Local Hero is an indie pop/rock band based in Berkeley, California.
Local Hero began as the product of three remarkably average Berkeley youths, Jojo Brandel of Please Quiet Ourselves, Leo Grossman of Rikoche, and Alex MacKay, the one who doesn't have his own band.
Alex discovered his long-dormant songwriting mechanism during the summer of 2009. Having always admired the refined musical stylings of PQO, Alex quickly enlisted Mr. Brandel and Señor Grossman to his group. The initial results were promising, and the trio began recording with the indefatigable Aki Ehara in Richmond during December of '09. Five long months passed, with Jojo departing on a lengthy expedition to the Orient and eventually returning in May of the following year. Recording resumed, and after an interminably long time they released their first EP - "The Aldgate" - in September of 2011.
The Aldgate has since garnered a very positive reaction from the blogosphere, getting coverage from sites like Earmilk, The Wounded Jukebox and the Metropolitan Jolt. The EP also made SF Rebirth's "Best in the West" list with a 4 1/2 star review.
Jojo returned to Japan in mid-2011, and the dangerously German Max Hirtz-Wolf has taken the reins as Local Hero's bassist.
In late September 2011, Local Hero became a quartet when Maya Laner joined the band as a singer and multi-instrumentalist.
They have performed at venues around the San Francisco Bay Area including The Greek Theatre, the Barrel House, Blake’s on Telegraph, Caffe Trieste, and Ashkenaz.
Listen to The Aldgate EP on our Bandpage, Soundcloud or on our website - www.localheroband.com.