A once and future fiction writer, Mikel Jollet worked initially as a freelance journalist before the inception of the band. But with the diagnosis of his mother's cancer and his diagnosis of alopecia areata and vitiligo, he put down his fiction pen and picked up a guitar. Through these jarring events, Jollet began his career in music and with the help of other band members, Stephen Chen, Noah Harmon, Anna Bulbrook, and Daren Taylor, The Airborne Toxic Event, named for a section of Don DeLilo's book White Noise, has created music that touches the veins of indie rock, pop, orchestration, and poetry. 

    Even if you haven't heard of The Airborne Toxic Event, chances are you've heard them. With prominent placement in television and film, the band has a growing fanbase of converted listeners that resonate with the message of heartache, loss, and the ocassional political commentary. Never overtly leading the audience by the nose, Jollet admits the important relationship is between the music and the listener, and The Airborne Toxic Event certainly give the audience reason to listen. 

    Bringing the same meticulous planning to music that Jollett employed in his writing, he is recognized as the driving force behind the creation of The Airborne Toxic Event's sound which holds to no set arrangement and shocases a vast number of influences. With a recognition for orchestral arrangement, the band has had the opportunity to collaborate with the Louisville Orchestra, the Colorado Symphony Orchestra, and the Calder Quartet. 

    Following the release of its first full length album in 2008, the band embarked on an ambitious tour that saw them playing heavily hear in the state in support of the critically well received album. During this time, they also played a United Kingdom leg which they called "30 Shows in 30 Days." Subsequently, the band has found success in the UK largely because of this portion of their tour, even finding themselves prominently placed on BBC Radio 1. Their debut tour culminated in a show at the Walt Disney Concert Hall in downtown Los Angeles, presented by the Los Angeles Philharonic. It was the last of 354 shows the band had played on its opening tour. 

    Their follow up to their self titled debut, All At Once, was released in April of 2011 and they are currently touring in its support. In August they were a part of the Muppets: Green Album along with many other well known artists such as Paramore and The Fray. 

    Play Music City sat down with Mikel Jollet and Anna Bulbrook during DeLuna Fest in Pensacola, FL to talk to them about their career, their influences, and if their future. 

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