After Z is a story. Like any good story, it has a beginning. In 2005, a boy named Nathan Stauffer started writing a few songs and short stories – exaggerated, even whimsical accounts of his own adventures. He compiled, composed, and created, and in 2009, an album of songs was recorded. Soon after, Nathan sought out the help of his friends – Jesse Fellows (guitar), Justin Crissman (bass), and Paul Longo (drums) – to bring those songs to life on stage. The four of them began playing shows in 2010, building a following in their hometown of Youngstown, OH, and in surrounding cities like Pittsburgh, Cleveland, and Akron. In some ways, it feels as though the story is still very much at its beginning; the band is continually developing its sound, adding a bit of an edge to its otherwise ambient and playful style. There is also a book being written, which describes in further detail the imagery and concepts behind the songs. For anyone willing to close their eyes and listen for whispers, to fill up the corners with wonder, to learn to walk through the sky and discover the previously unseen shapes and colors…for anyone willing to believe in bigger things, the story is quite clear: there is another world out there, one that exists outside of the things that we see with our eyes or touch with our hands. Where is it? Well, I suppose it can be found in the notes of your favorite song, or in the colors of your favorite picture, or in the love you feel for your favorite person. If it were a number, it would be larger than infinity…and if it were a letter, it would come after Z.