![\"Crying](\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/posturemag.com\/online\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/12\/Crying-5-of-16.jpg\")
<\/a>Elaiza Santos\u2019 hands wrapped around the microphone, squeezing it as she belted her original lyrics, stage left, at Gramercy Theatre on the evening of December 12th. Red beams of light shined over her raised elbows, which made her hands look like a glowing, beating heart.<\/p>\nThe band Crying<\/a> is the embodiment of all things awesome from the 90\u2019s. \u201cI\u2019ve always used fake keyboards from the 80\u2019s – not playing them but programing them. I heard you could do that with Game Boy, but there are a few bands that do that\u2026 like Slime Girls but they do it with Nintendo,\u201d said Ryan, guitarist and Game Boy master. He also categorized Crying as a part of \u201cthe underground Chiptune community.”\u00a0According to Ryan, the chiptune <\/a>scene is\u00a0growing in size and popularity, which is the use of soundtracks found in games (typically retro gaming machines such as Game Boy).<\/p>\n Their song writing process works similarly to an assembly line. Ryan lays down the guitar and Game Boy additions then Elaiza or sometimes Ryan writes and records the lyrics. Nick Corbo then gets the recording and adds his drum line. Crying has figured out how to seamlessly combine Elaiza\u2019s soft white-chocolate-like vocals with the louder Game Boy rifts. However, during their live show at times it was difficult to hear Elaiza over the guitar and Game Boy tunes.<\/p>\n \u201cThe whole thing with competing with the sound is sometimes difficult. At first when we first started writing together I felt as if I didn\u2019t take live performance and translation into consideration for my solo work,\u201d Elaiza explained. \u201cFor my solo stuff I\u2019m used to recording and having freedom to do what I want with the recording\u2026 so I used to start writing for Crying in a way that was not conducive to translating that live, and after struggling performing and trying to figure out a better way to perform without feeling like I\u2019m competing, I found a way in which I could project louder…\u201d<\/p>\n Although most of the crowd showed up for the band heading the tour, Modern Baseball, Crying\u2019s set list pumped up the audience. About 40 random fans throughout the venue enthusiastically jumped up and down while others nodded their heads along with the beat. Crying\u2019s third member and drummer, Nick, said that even though he assumed most of the people came for headliner, Modern Baseball, he hoped that some left as new Crying fans.<\/p>\n Unlike most bands Crying doesn\u2019t pocket any of their tips. Instead they donate them to \u201cThe Legal Support Fund For Justice For Mike Brown,\u201d according to the sign taped in their tip box, as a way to support protestors in Ferguson, Missouri. Towards the end of Crying\u2019s set, Elaiza tells the audience about where their tips are donated and also explains that the fund is \u201cset up through Missourians organizing for reform and empowerment. Help provide jail support for arrested protesters!\u201d<\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n