Paradise Fears is playing for the first time at Veishea on April 11.

The alternative pop band is used to playing at festivals and being from Vermillion, S.D. It has heard of Veishea before it was contacted to perform Live @ Veishea

“We have had a lot of friends who have actually been to a couple of Veisheas, and I know kind of how exciting it is and how big of a deal it is,” said Sam Miller, lead singer of the band. So when they reached out to us about it we were very excited for the opportunity.”

The band also recently played at the Memorial Union for Iowa State’s 2014 Dance Marathon.

Miller said it will probably play quite a few of its newer songs for its show and also may play a few new songs from an album it will be working on during March and April.

Its latest album, “Battle Scars,” was released June 25, 2013.

The band started in high school when there was a shortage of bands to play at the talent show. After the talent show, Miller said the band realized it enjoyed playing together and decided to become a band. 

Miller said his interest in music started when he was young. His mother had done musical theater and his father was a pastor who used to sing him folk songs before he went to sleep at night. 

Paradise Fears’ taste for alternative music developed when the members were in high school.

“I think when we all started listening to Brand New and Taking Back Sunday in high school that was kind of what ignited the flame in all of us and made us want to play our own music,” Miller said. “There’s something to listening to that kind of grungy, angsty rock that just makes you want to grab a guitar and play.”

Miller says the inspiration for its songs come from personal experiences from members of the band or from hearing other experiences from conversations they have with other people while touring.

The band has been together since 2009-10, but it did not start touring until late 2011 or early 2012. Paradise Fears usually play at clubs or festivals with a capacity of 100 to 500 people.

Currently, the band is touring an acoustic show. 

Miller said it is looking forward to performing at Veishea.

“We’re really really excited for it,” Miller said. “All festivals are fun. College festivals are particularly fun, and one that’s so close to home. All three of those things combined should make it a pretty good time.”

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