Bombay Bicycle Club

Bombay Bicycle Club

9:30 Club

October 19, 2014

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Seeing Bombay Bicycle Club for the first time felt euphoric. Not only is Flaws one of my favorite albums of all time, but this band is also one the few that defined high school for me. Cue my waves of intense nostalgia at 9:30 Club.

Also cue six circular LED panels featuring animated sequences from the cover art of Bombay Bicycle Club’s latest album So Long, See You Tomorrow, because that’s how the concert began. And then those waves of nostalgia turned into a tsunami of high school fangirling. I am not ashamed, mostly because everyone else was screaming as well when the quartet took the stage and lead singer Jack Steadman walked up to the microphone. Cutting through the extended intro of the song “Overdone,” Steadman’s offbeat voice filled the packed venue. Cue more screams from the pit.

As the band transitioned smoothly into “It’s Alright Now,” the crowd went nuts. After all, it’s repetitive beat-wise and lyrically, so the crowd can sing along, and it’s one of the band's danciest cuts from So Long, See You Tomorrow. Fans knew every word — you’d think they might be joining a cult led by a gangly British guy than seeing a concert, but no. They came to worship the British quartet as well as bask in the glow of a band that should be equally popular in the U.S. as they are in the U.K., but somehow aren’t yet.

Continuing with the piano-driven track “Shuffle,” Bombay Bicycle Club marked the following portion of the concert with songs from A Different Kind Of Fix. They flowed together nicely, but it was obvious newer fans didn’t recognize the songs from the lack of singing along.

           

After three or four songs, the band delved back into their most recent stuff, including my personal favorite off the new album — “Home By Now.” Liz Lawrence, the band’s female touring member, filled in for Lucy Rose and did an excellent job — her vocals floated over the audience delicately in spite of all the dancing and jumping around taking place. Another stunning piece that followed shortly after was “Eyes Off You.” The upbeat audience was silent as Steadman and Lawrence sang their duet; it was really beautiful to witness.

           

Then, in the middle of the set, it was like Steadman read my mind. Seguing into Flaws, he started with “Rinse Me Down,” and then teased the audience with an extremely long intro to another song. Which one could this be? I knew immediately, because it was the song I’d been waiting for all night, the song that I’ve loved since I was 16 — “Ivy & Gold.” Now, it was my turn to sing every lyric like I was at a Beatles concert, but I didn’t care. Seeing a song I’ve been attached to for so long performed live was a life-fulfilling experience. I only wish that they performed more off of Flaws. Out of all the material performed that night, Flaws was the most underrepresented album.

           

Don’t get me wrong, the rest of the concert was a blast. The rest of the setlist mostly included songs from I Had The Blues But I Shook Them Loose and So Long, See You Tomorrow, and I liked that I could hear a development in Bombay Bicycle Club’s sound between 2009 and now. Though the latest album is bit of a departure from the rawness of their original sound, there’s been a positive development — the Bombay Bicycle Club of today have refined their sound in a good way. By the time they played “Luna,” one of the final songs of the set, I found myself appreciating the new Bombay Bicycle Club. As much as I love Flaws, I realized that Steadman and the gang were also growing up with me; as my tastes and sound preferences have changed, so have theirs.

           

Finishing the concert with “So Long, See You Tomorrow” and a brief two-song encore featuring “Carry Me,” Bombay Bicycle Club went out with a bang. For the former song, audience members in the pit formed a circle and swayed to the soft, whimsical song; during the latter, crazy dancing (and kissing, as far as I could see) ensued all around me. This band definitely had an effect on its audience — maybe it’s nostalgia, maybe they’re one of a kind. Either way, they sure know how to get people to dance.

—A

Foxygen

Foxygen

9:30 Club

October 5, 2014

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Foxygen is gaining a lot of traction lately for their appearances on late-night talk shows. Even David Letterman is currently obsessed, possibly more than he was with Future Islands. And he has every right to be — both bands know how to bring energized, excellent performances. The only difference is Foxygen is batshit crazy live.

