1. What neighborhood do you live in?

Southeast of downtown.

2. Why are you hanging out in Rino today?

My fiancee’ works at Spire Media at 29th and Walnut. I work on 41st and Garfield, so this location is a great meeting place for us after work. I used to live in Boulder, then Wheat Ridge, but I love living in RiNo. All the artwork here is awesome. It isn’t segregated graffiti art as in other parts of town. It is actual art on the buildings and walls of the area; there is a passion in this neighborhood and the art tells a story. I also love the original artists showing at Matchbox currently. This display is the best I have seen yet.

3. What are your favorite local spots?

I love music venues but in RiNo, I like Mile High Spirits and Matchbox. Matchbox has such a wide range of people in it: hipsters, artsy types, motorcycle or bicycle people, just a large variety of awesome people. The bartenders are friendly and good people; my beer is always on the bar when I walk in. It’s a comfortable place, the best place in RiNo. Outside of RiNo, I love the Bar Car. Mile High Spirits doesn’t serve beer, but they serve what they do best: hard alcohol.

P.S. We love your vibe! What influences your style?

Music. I always loved all types of music, but in 8th grade, my best friend introduced me to punk rock. Then my brother introduced me to the radio station KBPI. I was already listening to Rancid at the time and became very excited when I started to hear them on the radio. I attended my first Warped Tour at 14 specifically to see Anti-Flag and heard The Casualties and loved their sound; a year later I was super influenced by them.  I listened to their songs and read their lyrics and it became a goal to open for them when I formed a band with my best friend Mike. We actually accomplished our 3 goals when we formed The Underclassed at 15: we played in NYC, lived on the East Coast and of course, opened for the Casualties in Allentown, PA. I have always played different instruments like the clarinet, sax, guitar and drums.

Other favorites are Type O Negative, Fear Factory and The Virus but I have seen The Casualties 20+ times since I was 14. Avenged Sevenfold got me through some very troubled times in my life. I have learned to never focus on the negative and always forget it. I am a survivor, and I stay awake to survive. I never give up hope and I hold strong.