IV Band Directory
It’s mostly impossible to escape the sounds of a cracking snare drum or a slightly out-of-tune guitar on party weekends. Somewhere, sometime, there’s always a band playing—the performers usually competing with their guests in intoxication levels. Notwithstanding, Isla Vista’s thriving live band culture is one of its most unsung heroes. That’s practically a free concert every weekend! Now, wouldn’t you want to know who’s playing and where?
Starting up a band of your own? Want to suggest a glaring omission? Let us know at redefiningrecords@gmail.com and we’ll add you to the list.
THE BANDS:
THE REAL SAVAGE HENRY
Adopting the carefree and serene aesthetics that characterized jam bands before the turn of this century, this five-piece rock outfit has slowly become one of the biggest names you’ll find in IV. There’s a wealth of technical ability to go along with lead singer Eric “Wilder” Kehke’s dynamic inflections. With a couple of SOhO and Velvet Jones gigs under their belt, not to mention winning Battle of the Bands in 2016, The Real Savage Henry are setting their sights on a sophomore LP, going on tour, and releasing digital content. Or in their words, just “small parts of our overall plan for world domination.”
Members
Eric Kehke – vocals, bass guitar
John Pagliasotti – lead guitar
William Hettel – drums, percussion
Andrew MacInnes – keyboards
Stephen Yogi – electric violin
Fun fact: “Alaska and Hawaii are the only states in the USA that have never had a recorded temperature above 100 degrees Fahrenheit.”
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THIS IS NAPOLEON?
Formerly "Walter Lewin’s Dotted Lines", this indie group is as unpredictable as they are reliant on the beer that stroke their creativity. Lead singer Robert Sanlis directs his crew at a slower tempo than most of their peers, resulting in intimate tracks drenched in honey-sweet melancholy. The self-proclaimed “nerdiest band in IV” recently wrapped up a summer tour that took them up and down west coast. Now they’re back and ready to play shows consisting of—according to bassist Jacob Acosta— “60% music, 30% bickering, 10% drunkenly fucking up our songs, and 100% beer.”
Members
Robert Sanlis – lead vocals, guitar
Jacob Acosta – bass guitar, backing vocals
Connor Grady – guitar
Andres Montiel – drums
Jack Aron Green – trumpet
Fun fact: “Connor is the only member of the band that didn't throw up during our previous tour.”
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POOKIE
No singer? No problem. Originally a duo hailing from the Valley, Pookie is now comprised of three members—a surprising fact when first encountering their music. Their lack of a traditional front man is efficiently absolved through the band’s use of loops, pedal effects, and plainly, impressive displays of craftsmanship on every instrument. With influences ranging from Don Caballero to Jeff Buckley, Pookie looks to enhance their brand of loud, sweaty, and personality-driven performances this upcoming year with some new tracks and a persistent knock on the borders of your expectations.
Members
Chris Miehl – guitar
Jacob Grobisen – bass guitar
Nick Fields – drums
Fun fact: “Chris never wears shoes when he plays guitar. Nick misses having a mullet. And at one point Jacob had 420 Instagram followers! Cool!”
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FRISSON
Wanting to inject an electronica-inspired vibe into the local scene, Aidan Dansey and Andrew Shults—two-thirds of the group’s ensemble vocal cast—decided to reach for the pounding sounds of LCD Soundsystem and those alike. Some added synths and quantized loops later, Frisson emerged with live performances colored with noises unusual to the familiar faces at IV shows. With a practice schedule dependent on the panic-inducing quality of looming deadlines, you can always count on Frisson playing at a house near you.
Members
Aidan Dansey – guitar, vocals
Andrew Shults – bass guitar, vocals
Eugene Cheng – keyboards
Emily Arlen – vocals, cowbell extraordinaire
Fun fact: “We have the most consistent drummer in the world—she just sucks a fills. Her names Angelica…and she's a drum machine.”
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THE SIX SEVENS
Lead singer and songwriter Clay Wilson uncovered his itch to rock out from Modern Baseball’s music video for their song “The Weekend.” Watching scenes of the band’s performance in a wild college party, Wilson quickly realized: “I wanna do that.” So began the tale of the pop-punk group named after the block that housed The Six Sevens’ initial dives into IV’s band scene. This spring their debut EP, the personable and angsty Yump, was released on Spotify and other streaming platforms. Although now splitting time between the Bay Area and Santa Barbara, The Six Sevens continue to turn heads with their take on a nostalgic sound.
Members
Clay Wilson – lead vocals, guitar
Bobby Wiess – lead guitar, backing vocals
Brendan Mansfield – bass guitar
Adrian de Vos – drums
Jordan Crosby – keyboards
Fun fact: “Our bassist, Brendan, is also a rapper.”
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BACKWOOD BISHOPS
IV denizens searching for a mellower alternative for their weekend activities—meet Backwood Bishops. Rising from the ashes of an earlier rock project, Sanders Circus, the three-piece outfit now find a comfy pocket within the syncopated grooves of funk, R&B, and jazz. Released last summer, their debut album Bring Your Own presents all the right vibes through lead singer David Kuperman’s nonchalant vocal harmonies and the wistful instrumentation that follows suit. The results speak for themselves. Those still skeptical would do well to peep their features on KCSB radio and The Daily Nexus’ “Batcave Sessions.”
Members
David Kuperman – lead vocals, guitar, alto saxophone
Joe Barnes – bass guitar, vocals
Jon Park – drums
Fun Fact: “The drummer who played our first few gigs a couple years ago…was Robert Sanlis, who now fronts ‘This is Napoleon?’”
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CARELESS CUB
We can’t keep boasting about Jack Johnson’s DLG reference in “Bubble Toes” forever—didn’t he actually meet her in Ortega? Besides, Isla Vista is a different beast now. Enter Careless Cub, a two-piece folk band set on funneling quintessential IV experiences into their tunes. As in, one of their tracks is literally titled “Isla Vista.” Trash cans on fire, nights in the drunk tank, and beer die stories are all neatly laid out by lead singer Grant Chesin and his chilled out, nineties-inspired vocals. “Careless Cub makes music for people who like loud drums and catchy hooks,” explained drummer Andrew Becker. Luckily for them, IV denizens seem to particularly enjoy these sort of things.
Members
Grant Chesin – guitar, vocals
Andrew Becker – drums
Ray Muhlenkamp – bass guitar
Fun Fact: “Bass players make horrible drummers”
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THE MALLARDS
While most bands are quick to mention the wide-ranging appeal of their artistry, it seems that few can outdo The Mallards. Their unique mashup of alt-rock, blues, and metal conventions are aimed at both human audiences and…ducks. Okay, let them explain it themselves: “Ducks are pretty cool. We see ‘em in the park, they’re just hanging out. Always having a good time. You should talk to one sometime; take ‘em out to dinner. Really gives a lot of perspective.” With members departing IV at the end of spring quarter, The Mallards aim to build upon their discography—an EP and live album that both have duck puns in their titles, naturally—and leave a web-shaped imprint on the IV rock scene.
Members
Blake Berich – rhythm guitar, lead vocals
Matt Swiacki – lead guitar
Jake Morenc – drums
Ray Muhlenkamp – bass guitar
Fun Fact: “Anatidaephobia is the fear that somewhere in the world, somehow, a duck is watching you.”
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