I don’t think I’ll forget their 9:30 Club performance for the rest of my life. Never have I been to a concert that made me feel like I’d traveled back in time. Foxygen had ’60s gogo dancers and guitarists in ’70s style polka dot shirts, and lead singer Sam France was rocking pink-streaked hair, an oversized blazer, and Iggy Pop skinny jeans certainly inspired by 1985.

The concert aesthetic was something out of this world. I suppose the band knows this, too — their latest album was titled ...And Star Power. However, I credit Sam France with most of Foxygen’s star power. There’s no doubt about it, his stage antics separate Foxygen from every other band out there at the moment. Kicking, punching, jumping, humping speakers, moshing with audience members, crowd surfing — no wonder France had a cast on his arm for the performance. The kid literally bled for his art onstage that night, opening up old scrape scabs as he kneeled on the stage serenading the brave souls in the front row. Even crazier, this was not a one-time thing for France. As per reputation, France puts 110 percent into Foxygen’s concerts to transform them into borderline bacchanals.

Kicking off the concert with Letterman fave “How Can You Really,” Foxygen had everyone at the first chorus. Stumbling across the stage, France must have been a spectacle to watch for most fans, whose ages ranged from 16 year olds with Led Zeppelin tees to their 60 year old fathers who probably felt their sons’ age again. That’s Foxygen for you — flirting with psychedelic sounds, but not sticking to any genre beyond indie rock, and at that, vaguely.

They continued with another genreless track, “On Blue Mountain” from their last album We Are The 21st Century Ambassadors Of Peace & Magic. By this point, France was strangling himself with his microphone, an action he would continue on and off for the rest of the night until the cables tangled into a knot so intricate boy scouts would be proud. Song after song, Foxygen played with no lulls, not even during mellow tracks like “Coulda Been My Love” and the ’70s-esque “Shuggie” (stylized “$huggie” on the setlist for kicks).

Even though Foxygen played about 10 songs, their set kept escalating in excitement. If I had to pick a peak, it would definitely be their opener Dub Thompson crashing the set. Between drummer Evan Laffer running onstage with an open bottle of champagne and guitarist Matt Pulos making out with France front and center, the audience freaked out. The best part? Everyone just rolled with it. I guess that, too, is Foxygen for you — doing one insane thing after another until it becomes normalcy.

—A

My "Vagina Monologues" Experience

{Mel, me, and Laura after our last show}       

      Last year, I saw my first production of Eve Ensler’s The Vagina Monologues and loved it. So I decided right then and there to audition for the show for the following year. I always get overly nervous before any type of audition and halfway convince myself not to try out. Luckily, I’m pretty good at tuning myself out when necessary, and thank God for that.

      Performing this past weekend was incredible. I loved being onstage, of course, but what was just as cool was being backstage and listening to all these girls perform. I was in awe of how brave these women were, how open and willing they were to read and perform pieces that were sometimes heavy or embarrassing. It was amazing to hear them perform and it was even cooler that I was one of them.

{obligatory opening night snapchats}

      Along with two amazing girls Laura and Mel (check out her blog!), I performed “Say It.” The show was fantastic, thanks to our incredible directors. And I was so grateful for all my friends and family who came out to see me on that stage for about two short minutes just to show their support. I am reminded so often that I have incredible, kind-hearted, and thoughtful people in my life and I am just so thankful for them and to the show for reminding me of that. If you’ve never seen a production of The Vagina Monologues, I definitely encourage you to do so. If you have, I’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments below! :)

