The Higher

Las Vegas outfit the Higher came together in 2002 while its members were still in high school. Originally operating under the name September Star, the group featured vocalist Seth Trotter, drummer Pat Harter, guitarist James Mattison, and bassist Jason Centeno. Momentum increased in 2003 when second guitarist and vocalist Tom Oakes came aboard, prompting the musicians to perform around town and cut a demo of material they had written at age sixteen. That recording secured a contract with Fiddler Records by mid-2003. After the band adopted the name the Higher, the songs appeared in October as the five-song EP Star Is Dead, a fairly standard emo release. Nationwide touring followed, with shows alongside Silverstein, Park, and Emery. The full-length Histrionics arrived in 2005, after which Mattison and Fiddler both departed. Guitarist Robert “Reggie” Ragan stepped in, allowing the band to resume road work, and by summer 2006 the Higher had moved to Epitaph. The digital-only EP Pace Yourself surfaced late that year, setting the stage for On Fire in February 2007. That album found the group moving beyond straightforward emo into pop, dance, and occasional R&B textures.