Electric Blue Concept

The term, “battle of the bands”, implies competition at best and all out hatred at worst, but the truth of the matter is, SCPAB’s Battle of the Bands is more of a jam session than anything else. And while the winner was the ska band One Armed Bandits, it is the band that got to open for them at their prize concert in the Perkins scrounge on April 8, Electric Blue Concept, that truly embodies what the night is about.

“They’re so good,” says junior Rick Walsh about One Armed Bandits. “They have a really unique sound and some talented people. I’m amazed they can do it—get so many people on stage and coming to practice.”

Rick Walsh is the lead singer for Electric Blue Concept, the opening act. Freshman Tom Julian (guitar) and Dan Litwa (drums) stand next to Walsh along with junior Mike Groh (bass) in the Perkins scrounge for the prize show and discuss “the winners”. This follow up event, which attracted upwards of 100 students, was organized by SCPAB but fueled by fans.

“It’s definitely a change from all of the rock music you get in college,” Julian says. “They definitely have a reggae feel to them. Reggae, ska - it’s just their own thing. We should probably get a few trombones.”

“There’s a lot of brass,” Litwa says. “But they should get a jazz flute.”

“Yazz flute,” Walsh corrects him. “And we should get it.”

As One Armed Bandits begins playing, Electric Blue Concept is soon forgotten as they pack away amplifiers, instruments, and microphones. A few people stop to shake their hands, but as is the fate of the opening band, they are too soon forgotten.

Electric Blue Concept has a laid-back sound. It’s a hybrid mix of Dave Mathews with a side of O.A.R. typical of a college student’s iTunes collection — not unlike One Armed Bandits in that respect, but group is definitely rock ‘n roll.

“I hope it sounds like O.A.R.,” Litwa says. “I mean, we covered ‘Crazy Game of Poker’ and all, so if people don’t associate the two we either did something awesome… or something really wrong!”

“People don’t really know how to classify our sound,” Walsh says. “I tell them to just call it rock, but we’ve been tagged with anything from alternative to just chill music. But sure, O.A.R. is fine. We like their sound.”

To Electric Blue Concept the Battle of the Bands embodies the very essence of a college rock band.

“We’re always taking something away from a concert, especially when it’s not just us playing,” he says. “It might not be something in terms of how our music sounds. We try to not change that too much one way or the other, but it’s definitely a good learning experience. Sometimes, it’s just something about setup, and that helps.”

The band started three years ago, but quickly underwent a number of personnel changes. Of the original crew, only Litwa and Walsh remain. Julian joined in July 2007, and Groh is the rookie having only been a member for three months.

“Only because you begged me,” Groh says to Walsh. “You guys suck.” Litwa and Julian laugh.

Electric Blue Concept will be playing again on May 6 at the East End Café on E Main Street. Walsh says it can be difficult at times with classes and other activities, but that there is no lack of opportunity to play music on a college campus.

“It’ll happen. We all want to and we all make the time. We have a MySpace page that has our schedule. May 6 at East End is next. We might come back here too. Myspace.com/electricblueconcept, by the way.”

With that, the One Armed Bandits strike up a new tune — a faster one, and the crowd roars. A few people, mainly girls, start to dance while a student wearing a SCPAB tee shirt begins filming the band up close with a wide-angle lens. Electric Blue Concept takes a quick look through the window of the door separating them from the Scrounge and exchange looks of mutual understanding. Soon there will be even more people.

“We better get our stuff out of the way,” Litwa says.
- aUDio Magazine