~ V

The Daily Show: the End of an Era

{bæ}

    Last night, Jon Stewart announced that he will be leaving The Daily Show and I absolutely panicked. This definitely affects me personally in more ways than one; I’ve been planning my life around a dream Jon Stewart-involved internship and whether I’m behind the scenes or in front of the screen, The Daily Show just won’t be the same without him. But I know I'm not the only one freaking out here. Jon’s (and yeah, we are on a first name basis) presence on The Daily Show will be something much of America will miss. 
      I'm not being remotely original in saying so, but he is so incredibly intelligent, well-spoken, kind (when appropriate), and hilarious that I feel bad for whoever's going to try to fill those shoes (even if it is Queen Poehler). One of my favorite clips is from the first episode of the Daily Show following 9/11, and it perfectly encapsulates all these amazing qualities. I can't imagine what it was like to be in his position, but I think he dealt with it with diplomacy, honesty, and grace. He's brilliant in so many ways and I can't imagine how Comedy Central is going to fill that big gaping hole in my heart. And, at the risk of sounding just the slightest bit melodramatic, I DON’T KNOW HOW I WILL EVER MOVE ON FROM THIS. DON’T LEAVE ME JON DON’T DO IT HOW CAN I GO ON WITHOUT YOU.
      Ahem. I’m fine. No, really, it’s all good. Because you know what? I bet if he’s leaving, he has a great reason. Rosewater was a huge success and he managed to stay on the Show while he was making that bad boy. If he’s leaving, it HAS to be for something good. Even though he says he has no specific plans, I'll bet he's moving on to move forward. So I’m gonna have some faith in good ol’ Jonny-boy. In a few months we can all hopefully watch him do even more amazing things, and in the mean time we can enjoy these last few episodes, however many we have.

And here it is, my favorite moment of zen.

~ V

P.S. Check out the Times’ post on Jon's most notable moments.

photo courtesy of Comedy Central

Mutual Benefit

Mutual Benefit

Rock & Roll Hotel

September 11, 2014

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Mutual Benefit’s Jordan Lee has a way of making any concert venue feel like an intimate acoustic session. This has something to do with the sincerity that exudes from him in every aspect of his performance; whether Lee is discussing suspenseful bird documentaries as an attempt to banter with his audience or digressing into songs as whimsical-sounding as they are titled like “Advanced Falconry” and “Auburn Epitaphs,” there’s definitely something genuinely Lee-esque that permeates his stage presence.

His quiet mannerisms also contributed to this feel, as Lee both speaks and sings softly. That’s not to say he hasn’t changed since I saw him last year at The Black Cat. For example, Lee has a newfound stage confidence now, albeit a little off-color. In addition, he looked more like a mad scientist on his sampler than some kid futzing around with dials and knobs — a creator and owner of some beautifully organized chaos.

Starting their set at Rock & Roll Hotel off with “Strong River,” Mutual Benefit silenced their audience. In a live setting, the song sounded like the overture to an indie opera. After the song finished, Lee gave Soft Cat, the band’s opener, a shoutout for being “fucking great,” displaying another instance of that Lee-trademarked sincerity. Next, he launched into one of my favorite songs, “Auburn Epitaphs.” In spite of its dark name, the track has this twangy guitar bassline that always makes me want to get down.

By the end of the first few songs, Lee was shyly thanking his audience for sticking around. Becoming aware of his natural introversion creeping back into his demeanor, he decided to tell a story about the time a three-way kiss took place during one of his songs. Starting another synth-filled song, an audience member felt compelled to tell Lee “I love you!,” prompting Lee to whisper “Shut the fuck up” into his microphone and coyly smile. This is the Lee 2.0; a version that’s as humorous as he is modest — in his own screwy way, of course.

“This could be a total failure, but we’ll see,” Lee said to mark the playing Love’s Crushing Diamond cut “‘Let’s Play’/Statue Of A Man”. I realized then that this is what I love about Lee’s music — though it can all be misconstrued as muddled ambient shit, it’s lovely and meditative when listened to with an open mind. It requires a little more active listening to fully understand what makes the self-described “laser-folk pioneer” tick. Mutual Benefit may not be suited for everybody on vinyls, CDs, mp3s, what have you, but their music is definitely worth hearing live at least once in your life for a chill musical experience unlike any other.

