As the drummer clicks their drumsticks three times and the melody begins to fill the air, the audience’s heart beat syncs to the music’s rhythm and a new world is created. From Newbury Park High School [NPHS] to Rancho Campana High School [RCHS], student bands play a vital role in helping the community discover a sense of identity and cohesion through their ears.
Drummer of the band “Lights On,” Brandon Edwards, senior, and three other RCHS students perform genres including indie pop and indie rock, as well as artists such as Neon Trees and Arctic Monkeys. Most recently, “Lights On” performed at the Jack and Jill Flea market hosted at The Oaks mall on March 7.
“We were the first band on, and it was a good crowd
because the flea market is so popular. It’s really nice to have an environment like that when people are not just on their phones or doing other things, and they’re here to watch us most of the time,” Edwards said.
On Feb. 27, a house party was hosted at Edward’s house where around 60 people from various schools and communities came together to listen to their over an hour long set list.
“It was a really great turnout. There were a lot of people there and everyone was just hanging out, having a great time, screaming and the music was good,” Edwards said.
Edwards appreciates how his experience in the band has allowed him to express his passion and creative outlet for music.
“[My favorite part is] just being able to play and playing for people because I love music myself and I love playing and learning songs. I’ve always been into music for the longest time, drums more recently, and just playing it now, I fell in love with playing drums,” Edwards said.
Sawyer Talent, senior, is also a student at RCHS and plays lead guitar in “PAR5,” a band created by him and three NPHS students. Having played at local events in Ventura and bowling alleys, the band leans into alternative rock and 90s music. Talent enjoys how he has grown a closer relationship with his friends because of their shared love for the band.
“It’s a way for me to bond with my friends. On the stage, I feel like we’re not playing as a band, but we’re playing as like best friends and all of our love for each other is going into music,” Talent said.
Music can serve as a universal comfort for many people no matter where or who they are, which is something Talent values.
“I think every student likes music. I mean everyone probably has a pair of airpods, headphones or wiring headphones, and music either drives us through our day when it’s horrible or brings us closer together when sharing artists and songs,” Talent said.
Similar to Talent, Claire Vasquez, sophomore, mainly plays the guitar in a band setting and is a part of two bands, including “The June Bugs.” She knows how to play eight different instruments total and tends to write the original music in her bands. Although Vasquez’s bands have not hosted any shows so far, she cherishes the moments where she is able to create music with her friends and looks forward to performing in the future.
“Sometimes just jamming and writing silly little songs can make a bad day a lot better. [A lot of my friends and I] just do like jam sessions where we sing and play and I record and it’s fun. There will always be more people who want to play and more places who need musicians,” Vasquez said.
Through performing, student bands across the community allow people from different backgrounds to look past their differences and connect with their music tastes.
“Music is like a universal language and everyone can listen to [it] together. It doesn’t matter what it is, any type of music, people will dance to it and listen to it. It makes it [so that] a community or a group of people feel lively,” Edwards said.
Leave a Reply