Rock / Alternative
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Red Light Challenge
Red Light Challenge is made up of brothers Sean (23) and Kyle (18) Luster, who are both valedictorians, athletes, and multi-instrumentalists. Although the band consists of only two members, they continue to create huge-sounding songs both live and in the studio using their high energy attitude and skills on guitar, bass, drums, keyboard, trumpet, trombone, and more. The brothers have developed a unique sound coming from Hawaii, incorporating British Invasion songwriting, multi-part harmonies, R&B danceability, guitar-driven electricity, as well as popular sounds of today. Their many original songs contain memorable melodies and catchy choruses bound to hook new audiences everywhere.
The band strives to make each live performance a full-blown concert experience, regardless of venue or audience size. The brothers from Red Light Challenge pride themselves on consistently putting on high-energy live shows with huge-sounding songs. Both their electric and acoustic set lists always contain original songs and a wide range of cover songs by artists such as The Beatles, Foo Fighters, The Black Keys, Bruno Mars, and many more. Keen on doing the unexpected, Red Light Challenge’s live covers often contain elements of a variety of songs from multiple genres, surprising audiences with their breadth of musical awareness and song arrangement talents. In Hawaii, the band can be seen regularly at Anna O’Briens, Station Bar and Lounge, and many other venues and events, including the 50th State Fair and the Spam Jam Festival.
Since forming in 2009 under the name “Just Us 2”, Red Light Challenge was rebranded in February of 2013 after already receiving many opportunities and accolades. During 2010, the band was featured on the local variety television show “Entertain Me!” on KHON-TV2, where they performed two original songs. The duo also won Best Song Composition for one of their originals at the local “Brown Bags to Stardom”2010 competition. To expand beyond their local successes, the band self-booked a modest national tour performing at Six Flags inCalifornia, Missouri, and Texas, as well as major shopping malls. They threw out hundreds of fabric leis and “Live Aloha” buttons, spreading aloha at each stop. The brothers continued performing and writing music after this tour as Sean worked on his B.S. in Business Administration and Marketing, graduating Summa Cum Laude in 2013.
After becoming Red Light Challenge in 2013, the band self-booked a massive 42-show, 16-state Summer Tour spanning from Colorado to New England and back home to Hawaii, with performances at Pyramid and Simon group malls, as well as Hershey Park, Six Flags New England, KOAs, the Buckeye Lake Festival, and many more. They continued to throw out leis and “Live Aloha” buttons at every performance. The brothers gained priceless experience being on the road for close to two months, performing for thousands of new audience members and returned to Hawaii invigorated and ready to keep progressing, writing and recording many new songs into the new year.
In November of 2014, Red Light Challenge made history by being the first band from Hawaii to earn a Los Angeles Music Award. They were presented the prestigious ‘Hot AC Artist of the Year’ award at The Avalon Hollywood in honor of their songwriting and touring accomplishments. While in Los Angeles, the band had the opportunity to meet Producer/Engineer Warren Huart (Aerosmith, The Fray, James Blunt, etc.) and started solidifying plans to record a four-song EP together.
During Kyle’s spring break of his senior year of high school, the brothers ventured to California to record four original songs with Warren Huart, on what would be the band’s first time working with a producer. The songs chosen specifically for this EP show off Red Light Challenge’s songwriting abilities, energy, and musical dexterity, with an entirely modern sound. Their EP, entitled Lookout Mountain, will be available in the summer of 2015.
In addition to their performing and recording efforts, Sean and Kyle have always held the importance of giving back to the community. The brothers constantly volunteer in Hawaii, working with public schools, the Special Olympics, and more. The band has been working with the National Kidney Foundation of Hawaii, producing a song to spread awareness and putting on a community event that was featured in a documentary produced by the foundation, which aired on KGMB and KHNL in June of 2015. In the beginning of 2014, Red Light Challenge started its own non-profit community-involvement program called “Red Light Challenge, Green Light Go”. This program was created to have events where the band goes to schools around the world to play music for students and promote striving for excellence in the arts, academics, and athletics. Events have already taken place on Oahu and in California.
Red Light Challenge has constantly been featured in various media outlets in Hawaii and around the world. In print and online, the brothers have been featured in the Midweek, MyPearlCity.com, and the Honolulu Star Advertiser. On the radio, music has been aired on KUCD 101.9, KKOL 107.9 and the live Perry and Price Saturday Morning Show on KSSK 92.3, as well as 102.5 FM in the UK (Sound Art Radio). On television, the band has also appeared on Sunrise-Hawaii News Now and the KITV4 Morning Show. Red Light Challenge has also been recognized by the Fukunaga Scholarship foundation, Hawaii State Councilmember Ron Menor, and U.S. Representative Colleen W. Hanabusa for their many accomplishments and contributions to the community.
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