Transitioning smoothly into Lee’s personal favorite “Strong Swimmer,” a seven-minute magnum opus, Lee flashed his audience with a satisfied smile. The lyrics are simple and descriptive and the musicality intricate and unique, earning requests from the audience for an encore. “No amount of exuberance can bring us back,” Lee said, referring to the upcoming weeklong break from touring he was looking forward to after the D.C. stop. Wrapping up with “Moonville Tunnel,” Mutual Benefit left their audience feeling mellow and feeling good — another signature trademark of Lee’s.

           

—A

Blogaversary

      It's pretty difficult for me to motivate myself to write. You wouldn't think so, me being a journalism major. But most days, writing articles, posts, etc. feels like squeezing blood from a stone. I can do it, but I don't always want to. Actually, I never want to. 

      This inherent laziness has caused me to be absent from a lot of writing outlets in my life for the past six months, including this blog. I viewed it more as a writing vacation, but it was more about giving myself a chance to breathe. Writing a lot easily burns me out, and I pushed myself so hard to write over the summer that I burned myself out in the fall. 

      But not this semester, or at least, I hope not. I have already locked myself in my room to bang out four articles highlighting my concert ventures this fall. And not only will I be writing for my grades—I'm taking News Writing and Reporting II at my school—but I will be writing because it's hardwired into my brain. I need to produce, whether that's a journalism article or a poem, or else I fall into a state of flubber. 

      That being said, I'm looking forward to publishing more on OMS. I can't be mad at myself for being incredibly inconsistent, because as much as I'd like to believe that I will publish as often as Virali does, I probably won't [Editor's Note: Aww, shucks. Let's be real though, I don't post nearly enough either, haha]. But publishing something is better than nothing. 

      Cheers!

~ A

6 Months Down

  

{my favorite spot on campus}

     Today officially marks six months since we created One More Saturday, which is something I’m so excited about. Before Alana and I began the blog, we were so full of ideas and inspiration for what this project was going to be like, but school, internships, and social lives have definitely gotten in the way of us meeting our goals. Regardless, I’m still pretty happy with what this blog has helped me do and even more so, I’m hopeful for the future and for what our blog can become. I definitely have a lot of goals, both for this blog and in general and I think that OMS can help Alana and me achieve them. 

      I also push myself to remember that at the end of the day, this blog isn’t simply a vessel for us to get from Point A to Point B; it's an outlet that allows us to be expressive and appreciative of both the big and small aspects of our daily lives and it’s a way for us to honestly have fun with photography and the written word.

      That being said, here are some things that I’ve loved and learned as a result of these past six months:

 {summer sunset from my bedroom window}

• Photography: A huge highlight of this blog is that it has coincided with my first trip to Europe and my first photography course. Both of these have been huge opportunities to take better photos and I love having an outlet on which I can post some of these highlights.

{London streets}

• Writing: I initially started this blog because I wanted to write more and I need a space that would allow (and sometimes even force) me to do so. However, what I didn’t expect to find was a return to the feeling I had while being a part of the the newspaper in high school. I didn’t realize how much I missed it, and it’s nice to have a similar outlet, especially since it’s one that is so flexible and more of a reflection of myself and my interests.

{sunbathing in Fort Lauderdale}

{graffiti in Miami}

• Friends and family: So many people in my life have been incredibly supportive in the creation of this blog. This little website is a labor of love and I think about it daily in terms of what my goals are and how I want to achieve them. To the friends, family, and other readers who check out our posts and share them with others, I am so, so grateful for you. You guys keep me going and make me feel like Alana and I aren’t the only people who care about OMS. Thank you, thank you, thank you.

 {work in progress}

• Self-reliance: Full disclosure, this blog stresses me out sometimes. I’m perpetually guilty of not posting often enough and there are so many areas in which I want to make progress that I simply haven’t made yet. Alana and I want to build readership, both in general and beyond a network of friends and family, and although it’s scary knowing that it’s just the two of us trying to make that happen, it’s kind of exciting at the same time. Instead of making me anxious and afraid to fail, the responsibility pushes me to keep trying and to continuously try harder. It’s kind of empowering and exciting and makes me value the small successes that much more.

