Our team

Alana Mayer

Photographer, Los Angeles & New York

Alana Mayer is an LA transplant who has made Brooklyn home for the past 8 years. During that time she's dipped her toes in a variety of creative ventures from music and portrait photography to sustainable design and even starting a lingerie line called The Dawn Studio. Yoga and meditation keep her sane (most of the time), so when not at a music show, listening to quality tunes or creating some of her own, you can catch her teaching yoga around the city.

Andrea Smitko

Writer, Toronto

Andrea is a Toronto-based writer.

Anna Topol

Editor, Luxembourg

Anna is a techie with an affliction for art, music, and photography. She's pro Oxford comma and against overuse of semicolons. Toronto ex-pat currently based (mostly) in Vancouver.

Audrin Baghaie

Writer, Albuquerque, New Mexico

Music writer from Albuquerque, New Mexico

Bash Ortega

Writer, New York

Sebastian Ortega is a Brooklyn-based artist and writer. They’ve been involved in all sorts of musical endeavors from being in a performing children’s chorus to fronting their high school garage band. Sebastian first got involved in music journalism through their college radio station. They discovered a love for interviewing, and are excited by connecting with other people. When they aren’t listening to music, they’re probably DJing or binge-watching horror movies. In fact, they love horror so much that they're also a staff writer at horrorpress.com.

Ben Lemieux

Writer, Toronto

Ben Lemieux grew up in Montreal, where he began writing for The Suburban during high school. After graduating from McGill University, his career spanned Canada and the UK, where his work appeared in magazines, newspapers, entertainment and financial websites, B2B publications, and a short fiction anthology.

Brett Banducci

Photographer, New York

Brett Banducci is from the Bay Area and has been in NYC for the last 2 years. He specializes in Music and Fashion photography. He enjoys making tasteful images as well as finding ironic moments in life to capture. He has worked with Juxtapoz Magazine, SOB's NYC, and various upcoming brands.

Cait Schmitz

Writer & Photographer, New York

Cait is a NYC based writer, photographer, videographer and recent BFA graduate of Ithaca College. She dabbles in almost every creative pursuit she can and has yet to decide a favorite. With a mom who’s past was a singer in the NYC 80s punk music scene, her life has always been engulfed in music (even if it’s sometimes just singing with her mom in the supermarket). A Beatles fanatic, avid piano player and a Carrie/Samantha mix.

Faye Strassle

Writer & Photographer, Europe

Faye is a full-time traveling nomadic photographer. If you don‘t catch her at a concert or festival, you will find her pushing an oldtimer car to its limits exploring the beauty of this planet, showing that it's possible to travel sustainably, vegan, and solo as a woman. Originally from Switzerland, Faye has been living on the road for over 3 years now and that's not going to change anytime soon. Her heart beats for heavy music, metalcore, rock, post-hardcore, and indie/alternative are her favorite genres and she will never refuse a moshpit.

Jack Pontarello

Photographer, Chicago

I am a Chicago based photographer who started about 2 years ago when I bought my first Nikon camera. Began shooting mostly urban landscape/street work in Chicago but eventually moved into other photography categories such as live music. There’s nothing more that I love besides live music and photography. The two colliding in my life has been an awesome experience having the opportunity to shoot artists such as Shakey Graves, Gregory Alan Isakov, and Cherub. Born and Raised in the Chicagoland area, currently residing in the Chicago neighbourhood of Bucktown. 

Jade Newton

Writer, California

Jade has been a music journalist for Quip since 2014 and enjoys the entire spectrum of music thanks to her family of musicians and music lovers. A native of Chicago, now living in Southern California, Jade works as a linguist. When she isn’t writing for Quip or working on something linguistics-related, she enjoys reading, volunteering with non-profits organizations and traveling.

Jay Charlii

Jay Charlii, Photographer, New York

As a contributing photographer originally from the West Coast, I have always had a passion for capturing the world around me through my lens. Currently based in New York City, I have found myself drawn to documenting the ever-changing music and fashion scenes that are so vibrant and diverse in this city. My work has been featured in a variety of publications, both online and in print, and I have had the opportunity to travel to various cities and countries to capture the unique energy and style of each place. I am constantly inspired by the beauty and creativity that I see around me, and I am dedicated to sharing it with the world through my photography.