For those of you who missed the last Logjammers concert for some mildly reasonable excuse like a job, homework, or severe illness – I’m super sorry. For those of you who: were in the dark about the Logjammers debut performance after a year-long break, or simply “didn’t want to go,” and decided to marathon “Breaking Bad,” shame on you. Shame on you.
There was something different about this show, which took place on Sunday, Sept. 16. Many fans, and even random partygoers (freshmen), left realizing that what they experienced was much less of a party and much more of a concert. Of course a gnarly, sweaty, steamy line of kids fervently tried to fill up their cups with Keystone Light, but once the music started playing, the keg line disappeared, and people started politely shoving for a good look at where it was coming from.
This was the band’s first concert in almost a year; you’d think they would be a little rusty. They weren’t. The Logjammers were full of confidence. Maybe it had something to do with the fact that they played in the familiar comfort of their own home (three of the bandmates live together and the band’s set-up is in their basement).
Playing in their own home also means playing by their own rules. Drummer Teddy Benson calmly explained that having a house to play in means, “No leash.”
The band loves the fact that they are able to play freely without having to deal with a cramped, hardly-padded room in the Mathias Hall basement where the band was born.
The Logjammers formed in the spring of 2010. Bassist Forrest Marowitz and lead guitarist Andy Allen-Fahlander were roommates in the legendary Mathias 2-East hallway, and would jam in their room as passerby crowded in to listen.
Their first show together was the Battle of the Bands that same spring. This show included Sarah Jacobson on trumpet and Thayer Maclay on saxophone, as well as their now lead singer, guitarist, and keyboardist Oliver Kennan.
The more relaxed and confident energy of the band is not all due to the fact that they have a practice and performance space of their own. The Logjammers are a senior band, although they don’t claim this about themselves. It has grown-up over the last two and a half years. Individually, every performer has matured a lot on their respective instruments. Specifically, the horns section used to be accentual, but now stands out in a super funky way. It’sCake-esque.
The band has two music majors, two music minors, and the rest are avid music enthusiasts. This is not a band that just covers songs or jams on the blues scale. Kennan, Marowitz, and Allen-Fahlander took Music Composition first block. As Allen-Fahlander put it, they “were introduced to some real wackos,” and have some new music theory knowledge under their belt.
Allen-Fahlander explained that, since taking the class, he is, “looking forward to experimenting with diminished arpeggios and the Lydian mode.” Whatever that means. Sounds nuts.
While the band has grown in skill, they’ve also grown in numbers. When asked what is different about the band this year, drummer Benson sagaciously added another two-word answer, “More drums.”
The band now has three drummers. Bassist Marowitz explained, “Drew Kelly has a real jazz background, and really holds down the beat. And Ted is just the heart and soul of the band.”
Benson brings some dope accents to Kelly’s beat with nutty cymbals and his fatty bass drum, which he has appropriately named “Thumper Dumper.” The last drummer is the chill, dread-swingin’ Gabe Patterson who lays down murder game on the bongos, listening and improvising with the band.
I attended this show relatively sober and, normally, I need a little sauce to get my moves goin’. The Logjammers, however, got me grooving from the start. Between three drums wrecking a beat together, fat funky bass lines, a lead guitarist so dope that it almost frustrates those who have ever attempted the instrument, super sexy horns, and a lead singer who has an original style and voice (not to forget, he also plays keys and guitar), there’s truly a lot to love. They even threw a shout-out to all the sorority girls when they covered Calvin Harris’ “Feel So Close.” They killed it.
The CC community can expect a lot more of the Logjammers this year. If you’re smart, or remotely into great music, you need to be at the next Logjammers concert. Who knows, maybe they’ll have one this weekend – like, say, Saturday.
Jordan Wilson
Guest Writer