With a backdrop of rolling hills, cicadas, and the hot sun’s final appearance of the day, I sit across from THE BAND LIGHT on the steps of East Iris Studios. There’s a cool breeze, and four cool boys sprawled in front of me like a Rolling Stone cover from the late ‘70s. They’re a fairly new – and fairly young – band in Nashville, but they share an air of confidence and experience. With the band welcoming me into each new story with a smile, I have the pleasure of getting to know them this afternoon in the oh-so-familiar scene of early summer in Nashville.
More than just a great facade of worn boots and graphic tees, the band is earnest, thinking deeply about what making music has meant to them so far in this journey as a band and what it will mean to them in the future. Their story starts like any great “how we got together” tale – at their old high school’s production of Footloose. With three years as a band under their belt, today’s show is full circle – Kenny Loggins has come to watch them play at East Iris Studios.
When I ask them about their identity as a group, they quickly let me know that they are a “rock and roll boy band from space,” like if “Simon Cowell didn’t find One Direction, and they found themselves and their artistic vision.” This anecdote proves true, and to me they inspire a sonic vision like the child of Oasis and Greta Van Fleet. The band shares smiles and laughs in anticipation of their show, with a clear enjoyment for being together and an undeniable charm. When I ask the band what they want listeners to feel when they hear THE BAND LIGHT, Trevor answers that he “want[s] them to feel connected, the energy, the love, and mainly just to feel something in themselves that they need to feel, or something new.” He continues that “with every song – we can’t always do this but – to the best of our ability, we want people to feel something they haven’t felt before.”
When I ask what that something is, Konnor says that “there’s something with some songs – and we will continue to search for this – but there’s always a moment when you hear a song for the first time and it’s just this indescribable feeling. It’s almost like a sixth sense, where it just unlocks something in you. And that’s something we strive for in everything that we do. Whether it be writing songs, performing, we just try to have fun and do our best.” And I know that for me, that feeling was crisp and clear the first time I heard the band’s new single “Flower Song,” which was released just a month ago. The juxtaposition of the band’s seasoned artistic vision and their fresh and lively personalities makes for a sound that is both distinctly reminiscent of “the old days” and simultaneously entirely new.
When they take the stage for the East Iris Studios Live Night, the energy is instantly electric. Konnor sets the tone for the night with his high energy, and Jack’s seamless harmonies and guitar riffs demonstrate that the band moves and performs as one. At the height of the performance, Garrett and Trevor show just how much fun the band has together, dramatically playing to each other in true rock and roll boy band style. Each creative choice made in preparation for the show comes together seamlessly, like choosing “The Chain” as a cover song or the boys wearing “clothes from your grandma’s closet” (which Konnor proudly announces at the start of the show). They don’t take themselves too seriously, but they are steadfast in their quest to make a mark. After the show, all I can think is how excited I am to see where this journey takes them next. It’s sure to be a good one.
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