Filmed At The ‘Forge highlights recent music videos filmed at Bellforge Arts Center.
Get to know the artists, the creative process, and what they’re up to next.
Paper Tigers
Filmed At The ‘Forge highlights recent music videos filmed at Bellforge Arts Center. Get to know the artists, the creative process, and what they’re up to next.
Paper Tigers
Paper Tigers is an indie-alt rock band from Boston, MA. Described as ʻpowerful and anthemicʼ, their music is a forceful blend of soaring vocals, dynamic guitars, and energetic drums.
After forming in 2019, the quartet quickly earned a reputation as one of the city’s best new bands, both on stage and on record, fueled by an anthemic tenacity and confident swagger seldom seen from new acts. They elevated their profile with the 2021 EP “A Schism Cataclysm”, which saw fiery lead single “Ursa Minor” earn radio play and blog attention around the globe, and playing every show like it could be their last.
In May 2022, Paper Tigers’ stock rose once again with the release of “I Wish Someone Would Have Told Me This Sooner”, a blistering and comprehensive EP fueled by the explosive single “A Portrait of a Scene.” That same month, their performance at Boston Calling was one of the most talked about sets all weekend, bringing unrivaled energy to the festival and drawing a massive and engaged crowd to the Tivoli Audio Orange Stage. Declared one of “the city’s must-watch” bands by Boston.com, the band earned nominations as “Artist of the Year” for the New England Music Awards and “Rock Artist of the Year” for the Boston Music Awards.
Filmed at Bellforge Arts Center in Medfield, MA
Production Crew: Bad Bitches Productions
Cinematographer: Jen Kruh
Bellforge: Talk us through the creative idea and process behind your music video.
Paper Tigers: This video is a combination of a couple of ideas we’ve been kind of sitting on, bundled up into one concept. First, a couple years ago, our vocalist Michael, had this idea of a slow-motion cake fight for a music video–a series of several close-ups where band members are being pelted in the face. Until now, we were never able to make the idea work due to limited access to spaces where we could actually get messy with pastries. Secondly, the band loves practicing and playing in-the-round, and the first time we stepped into the Bellforge Performance Hall, we knew it would make a great video location. We’ve been wanting to shoot a high-quality video in a great room that really captured being at the center of a live setting. The challenging part was to make these ideas work together, and the addition of the hooded/masked people came to concept during one of the many group brainstorming sessions we had, leading up to the shoot. We’re really proud of how these ideas worked together into something visually cohesive.
What first got you into music?
All of us we’re driven towards it based on things we were exposed to as kids or in our teens–whether that was seeing an amazing concert or having specific moments in our lives framed by special musical experiences. Let’s face it: musicians are cool and there’s a special feeling that comes with creating something completely original and new from thin air. Being a musician–particularly one in a band–is a unique combination of creativity, repetition, skill, and dedication.
Who inspired you to make music?
The four of us are inspired by very different sources. Michael loves 90’s era Brit-rock and grunge, Bjarki is inspired by bands like Arctic Monkeys and Idles, Matthew is moved by bands like Muse, and finally, Cutty is inspired by rock bands that are dynamic, moody, and often backed by skilled, hard-hitting drummers. Playing in the Boston scene is particularly inspiring because there are so many great people out there grinding–the bands, talent buyers, audio engineers, promoters, and venues.
How would you describe the music that you typically create?
We make dynamic and energetic rock ’n’ roll. We’ve definitely refined our sound over the past four years as a band, but on the whole, our music is exciting, catchy, and focused. It’s designed to provoke emotion and thought in the listener.
What excites you the most about Bellforge Arts Center?
The Bellforge Arts Center is a really special place for us. We were one of the first bands to play the outdoor area in 2022, and we saw the great potential in the space. It represents a new chapter for New England musicians by providing an area that’s free of the confines of the city. We would have never been able to shoot a video like this within Boston proper.
Why is a space like Bellforge Arts Center important?
We are one of the bands recently displaced by the closing of the Sound Museum, so a place like the Bellforge Arts Center represents something free of the inevitable gentrification in a city like Boston. Once the full vision of Bellforge is realized, we think it will be an epicenter for art and a place that can bridge local acts, with big touring bands, and new audiences. It’s a perfect area for large outdoor events and eventually recording and practice spaces for acts. On the whole, it’ll be a place where artists can work to find their full potential.
What’s on the horizon for you in 2023?
We predict that this year will be another exciting one for us. We kind of kicked things off with this music video release, then we’ll spend the spring recording our first full-length LP titled “Charmer”. We’ve also got some exciting, unannounced Boston shows early in the year, as well. We’re also planning on playing some shows outside of the Boston area, which is not something we’ve done a lot of. Things will reach a crescendo in August as we’ll be performing at the In Between Days music festival in Quincy, opening for Modest Mouse, Lord Huron, Phantogram, Sunny Day Real Estate, among others. It’ll be a fun ride!