Flamenco guitar
In September 2004, Southwestern University students Curtis Roush (guitar), Thomas Choate (drums) and Jack O’Brien (vocals/keyboards), along with Ryan “Badcock” O’Donoghue (bass) began playing together as a post-hardcore art rock collective. They were often billed with area hardcore bands such as 25 Dollar Massacre, Thumbscrew and At All Cost and quickly grew a reputation for their visceral live shows. The band took a year hiatus while Roush studied audio engineering and O’Brien studied linguistics and Flamenco guitar in Madrid, during which time Choate moved away to study eco building.