A wise man once said “we must embrace pain and burn it as fuel for our journey.” hot vegas, a four piece rock band out of Charlotte, North Carolina, seem to have done just that on their first full length album, Migration. The word migration is defined as an unwillingness to permanently settle in one location. After releasing their EP, This One's For Desire, in early 2005, Andrew X (vocals/guitar), Alex Stewart (guitar), Daniel Henderson (bass) and Jared Bruce (drums) embarked on a musical expedition with no specific destination in mind. “The music we make is just what comes out,” says Austin. “We just play what we feel.” The result is an emotionally charged and commercially appealing sound that many have referred to as “a breath of fresh air.” The songs on Migration not only possess genuine sincerity, but also a refreshing originality that dares to challenge an industry in which cookie cutter is the norm. “Most of the songs on Migration are about our own personal experiences,” concedes Andrew. “I think it would be very unfair to pick just one song off the record that defines us because they all define us. We created all of them.” hot vegas has been likened to some of the most innovative bands of all time. Recently referred to as “what Coldplay could sound like with balls” by Emotional Punk Magazine, their soaring melodies and inspired vocals are most comparable to the iconic sound and feel of U2. Although some elements of their musical influences can be heard in their songs, hot vegas effortlessly manages to create a signature style that is representative of who they are and what they stand for as a band. “We are definitely influenced by other artists,” explains Alex, “but I think too many bands end up pigeon holing themselves or end up looking like some sort of tribute band to another act when they try too hard to emulate those influences. I think we are more influenced by every day life and our experiences than anything else.” hot vegas has toured throughout the United States, playing alongside acts such as Cartel, Gym Class Heroes, Relient K, Sherwood and Limbeck to name a few. “We’ve played so many shows,” recalls Andrew. “Good ones, bad ones, ones we don’t remember, and ones we will never forget.” Their music can be heard regularly on various college radio stations, as well as on the more popular radio networks in North Carolina. Yet even with the hot vegas hype continually building, the band remains grounded. “Everyone dreams of being a rock star,” Alex says. “We made a conscious decision to work toward our goals and acquire our dreams.” hot vegas embodies an attitude of humility, making it clear that despite the many sold out shows and five star reviews, their migration has just begun. “We have a lot of short and long term goals,” says Andrew. “Of course we want to be on the road, paying the bills and making the best possible music we can, but it’s more than that. We want our music to comfort people and make them want to feel or be better than they were before they heard it. We want it to have some sort of healing effect. We want it to be the soundtrack for a specific period in someone’s life. We want to share who we are as individuals and as a band through our music and overall, leave a legacy of who we are.” Listening to hot vegas, one thing is for certain: it’s going to be a long, fulfilling journey.