 {highlights from an impromptu monument run}

• The little things: I’m huge on appreciating the smaller things in life and showing gratitude for what you've got. Looking back on my posts, they all reflect things that have made me happy, whether it be a concert or a vacation or just a simple break from my routine. I am happy to look back on this blog as a journal of highlights from the past six months, and instead of the complaints and anxieties that are often the focus of my actual journal entries, these blog posts serve as a reminder that I am fortunate and have amazing people in my life. Six months ago, Alana and I explained the origin of this blog’s name and looking back, each post has indeed been a reminder that I really do have one more Saturday. And I’ll be damned if I don’t make the most of them.

~ V

Inspiration: Use As Needed

     Something I’ve really been trying to work on is being creative on a daily basis. I’ve always had an appreciation for the artistic and the aesthetic, but I often find myself relying on classes or clubs to be my creative outlet. Last semester, I took a photography class and a course in creative writing, and in high school I took art classes that forced me to sketch, paint, or play with pottery nearly every day. Unfortunately, without these structured classes to give me clear assignments, I sometimes get too lazy or busy with other priorities to make myself work in any creative way. I’ve made some efforts to amend this, including creating this blog and purchasing a daily sketch journal (previously seen here and available here). But they don't always feel like enough, especially on days when I feel like I have no inspiration.

There are times when I have so much I want to express, be it through prose, poetry, photography, paint, or some other artistic form. When inspiration like this strikes, I might be on the metro and see or hear something that makes me think or I might be unfocused in the middle of class and find myself frantically scrolling through Pinterest, Instagram, and my favorite blogs. By the end, I wind up with about ten different tabs and a page’s worth of ideas. I can nearly feel all the ideas swimming around and it’s all I can do to frantically put pen to paper —literally or figuratively — while they’re still there, fresh and honest. These days are the best, because they grant me the satisfaction of feeling motivated and then actually following through to be proactive or constructive in some way.

But for the days when I lack inspiration for a daily sketch, the latest creative writing assignment, or a blog post, I usually turn to the same sources. These often serve as the catalyst for when I lack motivation and need something to inspire me, and they are even sometimes the impetus for those good days when the ball’s already rolling.

      I thought it would be helpful for me to share with all of you what my favorite sources of inspiration are, to either share the food for thought or to even push you to find your own. Here are some Instagram accounts, blogs, books, and websites that usually help me get the creative juices flowing:

• Cupcakes & Cashmere: Emily Schuman is my absolute favorite blogger and I find myself visiting her website often five times a day. Her posts are grounded and honest, and I am so inspired by her self-motivated and self-created success. She has a great eye and she is ambitious and talented in really everything she does. Her blog makes me think of OMS in a more professional way and, though with my full course load and internship I certainly don’t have the time to put in the hours she does, I am pushed by her to post more often.

• Kate Arends of Wit & Delight: Her photography and taste in interior design are impeccable, but the reason I am absolutely addicted to her Instagram (beyond her great eye) is her new puppy Winnie Bear. I even follow her husband for the same reason! (Protip: he puts up more dog pics!)

• Tyler Knott Gregson: His work isn’t exactly my style, but it has a quality to it that is sometimes so beautiful and moving and it compels me to write in a way that I, too, can affect and inspire my readers. I follow his Instagram for a daily haiku, which adds some literary beauty to my Insta feed and serves as a reminder that I should be writing as well. Always.

• Amy Poehler’s Yes, Please: First and foremost, Amy Poehler is Queen. Not of America, not of SNL history, but of the world. She’s the best and the chapter titled “Treat Your Career Like a Bad Boyfriend” emphasizes the need to prioritize creativity over career, which is something that I so needed to hear. I’m not going to say any more about this for those of you who haven’t read it yet (and really need to hurry up already and do yourselves the favor of doing so).

