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WILD, DANCING POP-COVER BAND

RETURNS TO BIG DADDY'S JULY 24TH
Kat: Yes.
We definitely
have had some
fans take issue
with our attire
at shows. But
as I like to say,
if you got it,
flaunt it. Also,
we feel that
the caliber of
talent on stage
backs up the
fact that we
like to wear
next to nothing... We will
never really
please each
and everyone's
taste so we
just like to
wear and do
what we feel

Mike Peterson
Contributing writer
On July 24, the original and wild cover
band "SKITZOfrenic" is returning to Big
Daddy's in Grand Forks.
After 5 was able to catch-up with Kat,
the lead singer of SKITZOfrenic and dive
into adventures involving American Idol,
intense dancing and imitating several pop
personalities all in one package. The band
SKTIZOfrenic features two female
dancers, a drummer and Kat, who sings
and performs amazing and enegertic covers of today's most popular pop stars.
A5: How did you guys form, how long
have you guys been doing this and where
did the inspiration come from?
Kat: I have an original rock band called
Scarlet Haze. I have been writing, recording, and performing all over the US with
Scarlet since 2004, promoting our 2 albums. We needed to take some time off
from that project to record our next album.
So, last summer, my business partner and
I were brainstorming how I could keep my
business rolling with income to cover our
debts while Scarlet Haze took a break. We
conceptualized this cover band while sitting on my couch in St. Paul one night in
August. By October, I started auditioning
dancers and by November, we had decided
on what songs we wanted to cover, and we
started rehearsals after Thanksgiving. I
was very inspired by all the 'pop' singers
through the years and especially by the pop
stars currently performing out there. It was
very important to me to try to bring the
high energy you see in an arena with acts
like Lady Gaga, Britney, and Katy Perry to

the smaller stages in venues near you! We

started performing with this band on January 29 of this year.
A5: Describe what it's like to be at a
SKITZO Show.
Kat: SKITZOfrenic provides a high energy, fun, explosive environment for fans
to have a great time watching and dancing
along. We try to create a 'sensory overload'
on a fun Friday or Saturday night in your
local music venue and/or bar! We always
encourage singing and dancing along to all
your favorite pop songs!
A5: When I saw you guys at your last
show at Big Daddy's, I felt like I walked
into a Victoria's Secret Fashion Show. Do
some people take issue with your attire (especially in conservative North Dakota) if
so, and how do you address that?

we want to do.
A5: Your touring schedule seems pretty
heavy, so the future looks bright for your
group. What are your guys' goals and what
does the future hold for Skitzo?
Kat: We are very excited and very, very
fortunate to have a fantastic booking
agency, ARM Entertainment from St. Paul,
behind this whole project. We intend to
perform as much as we can and keep
adding current radio hits as they are released from all the great artists currently
on the radio. We are delighted to bring a
high quality of entertainment to each and
every venue we play and want to continue
to do that as long as the fans enjoy it.
A5: "Skitzofrenic" refers to a mental
disorder refering to the disortion of reality.
How did this come out to be the band
name?
Kat: The band name was decided on by
our agency. It is officially SKITZOfrenic.
They wanted to depict a show that had
many different personalities of different female pop artists, all impersonated by me!

Unfortunately there are a few bands with

this same name and it is a bit difficult to
search online for our particular band, but I
think it is still a catchy name... Hopefully
we are known to 'distort reality' in our high
energy shows!
A5: Final question, a friend told me you
tried out for American Idol but they said
lose the tattoo and disregarded your natural, God-given ability to sing. What's the
story behind your try-out and how has
your attitude, your outake on life kept you
to keep singing?
Kat: (Laughs.) Well, yes, I did the
American Idol experience back in season
2 of the show. I actually won a local contest in Fargo, ND at the Old Broadway Bar
and Grill, that sent me on to Pasadena, CA
for a guaranteed audition for the show. I
made it through 4 rounds of auditions and
was in Hollywood for 7 days before getting 'cut' from the show. It was a very roller
coaster-like experience, and in the end,
was pretty devastating. However, what
doesn't kill you makes you stronger, right?
I took some time off of singing for a while
after that and really evaluated the talents
that I was given. But I only came back to
one feeling in the end: I was born to do
this! That statement drives me each and
every day.
Be sure to check out SKITZO when
they come to town on July 24 at Big
Daddys with Rhyme or Reason. Granted,
their style isn't for the whole family, but if
you want to get a more-than-adequate taste
of today's most popular pop stars- their
music and their performances- then you
will want to see SKITZOfrenic. Kat's
singing ability is about the best around,
hence her involvement with American Idol
and is reason alone to go.
SKITZOfrenic is:
Kat, Lead singer/manager, Nina DeNio,
Kristen Olson, and Maggie Hoadley-Edwards/dancers
and
Peter
Day
Elledge/drummer.

Friday Race Night

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July Bands
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July 16
OCD
July 23
Bethany and
the Bandits
July 30
Little Donny
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