A few years ago, when David Schmitt and Kyle Even were cooking up songs to avoid boredom, they never thought the tunes would make it out of Even’s Littleton basement. They were wrong.

In January and February, the duo—better known as Breathe Carolina—hit the Top 20 with the party-rock meets electro-pop hit “Blackout.” (Their latest single, “Hit and Run,” was released in June.) They’ve since been signed by Columbia Records and are currently headlining the nationwide Vans Warped Tour alongside established groups like New Found Glory and rising stars Of Mice and Men. “This is crazy,” Schmitt says. “We never thought the day would come. Every night is just…wow.”

5280 August 2012
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Since the band’s first show at LIFEspot, a community center in Centennial, the duo has graduated to bigger stages and sold-out venues. Younger fans, particularly the college crowd, have connected with the band’s club-ready tunes that meld pulsating techno beats with catchy pop vocals and the high-energy performance of rock.

Schmitt, 24, and Even, 26, are simply enjoying their newfound fame—as evidenced by the video for “Blackout,” in which they lounge on hotel beds while scantily clad women spray the room with whipped cream. “We like to have fun with things,” Schmitt says. “We love just jamming and making music, and anybody who’s into it, that’s cool.” breathecarolina.net

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ON TOUR WITH DAVID SCHMITT

Favorite food: Chicken or steak burrito from Chipotle

Alcoholic beverage of choice: Whiskey and coke

Coolest place to perform: Denver or the Masquerade in Atlanta

Number of tattoos: Too many to count

This article was originally published in 5280 August 2012.
Daliah Singer
Daliah Singer
Daliah Singer is an award-winning writer and editor based in Denver. You can find more of her work at daliahsinger.com.