Los Elk

Los Elk had their formation in the late, cold months of 2011 as Skidmore College began its fall semester. Guitarist Amir Rivera-Lieberman and drummer Ryan Bondell met while enrolled in the same freshman year class. They immediately bonded over the drummer's shirt, on which the UK rock band Kasabian had their logo sprawled across. Quickly discovering the musicians within one another, Ryan introduced guitarist Noah Ross to Amir. High school friends and band mates, Ryan was confident in Noah's ability and chemistry. He wasn't wrong. Jamming as a trio with Noah covering bass, the magic immediately began to manifest. One short month after forming, the trio was performing to three sold out 650-seat crowds in Skidmore's exclusive annual Beatles cover show, "Beatlemore Skidmania"… as the bill's only freshmen.
With heads turned and word of mouth spreading quickly, and the boys knew they needed a real deal bassist to complete the project. Hal DeGroat was introduced into the mix by Amir, and his rock steady, conservatively stylish playing slipped seamlessly into the mix. Despite a few more obligatory auditions, Hal was the one. The band quickly scorched the scene with their high energy and razor sharp performances. Before long, Los Elk was headlining shows weekly, as well as bringing their sound to local venues in both Saratoga Springs and New York City.
Most often described as DanceRock, Los Elk uses the traditional Rock set up (2 guitars/drum/bass) to play curiously energetic danceable tunes. With 'a little bit of something for everyone,' nobody leaves a Los Elk show disappointed. The band's influences tastefully poke out of each song, with traces of Two Door Cinema Club, The Strokes, Kings of Leon, and Red Hot Chili Peppers. In addition to their never-failing energy, Los Elk brings high levels of precision and professionalism to the stage. Their constant practicing shines brightly when it comes time to hit the stage, and despite all being students of Skidmore College, music always comes first.
It isn't hard to discern the passion and drive behind Los Elk's music. This is how their second on-campus gig was the treat of opening up for Rubblebucket as they played the college's venue. The school bypassed the traditional audition system and reached out to the band directly. The show was packed to the brim as over 200 people stuffed themselves in. From that great night on, Los Elk continues to play constant shows and performances, bringing their sound wherever they can. Cited as "music for people who aren't done with music," Los Elk brings their high levels of musicianship into easily accessible songwriting, creating tunes that everybody can like. With their debut LP "Part. I" available for download now, it isn't hard to see the excitement that surrounds this project.