the affect it can have on others. Although our car was totaled and the driver was never found, we’re grateful to have walked away with our lives (shoutout to Mazda) and to have a newer outlook on life.”
From their earliest days, FELICITY have seen success up close.
Just months after forming in 2013, the Orlando-based alt-rock newcomers were invited to perform at their hometown’s stop on the 2014 Vans Warped Tour – their fourth show ever. Shortly thereafter, a slot at The Big Orlando Festival alongside Fall Out Boy and Weezer, as well as songs placed everywhere from Fox Sports to MTV’s The Challenge, cemented that they were onto something big.
“It’s a blessing and a curse,” says vocalist Damien Fagiolino of the band’s early success. “It’s impossible to think everything’s going to be that easy forever, but it helps you in the moments of struggle to know that good things are just around the corner.”
FELICITY began, like many acts in the internet age, as a Craigslist connection, with Fagiolino and guitarist Andrew Rapier bonding over their love of post-hardcore firestarters Finch. For years, Fagiolino had been a staple in the Orlando cover band scene, paying tribute to acts from the ’90s and early 2000s, but deep down the singer had a strong pull for something more.
Together with his bandmates (Rapier, guitarist Cory Nicholas, bassist Michael Alosa and drummer Tyler Dennett), FELICITY are well on their way to carving out their own world. Their deliriously dextrous sound spans genres – often in the same song – as the group shapeshift from hard-charged, detuned metal to ebullient pop-punk.
While the ongoing pandemic has prevented these road dogs from crisscrossing the country like normal, they’re using their time in lockdown to find new ways to reach their audience. From a newly created TikTok account with more than 21,000 followers to dabbling in Twitch streaming, FELICITY are connecting with listeners in all the ways 2021 demands.
“We’re trying to learn to be more than just a band,” Nicholas says. “This quarantine has helped us a lot in realizing that music and touring are only a small portion of the business, so we’re learning how to capitalize on other avenues by becoming entertainers and content creators next to being musicians.”
Adds Rapier: “We’ll be all the more grateful once we’re able to do this again. We’ve learned we never want to take what we do for granted.”
About Adventure Cat Records:
Bringing together expertise in management, writing, publishing, production, marketing, publicity and one darn cute kitty, Adventure Cat Records is set to make a splash in the independent record label scene. With the goal of creating a launching pad for artists to learn, grow and advance to the next steps of their careers within the music industry, Adventure Cat is a one of a kind label that is truly invested in not only today’s goals for their artists, but the rest of their future careers.