• Daily sketch journal: Having an outlet that absolutely forces me to create has been great because it holds me accountable for days that I miss. The notebook has exactly 365 spaces to sketch, along with blank spots in which you write the date. So, when I miss a day (or two, or three) I have to do that many extra sketches all within the same date and write down how many days late I was in putting that extra sketch on paper.

• Charles Bukowski: I only began appreciating poetry in the way that I do this past fall, thanks to a pretty great Creative Writing professor. I started reading What Matters Most is How Well You Walk Through The Fire and it makes me think in a different way, if that makes any sense. It’s hard to explain through words (ironically enough), but poetry, especially Bukowski’s poetry, gets my mind thinking in lines rather than sentences, which in turn affects the way I write. I love the effect it has on me and I am grateful to have found this new appreciation for poetry.

I'd love to know, what inspires you? Let me know if you have any recommendations in the comments below! 

~ V

Home Sweet Home

      After a great three weeks at home, I am finally back at GW! However, I'm no different from any other college student in thinking that returning to school is always bittersweet. I find myself loving D.C. more with each semester that I attend school here, but there are definitely a few things I look forward to when I am back in New Jersey. And while my break consisted of more Netflix and pizza than I'd like to admit, here are some highlights of things that made me happy during my time at home:

My mom and I spent a day walking through the Lower West Side, including a stop at Chelsea Market so I could grab some new rings, a walk through NYU's campus, and our first time exploring the High Line.

{chalk art on the wall of a building in the Meatpacking District, also featured here} 

{the Washington Square Arch}

{daily reminder that the struggle is indeed real}  

  

 {views from the High Line}

 {steps leading up to the High Line}

 {holiday lights up in Chelsea Market}

Perks of being home: waking up to a transformed backyard outside my bedroom window. 

 

 {snow-covered vines on our shed}

This Christmas I also made sure to buy presents for myself, including string lights I've had my eye on for months, some amazing Anthropologie candles, new journals, and some other goodies.

{candles from Anthropologie that I'm currently obsessed with, also featured here}

 {string lights for my room}

 {new books to record 2015}

Now that I'm back to a steady routine of drinking too much Starbucks and avoiding the library at all costs, it's nice to look back on these pictures. They not only remind me of how much the little things really matter, but they also push me to appreciate more of my everyday life at school.

I'd love to know, what did your holiday break look like?

~ V

Five Questions with Bencoolen

     When I look back at my four years of high school, I think of matches from my time on the bowling team, shifts working at my local library, and skipped track practices. Though I loved participating in (most of) those activities, I am grateful that my extracurricular activities today have branched off into different directions.
      The one activity I do miss, however, is my time on the Maroon & Gray, my high school newspaper. I spent all four years learning about, producing, or otherwise participating in our monthly issues. Even with all the additional hours I spent outside of class reporting, editing pages, and planning ahead for upcoming issues, I loved my time on the paper and it definitely helped that I had a great teacher and advisor to guide me through the process.
     I still sometimes miss writing stories about cool things happening around the school and town or interesting students and teachers, and I think a big benefit of starting this blog has been that it's allowed me to sort of get back to that. So when I attended George Washington University's annual Fall Fest and got to see local band Bencoolen perform, I knew I wanted to cover them for the blog. 
      The band of GW students is comprised of guitarist and lead vocalist Paul Gregg, guitarist Teddy Scott, bassist Eric Burke, drummer Kevin Mathieu, and alto saxophone player Ian Braker. Here's what the guys of Bencoolen had to say about Fall Fest, the creation of the band, and that wicked name:

{Bencoolen performing at Fall Fest. Pictured left to right: Eric Burke, Ian Braker, Kevin Mathieu, Paul Gregg, Teddy Scott}

1.Where does the name Bencoolen come from?

