They say Rome wasn't built in a day. Building Rome is proving them wrong. In one week, Building Rome opened for Fall Out Boy and +44 on the Honda Civic Tour, sold out a headlining show in their hometown and received two fan shoutouts on MTV's Total Request Live. Originally formed in St. Louis in the winter of 2003, lead singer and songwriter Jon Heisserer spent the better part of a year writing and recording Building Rome's acclaimed debut album, "Something Left of Nothing". After an exhausting search for qualified members, the group formed for real in the summer of 2005. "At first, we had trouble even finding bands to play the CD release show for "Something Left of Nothing". No one in the scene knew who we were. Then word got out that 800 people showed up to see us at Mississippi Nights. Overnight, we'd made a name for ourselves in St. Louis," says Heisserer. "We spent months promoting the show outside venues, in record stores, street corners and in the ever-popular MySpace bulletins. Even though we presold almost 500 tickets, we didn't expect anywhere near the amount of people that came out to support us." The CD release show was only a small testament to Building Rome's dedication and their followers' devotion. Since then, they have truly created their empire from the Midwest music scene, gaining die-hard fans at every show with no sign of the decline that marked their namesake. Building Rome's humor-infused, tongue-in-cheek lyrics have kept listeners in awe - and in stitches - since the beginning. A taste of Building Rome's flavor includes a self-conscious gangster who wants to become a rapper, a romp through the Bahamas with a belly dancer girl, and wanting to be with your girlfriend's best friend (a song that cost Heisserer his then-current girlfriend). Although they have a wide repertoire of comedy stylings, their music stretches to both ends of the spectrum. Songs like piano-laced ballad "Miss You More", "Everything You've Never Wanted" and "I'm Not Sorry" touch on themes of death, long-distance relationships and guilt. Building Rome's driving passion for their fans, their music, and performing make them a stand-out among their peers. The group is known for their live shows, which include a choreographed intro to "The Final Countdown", jumping out of giant presents (an homage to Spinal Tap) and random guest appearances from bananas, gorillas, and on one occasion, Santa Claus. Although the band has been through a few lineup changes, they've continued to build their resume and fan base while evolving musically with each metamorphose. From the beginning, the band has garnered musical comparisons to everyone from Weezer to Fountains of Wayne. In addition to being listed as one of the "Top 40 Bands of All Time" on STLPunk.com, the group's music has been featured on the "Midwest Music Explosion" CD alongside Modern Day Zero, and "Choking On Eggshells" was picked up by Volkswagen for their 2006/2007 car shows across the U.S. They receive consistent airplay on KPNT 105.7, KNSX 93.3 and iChannel as well as several college stations across the region, and have been featured on Charter Television's "The Set" in front of a nearly sold-out crowd. They also opened for Ludo (Island/Def Jam) at their annual Christmas show to over 1,500 screaming fans. While planning for their own future, Building Rome also strives to help the local community. After "Building Homes with Building Rome" raised over $7,000 for Habitat for Humanity, they took time out to play a benefit for Amnesty International at a local high school and MTV's "Rock The Vote" in Springfield, MO. Recently, Building Rome headlined the Second Annual Tay-Sachs Benefit Show in Makanda, IL, helping to raise over $28,000 for NTSAD and a local children's hospice. "Second Chance for Worst Impressions", the follow up to their first album, showcases the band's musical evolution and their ability to work under pressure - the 5 songs were recorded, mixed and mastered in one week with Chicago producer Marc McClusky (Ludo, Hit The Lights, Butch Walker). Building Rome has recently taken some time off to record new material, a story told from the first-person viewpoint of a man in a mental institution. The vibe of the 4 new recordings has been compared to a musical love affair: if Jimmy Eat World had a love child with Alkaline Trio and abandoned it on Something Corporate's doorstep, the end result would be these songs. "While the new stuff comes from a different place than 'Something Left of Nothing', it still manages to keep the rockin' aspect of our other music. It's more mature, but it's still fun to listen to and fun for us to play," muses Heisserer. With their talented songwriting and dedication to their fans and music, the Building Rome Army is set to surpass the Roman Army by a long shot.