Spill Canvas

by Stewart Mason Like Bright Eyes or Five for Fighting, the Spill Canvas began as the pseudonym for a solo singer and songwriter, but has since transformed into a traditional band. Sioux Falls, SD, native Nick Thomas played in a variety of local punk bands in his early teens before transforming himself into a solo acoustic emo act along the lines of Dashboard Confessional. At the age of 19, Thomas signed with the indie label One Eleven Records and recorded Sunsets and Car Crashes almost entirely on his own, save for a few guest musicians. Following the album's April 2004 release, Thomas put together a full-time touring lineup of the Spill Canvas, with himself on vocals, guitar, and keyboards, Dan Ludeman on guitar, Scott McGuire on bass, and Joe Beck on drums. The first full-band lineup album by the Spill Canvas, One Fell Swoop, was released in August 2005.