Midnight Movies

In 2002 the indie rock trio Midnight Movies came together in Los Angeles, with Gena Olivier on vocals and drums, Larry Schemel on guitar, and Jason Hammons on keyboards and guitar. Their moody and stylish sound developed rapidly, turning the group into a prominent presence on the L.A. music scene within a year. A Best New Artist nomination at the L.A. Weekly Music Awards arrived in May 2003. Around the release of their independently issued six-song EP, spring 2004 brought a second nomination, this time for Best Pop/Rock band. The following August, Emperor Norton issued the self-titled studio-length debut. The band reemerged in 2007 with Lion the Girl, now featuring bassist Ryan Wood and drummer Sandra Vu, while Olivier assumed keyboard and vocal duties and Steve Fisk served as producer.