Haunting Portraits Make Feline Friends

What do two MBA’s, an audio technician, and a chemical engineer have in common?  Music and cats. Frantz, Jared, Jaryd, and Patrick are four Tampa musicians, who, in addition to being passionate about music, are each devout cat owners. In fact, Haunting Portraits makes it a practice to perform on Caterday, thereby repeatedly converting cat-lovers into band fans.

With Frantz on bass and backup-up vocals, Jared on drums, Jaryd on guitar and lead vocals, and Patrick on lead guitar, Haunting Portraits plays a mix of Midwestern emo, post hard core, and grunge. They’ve set out to influence and reshape the music scene in Tampa while connecting with fans in cities around the country.

While much of their music evolves in jam sessions with the instrumental driving the lyrics, the members of Haunting Portraits relish playing live. These self-declared “socially awkward” artists enjoy interacting with an audience and are even perfecting their standup routine as they prepare for a third tour to promote their new EP, That Which Looks Far Away.

Both cat and band fans will remember Oil Spill, a single from Haunting Portrait’s first EP, Smile, that featured each band member’s cat in the music video. That Which Looks Far Away promises more of the group’s alternative melodic style and likely more cat appearances in their music videos.

 With a new EP in the works and a tour on the horizon, Haunting Portraits is primed to get their music out, play more live venues, feed their cats better food, and even pay off their student loans.

You’ll find Haunting Portraits on Apple Music, Pandora, Spotify, and YouTube. Tampa fans can follow the band locally until the end of May 2019. You can track the band’s Facebook page to catch them on tour.

Article by VOR Series Producer, Dara Padwo-Audick.