Paul: I used to live in Singapore, so while we were trying to come up with band names I tried to think of something that had to do with Singapore and Bencoolen came out. It's a street in an area in Singapore that has some cool spots and a lot of culture, and it's the mall where I bought my first guitar.

Eric: During the time trying to figure out a band name, Paul was suggesting lame/too serious names. Ted and I combatted that by suggesting ridiculous names where we combined words together. They were all nonsensical, but in reaction to that Paul suggested Bencoolen (somewhat two words combined) and it was dear to him from growing up in Singapore and buying his first guitar on Bencoolen Street. It ended up rolling off the tongue nicely.


2. How was the band formed?

Teddy: During freshman year in Fall 2011, I attended open jam sessions and wrote songs looking high and low for bandmates. Ian Braker was actually my roommate so I wrote a ballad with a big solo section for him to fill up. In preparation for recording, I met up with him in a small practice room and he literally blew my mind. He was in from day one. 

By the end of sophomore year I had started jamming with Paul after a mutual friend brought him out to see my old band play in Spring of 2013. The two of us were playing covers and swapping originals in a basement for a few friends and were able to impress behind his wide-ranging tenor. 

Eric slipped into the picture right at the beginning of junior year in the Fall of 2013. I had only jammed with him one time a couple years earlier and it was terrible. But sometimes you just need to try again. His jokes, brutal honesty, ridiculous facial hair, and love of rock music allowed him to fall into his rightful place. 

Kevin came in late Spring 2013 after our old drummer quit due to “creative differences.” We had four drummers sign up to audition for us. He was number 3. He came in with so much confidence, bare feet, and with such an obvious intention to grow with us that we didn’t even audition the last man. 

Kevin: I auditioned for the band last spring when the original drummer - Steve - moved on. He and I take drum lessons from the same teacher and I happened to walk in for my lesson as Steve was leaving, to which he suggested I check out his band because they needed a new drummer. Total coincidence!

{Paul (left) and Kevin (right) giving it their all at Fall Fest}

3. Where do you find most of your inspiration?

Kevin: I started playing drums because I found a passion in rock music, specifically some really down and dirty hardcore, metal. I always try to sneak some metal rudiments in here and there (e.g. last 30 seconds of "On The Rocks") just to add a personal touch to a genre which otherwise utilizes percussion as  a backdrop for vocals.

Eric: I take most of my style from Flea from Red Hot Chili Peppers, but try to incorporate a reggae and indie pop styles as well. My favorite band is the Arctic Monkeys.

Paul: Me and Ted both have a few artists/bands that I really look to when I song write, and they are very different.  He's really into blues rock and jam band stuff, but I look to a bunch of indie and alt rock bands, like Foals, Brand New, Motion City Soundtrack, and Los Campesinos, bands that skirt the line between indie rock and something heavier than that.


Teddy: Other artists and my DL4 pedal. My list of inspiring artists are always changing, but right now Rebelution, Dave Matthews, John Mayer, the Revivalists, and The Tallest Man on Earth move me. From reggae rhythms, to bluesy fills, jam band vibes, and clever folky lyrics, this list covers my interests. 


My DL4 pedal is a loop station and an echo pedal. With it I can compose everyone’s part but Kevin’s as I invent and songwrite. It only records for 14 seconds which is a blessing and a curse. It allows me to lay down chords or a riffing part and layer on top of it to hear how the band can work together. Most rock songs come down to a riff that is less than 14 seconds so it keeps me focused, but also limits writing all parts of a song at once. 

{Teddy Scott killing it on stage during the band's Fall Fest performance}

4. Can you tell me about each of your personal experiences performing at Fall Fest?

Kevin: Fall Fest was a great time for me, it was the first time most of my friends were able to come see Bencoolen play, the stage and crew were amazing, and the crowd was really energetic! I have also never had so many technical issues with my drum kit as during that performance, making the moment difficult to savor. I know for sure that when I'm long gone from GW and off doing normal-person-living-a-normal-life stuff, I'll look back on the performance as the highlight of my college experience.

