Despite widespread complaints about the difficulties of forming a band, most notably the lack of spaces to practice and perform, the restrictions imposed by the D-plan, and the overall hectic nature of student life, six new bands have been making it work in a major way all over Hanover.
Kristin Vallacher '08 and Carmen Kilpatrick '09 combine powers as DJ Tanner and DJ Playschool to create the madcap lyrics and catchy beats of Razorbloodz. With witty verses rapped shrilly over a pair of keyboards, what began as a joke between friends has become a veritable musical force. Opening for Scream Club at Friday Night Rock's PRIDE Week collaboration last monday, shaking up the Festival of New Music and even garnering a mention in New York Magazine, the duo's combination of wit, insight and zany musical sensibility allows songs like "Everything I Know About Gender Theory I Learned from Mrs. Doubtfire" to stand beside the crude ("2g1c" is an abbreviated reference to the infamous "Two Girls One Cup" video).
Look, Orion! began just as innocuously. A group of friends who were experimenting with computers and a looping pedal have become members of one of the most innovative campus bands. Comprised of Dan Weisman '08, Andrew Berry '08, Annabel Seymour '09, Leon Chang '08 and Niral Shah '08, Look, Orion! combines the influences of electronic dance music and indie rock to create a sound all its own. With heady dubs, witty lyrics and undeniable stage presence, Look, Orion! is sure to attract campus music-lovers to its quirky shows.
"We basically commandeered the basement of the Chinese language house," said Berry, who works the computers in the band. "People would come around and hang out and come to the mic and throw stuff in."
Also enjoying widespread appeal are the Anti-Dentites, a campus funk band comprised of Dylan Hume '09, Emmett Knox '08, Toby Lunt '08, Raj Majumder '11, Tom McDermott '09, Jack Sisson '09, David Strauss '08 and Steve Weber '09. Adapting songs from such bands as Tower of Power and Garaj Mahal, the Anti-Dentites have taken the frat scene by storm, drawing fans from the basements to the dance floors with their '70s and '80s hardcore funk sound, improvisational solos and always-fresh set lists. With many members drawn from Dartmouth's Barbary Coast Jazz Ensemble, the Anti-Dentites have evolved into a campus music mainstay thanks to their frequent rehearsals, constant addition of new songs and sharp sense of humor (the group's name is drawn from a Seinfeld episode).
Similarly unconventional is the beatboxing folk-rock duo of Bart McGuire '08 and Ryan Marnell '10. With broad-based musical backgrounds (McGuire composes classical and experimental electronic music, and Marnell plays viola and guitar and spins on turntables), Marnell and McGuire met through mutual friends and soon realized that beatboxing and folk rock make for a surprisingly compatible combination. There's room for improvisation both in Marnell's beatboxing and on McGuire's harmonica, so the duo's songs are beautifully delivered and emotionally hard-hitting at the same time.
Eric Paul '09 is another soulful act making waves. Drawing inspiration from his Christian faith, his fiancee and a positive life philosophy, Paul writes songs in the piano pop-rock mold.
"It's not about me. It's more about just the music and trying to influence people's lives and getting to know people," said Paul, emphasizing that his music is not solely intended for those sharing his religious creed. "I do want the Christian element to be prevalent, but I don't want to appeal only to the Christian group."
Having recently finished recording a CD, Paul plans to keep his options open regarding his future in the music business. But for now he can be seen making new fans in Lone Pine Tavern patrons.
The Making of San Bernadino, another Lone Pine favorite that performs weekly Thursday-night shows, is an earnest folk duo made up of Ryan Dieringer '09 and Tica Douglas '10. They met when a travel mishap landed Dieringer at Panarchy for an evening, and the two share eerily similar musical backgrounds (both took piano lessons before joining punk bands and eventually adopting a more folksy sound). Their chemistry creates delicate, winsome songs. The pair's poetic lyrics and lilting accompaniments combine to make emotional melodies that tug at heartstrings in the most unassuming of ways.
"They're straightforward songs," Douglas said. "They're heavy love songs, but they're not too heavy. They don't take themselves too seriously."
Incidentally, this humility is a common attribute of these up-and-coming groups. From the Razorbloodz' rendition of "2g1c" at the Festival of New Music, to the Anti-Dentites' interpretation of Britney Spears' "Toxic," a sense of humor infuses the music and attitudes of these bands.
So whether you're a hipster or a hippie, now is the time to turn off your iPod and check out the wide variety of live music on campus -- or to make some music of your own.
