by Sophia Ridder, reporter
OMAHA – Since 2016, the Omaha based band Glow in the Dark has blended modern synth-wave, 80’s new romantic, pop and dance and electronica to form their unique sound.
For the last four years Glow in the Dark has been working on their first full-length album “Teen-line”. Most of the music on the album was composed using the band’s composers, Aaron Gums, vast collection of synthesizers.
“Synthesizers can synthesize things from acoustic instruments, to sci-fi space sounds or anything in between,” said Gum.
They were set to release their album on Oct. 10, 2020, when in early August, Loren Dexter, the bands lyricist, contracted COVID-19.
Dexter said, “It was pretty rough, I felt very sick. Obviously I wasn’t going to be tracking, and the little bits of things that we needed to finish up all got put on hold.”
Despite working in close quarters, Aaron never contracted any symptoms. When in the same room they had always made sure to both wear masks and maintain social distance guidelines.
Gum and Dexter both said that they are very concerned about how the music industry in Omaha will be able to recover from being shut down due to COVID-19.
The Slowdown, a music venue located near TD Ameritrade Park, has recently had to reclose. The reason being a lack of touring bands and a full schedule.
A spokesman with The Slowdown reported that the venue likely won’t reopen fully until sometime in 2021 but with how unpredictable COVID-19 is, they have no way of making concrete plans.
Dexter said that live music was incredibly important for the mental health of musicians.
“It shut down venues right? But in some ways it shut down people, and I think that that’s the worst part of it,” Dexter said.
Despite having to endure COVID-19 Dexter is happy he avoided a worse fate.
“I feel grateful that I’m going to be able to make music again, right. I’m going to be able to see my family again,” said Dexter.
