Lady Danville
| Company type | Indie pop group |
|---|---|
| Industry | Music |
| Founded | 2007 |
| Founder | Michael Garner, Matt Frankel, Dan Chang |
| Defunct | 2012 |
| Headquarters | Los Angeles , United States |
Area served | United States |
Key people | Michael Garner, Matt Frankel, Dan Chang |
| Products | Music recordings (EPs, compilations) |
Lady Danville was an indie pop group based in Los Angeles, active from 2007 until their disbandment in 2012.
History
Michael Garner (keyboards, vocals), Matt Frankel (percussion, vocals), and Dan Chang (guitar, vocals) first connected at UCLA in 2005 through their involvement with the collegiate ensemble Awaken A Cappella.
In 2006, performing as Mikey G and Dan from Danville, Michael and Dan secured victory at UCLA's Spring Sing talent contest with the song “Cast Away,” earning accolades for Best Duet and Best Overall Performance. The band expanded in early 2007 when Matthew Frankel joined, officially forming Lady Danville.
By autumn 2007, the group won the Star 98.7 Lounge Contest with their track “Tired Magician,” leading to inclusion on the Star Lounge Compilation alongside artists such as John Mayer and Maroon 5. Their self-titled EP was released in December 2007 and made available on platforms like iTunes and Amazon. Throughout 2008, Lady Danville cultivated a local fanbase by performing at notable venues including The Troubadour and Hotel Café. They embarked on a Pacific Northwest tour in 2009, followed by a West Coast tour in 2010 alongside Until June and The Fold. At SXSW 2010, they delivered five shows over three days and subsequently toured the East Coast with Jack's Mannequin. During this East Coast leg in October 2010, they also held a benefit concert supporting Annandale High School’s class of 2011.
Their track “Cast Away” was featured on MTV’s The Real World: Washington DC; meanwhile, “Love to Love” appeared on E!’s Keeping Up with the Kardashians and MTV’s The Real World: New Orleans. Additional placements included Hulu’s Dorm Life and the documentary Craigslist Joe. Coverage of the band appeared in outlets such as LA Weekly, LAist.com, and Billboard.com.
In November 2010, Lady Danville joined Ben Folds on his Lonely Avenue tour. January 2011 saw them touring the West Coast with Dashboard Confessional and Chris Conley of Saves the Day to celebrate Dashboard Confessional’s tenth anniversary of The Swiss Army Romance.
After drummer Matt Frankel departed in 2012, the band decided to change their name out of respect for his role, effectively bringing Lady Danville to an end. Although a full-length album was scheduled for release on February 12, 2013, it never came out under the Lady Danville name.
Hunter Hunted
Following Lady Danville’s rebranding as Hunter Hunted, the intended full-length album was shelved. Instead, Hunter Hunted issued a self-titled EP featuring five songs, including "Operating," which had been performed previously by Lady Danville. The group expanded to six members with Michael Garner and Dan Chang leading alongside new additions such as Blake Straus. From February through July 2013, they toured to promote the EP, released a music video for “End of the World,” held a residency at the Bootleg Theatre in March, appeared on Conan, and achieved the number one position on Billboard’s Next Big Sound Chart.
Lady Danville Members
- Michael Garner – Piano, vocals (2005–2012)
- Daniel Chang – Guitar, vocals (2005–2012)
- Matthew Frankel – Cajon, drums, vocals (2006–October 2012)
Discography
- 2007 Star Lounge Compilation (2007)
- Lady Danville EP (2007)
- Lady Danville Tour EP (2010)
- Operating EP (2012)