Meeting of Important People is an American indie pop/rock band based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The trio consists of guitarist/vocalist Josh Verbanets, bassist/vocalist Aaron Bubenheim, and drummer/vocalist Matt Miller.
History
The group was formed in 2008 when members of three prominent Western Pennsylvania bands united. Verbanets formerly fronted a band whose 2006 debut album attracted major-label consideration, Miller previously worked with Lohio, and Bubenheim once was a part of local group Br'er Fox. In July 2008, the group released its debut single "Mothers Pay More" on a promotional Key Partycompilation album for the New American Music Union, a festival featuring Bob Dylan and the Raconteurs. In 2009, the group released its debut full-length, self-titled album on Authentik Music. The group cites The Kinks, Loudon Wainwright, The Who, Nirvana, Jesus Christ Superstar, and Sia as some of their primary influences. Influential British radio stationXFM put the band into rotation, which allowed the band to quickly gain an international image, while still serving mostly as an opening act for more known groups at home. In September of that year, they shot a music video for the single "Brittney Lane Don't Care" with director Thom Glunt. The video featured a cardboard city, instruments and miniatures built by volunteers using recycled goods. The video was featured on Gizmodo for its extensive dedication to paper craft and brief popularity. The band released a follow up EP in July 2010 titled Quit Music, playing a sold-out release show at The Andy Warhol Museum. In August 2012, they released their second full-length album, My Ears Are Having a Heart Attack, following a successful Kickstarter campaign. The group released the single "All Rode Off Together" on label Wild Kindness Records in April 2015, and they released their third full-length album called Troika in February 2016. That summer, as part of a live performance event, the band filmed an episode of the WQEDSessions series. The episode featured the band performing their song "I Know Every Street in This Town" on top of a building in Downtown Pittsburgh. Shortly after this, guitarist Clark Slater began playing with the band for live shows. In addition, around this time, lead vocalist Verbanets also started a children's performing business with comedian Gab Bonesso called 'Josh and Gab.'