Teddy: The energy was unreal. Seeing thousands of people dancing to our songs was powerful. But don’t count out the greatness of playing in kinda gross nightclubs where I can literally touch the audience in the front row. We sweat together, rock together, and white-boy dance together.

I hope Fall Fest was just a big step. It helped us gain notoriety around Foggy Bottom and helped us learn to interact with such a large crowd, but until we can back on such a stage over and over again ... I’m not satisfied and I doubt the rest of the band is either. 

5. What are your goals for the band?

Teddy: To be rock stars. But breaking it down, my goal is to ride this band as far as I can. I dream of making a career as a musician. I spend so much time on both the music and business side of the band. I think Paul and I will work together as long as we share the same hometown and can continue writing together. Obviously we will have as much of the band as we can have with us as do so. Kevin is young and will still be in D.C. next year in school, but Ian is gone, and Eric might follow him. We are planning on auditioning replacements as soon as next semester, but they can’t have the spots until the other guys leave for good.

It’s not ideal, but a hard reality. You can’t feasibly make it as a professional musician without a little luck. When we’re young we can tour, spend money, and try to get noticed. Then we can make it. That’s why we go out there at every single show and work to blow every individual away. He or she might just be the right person. But more than that, it creates an energy for everyone in the room that culminates in an atmosphere only we can create as Bencoolen. That atmosphere is the reason we can fill bars and clubs every night we play, why people want to write about us, and why we’re breaking down the expected label of just being a “college” band. We’re serious about this. We are good at this. It’s not just a side project.

The band's favorite songs to perform include the new song "New Dude" and "Hold On" from their album, but you can check more of their music out here and here. 

Do you have any more questions for the band? Let us know in the comments below!

-- V

All photos courtesy of Kayla Williams Photography.

Young the Giant

      I recently won two tickets to see Young the Giant, one of my top-five bands, live. My roommate Victoria and I were thrilled to see the band again after going to their show last February at the Fillmore Silver Spring and while their first show featured aspects the more recent show did not, I definitely preferred the second performance.

{Sameer Gadhia performing "Islands"}

      Beyond the fact that our tickets were won and not purchased (and the fact that this was my first time winning anything desirable, ever), the recent show had an amazing venue. Rather than being held in a concert hall or club, this performance was in the National Building Museum, as part of the Mercedes-Benz Evolution tour. The venue was gorgeous and attracted an older crowd, allowing us to be perhaps the youngest attendees. I also landed a front-row spot in the crowd, another first, and scored not one, but two set lists at the end of the night.

 {the stage before the show}

      But enough about the perks, let's get to the really good stuff. The band was fantastic. Despite the fact that they were not on tour to promote their own band, the guys carried the same passion and showmanship that I remember from their earlier performance. Lead vocalist Sameer Gadhia's voice, charisma, and overall performance were, of course, on point. The guy can do no wrong. And while last time, I was closer to guitarist Jacob Tilley (who is relatively shy but just as adorable), I was centered between Sameer and singer and guitarist Eric Cannata for the Mercedes-Benz show. Eric was, as I screamed to him, the man. (I scored a chuckle in response!) He is so passionate about performing and really thrives off the audience's energy, something that I had missed before. And while I didn't get as good a look at drummer Francois Comtois or bassist Payam Doostzadeh that night, I heard their performances throughout, and they were fantastic as well. While I really do wish Mercedes-Benz would have included an opening act, I had an amazing night.

      And let's take a moment to appreciate the fact that Sameer touched my hands two more times, totaling four beautiful moments of physical contact. I may be an utterly shameless fangirl, but at least it works for me. (Disclaimer: all five of the guys have girlfriends. Our luck is utter crap, I know.) Anyway, enjoy the photos I've included. Aren't they all perfect?

{Jacob Tilley}

{Payam Doostzadeh}

{Mercedes-Benz Evolution Tour}

      Have you seen any great bands lately? Got music suggestions for a fellow YTG fan? Let me know!

-- V