The boys in the band: Jeremy, Alex, Kevin, Ben, and Pat.
This is my son's former high school band, Echoes. After just 2 days of practice, they got together to put on a reunion concert tonight, to benefit the fundraising efforts of the girlfriend of the guitarist on the far left. She is raising $4000 for the Boys and Girls Club in order to qualify to run the Boston Marathon. Go, Steph!!!
Here's my Ben at the mic for Alaskan Blues. It's kind of a 'talking blues' since he is not a singer.
And this young man at the mic is multi-talented, playing keyboard, cello, and guitar, and also doing vocals for the band.
And the former Echoes vocalist and sax player at the mic in this photo joined the band tonight for their second set, after singing the national anthem at the hockey game. He is also a member of the a capella group the Dartmouth Aires, who you would have seen take second place if you watched the TV show The Sing-Off. So, along with other original Echoes songs, he additionally sang Pinball Wizard with the band (his group also performed that same song on The Sing-Off).
I watch The Sing Off. I like all those singing shows! Singing is not my thing sadly, but that doesn't stop me. The Boys and Girls Club is a very worthy cause. They do a lot in our community to keep kids engaged especially now that it's getting dark at 4:00 it's good to have a program for the kids to go until their parents get home from work. If your son uploaded his band to youtube or something you should link it!
ReplyDeleteHappy New Year! THINK ABOUT IT: This time next year you will surely be traveling or exploring some other venture! My creative self is just ready for a life change! Somethings brewing this next year I can just feel it!
I watched The Sing-Off too. It was tough at first, because there was Alex, my son's good high school friend in the Aires, and then for a while there was the U of Rochester Yellowjackets, who my son knew well as part of the music community at UR before he graduated in May. But the kids were all so good, it barely mattered how it turned out. Still,it was fun seeing Alex's bright eager face during the competition, and then seeing my son-in-law on the Biggest Loser. It makes the shows so real when you know actual people on them!!
ReplyDeleteI'm not a good singer, but my family will tell you that it doesn't stop me from singing, ALL the time. Kind of like Zooey Deschanel on New Girl. Sad but true.
I am in awe of your brush with fame, Phyl! I wish Ben could make a You Tube video so we could hear the band!
ReplyDeleteOh, I don't know that you want to hear them. Remember, they were a HIGH SCHOOL band, and they all graduated from high school 4 years ago. And while they had a good time, and as their parents we are not the best critics, they actually are all good musicians,but they had exactly 2 DAYS to practice for this show and only one run-through of the songs where Alex was there. So it was fun, loud, and imperfect, and they raised $450 for Steph in one evening.
ReplyDeleteBut Ben was also in a college band, and after a hiatus since graduation in May, they are all together again in Boston and actually have their first Boston gig scheduled. I think they are pretty good. (again as a parent I don't suppose I could be too critical). The band is called The Radium Girls, and this is their website: http://theradiumgirls.bandcamp.com/ if you want to sample their music. Try Mom and Pops to Arms, or perhaps Burn it Down
Or if you want to see some silliness from them as college students, here are 2 of several silly youtube promo videos:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WPHixmlFk1s
or perhaps
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dwITn813v6o&list=UUGUmFlIJ3vMg7ycpgc9QhrQ&index=13&feature=plcp
Let me try that again: this is The Radium Girls' website, where you can sample their entire CD:
ReplyDeletehttp://theradiumgirls.bandcamp.com/
Postcript: considering the attendance was low due to a hockey game the same night and New Years just a night away, the kids raised $450 for Steph!! YEAH!
ReplyDelete