By Emily Knoeppel, Third Year Liberal Arts.
Gold, silver, bronze - we all have a preference. Luckily for this band, I'd always pick silver. Silver: a chameleon-like group who switch instruments (maybe a few roles) at the snap of a finger, blending genres in different ways. Although I'm willing to bet the messier fusions are left in the rehearsal room.
Given the following they've gathered in such a small period, you might assume they're nearing the end of university. However, the graduation chopping block can get in line as they face a different challenge: the year abroad.
Scattered across the world next year, they'll secure the title 'the band on which the sun never sets'. And the bassist (sometimes guitarist) left behind may just fulfil his promise of his own Souvlaki-esque album and write songs about them when they're gone.
A self-proclaimed group of 'faffers', Silver went from three-man bedroom jams, to pestering reluctant sportsmen to join, to hunting down a drummer days before their debut. Their name? Given in blind panic, borrowed from their lead singer's middle name.
They've since upgraded to practices at BIMM, proving it's not what you know but who you know. They're 'nepo‑ing our way in – that's music, isn't it though?'. Jokes aside, their success has been hard‑earned.
And they've learnt a valuable lesson already: the hungover performance is never as good as the stellar one the night before. They admit, 'Everything that could've gone wrong, went wrong' - it still haunts them despite a triumphant return to the scene of the crime.
Their sound? Fittingly described as 'eclectic' (or as they charmingly put it, 'ek‑eh‑lectic'). A fusion of influence: slacker rock, the Beatles, Muse, classical music, and Taylor Swift. In the cacophony of this, they've found a sound entirely unique to them: a little alt‑rock, a bit folk, a touch of jazz, and a whole lot of Silver.
In this symphony of music, this is what you're in for:
A lead singer (occasional guitarist), easily mistaken for Stevie Nicks. With a perfectly folk voice, she brings a special twang to both covers and originals. Their intended drummer turned pianist brings a valuable understanding of classical music as the base of all music to keys. And drums. And lead guitar. (But, perhaps safely, not vocals).
Then, their bassist (and occasional guitarist), whose pending abandonment is not for lack of skill. He insists the others write more than he does – I suspect his presence would be sorely missed.
Another guitarist, alternate bassist (yes, this is a total chameleon band), and often harmony vocalist. Inspired by the Beatles' experimentalism, it's not hard to see this influence when she joins the fray, adding her own spark to the chaos.
And last but not least in both mention and in band membership, their elusive but beloved drummer (because they just 'don't know any drummer that's actually better than him'). Whilst he appreciates a good cover, he really loves crafting his parts to fit the song, recognising that 'no drummer wants to overdo it'.
A fan of dizzying heights, they have originals (AKA Silver Classics) that make frequent appearances at gigs, from 'Tightrope' to 'Grand Canyon Symphony'. But they know a successful band keeps its audience in mind when curating a set list and understand that a good cover is bound to go far. Positive audience reactions that confirm 'people actually enjoy it' and it's not just their friends lying to them have boosted their confidence.
They plan to record a couple of songs and put the rest on demo before summer and narrow down on their 'ek‑eh‑lectic' sound. And as they head off on individual adventures next year (bassist excluded - Souvlaki album pending), they'll return with new ideas and songs from their time away. Catch them while you can, because for this band, silver doesn't mean second-best, so don't count them out just yet.
Featured Image: Harriet SandersonWill you be there to catch them before they leave?
