UpRoot

UpRoot is going up, up, up! The band, playing together for a mere year, has landed the opening act for Ian Beert, beginning 9 p.m. tonight, at The Fox Theatre, 1135 13th St.

"So many amazing bands have played at The Fox. This means everything to us. I've been to hundreds of concerts there and now I'll always be to go back there and say I've played here," said Greg Fisk, a junior communication major and the newest addition to the group.

The original band members met in the dorms during their freshman year at CU and the rest was history. Since then, they have played at local parties, philanthropies and Greek events. But tonight marks a new chapter of their career.

UpRoot produces a fresh mix of reggae and rock music. The band's name reflects the blending genres of hip-hop, jazz, blues and rock.

"We want to make a new sound that everyone is going to enjoy," said Evan Urman, a sophomore film major and the UpRoot drummer. "We really enjoy playing so we hope that people really enjoy listening to it, too. The cool thing about our music is that people who like all different kinds of music can enjoy us."

Hanging out with UpRoot is like hanging out with your big brother and his cool friends. The band is laid back, confident and fun to be around. When they start playing, the band members bounce their heads and tap their feet to the rhythm.

Complementing the energy of the band, UpRoot's tunes are catchy and easy to listen to.

"It's such an awesome feeling when I hear people singing the lyrics. Everyone catches on so quick to the words," said Jesse Gawlik, a junior business major and member of the band.

Gawlik writes the band's lyrics along with fellow band member and senior history major Peter Eichar.

"I usually wake up at 3 a.m. and start scribbling lyrics down. The music comes from what I'm feeling in my own life," Eichar said.

Besides the catchy tunes and fresh sound, the band has a certain connection that takes many bands years to find.

"We're still new, but we have this amazing chemistry. I hope we keep progressing and writing great songs that we can just bust out," Gawlik said.

UpRoot practices several times a week in one of the band member's basement. Stairs lead down to the hot and cramped room where there is just enough space to fit the band's awesome enthusiasm. They have recorded six songs, but there are many more in progress.

During Thanksgiving Break, the band will be in Portland, Ore. recording their demo album.

And if they could have dinner with any band?

"Sublime," Gawlik said, "We worship the ground they walk on." - The Campus Press 9/9/06

Boulder band UpRoot plays The Sink, 1165 13th St., at 10 p.m. Saturday in celebration of St. Patrick's Day, kicking off the hangout's plan to host a live band every Saturday night.

Jesse Gawlik is a junior business major who plays guitar and sings backup vocals. Peter Eichar, the lead singer and guitarist, is a history major who said he will graduate when the band gets big. Drummer Evan Urman is a junior film studies major, and senior marketing major Brendan Egan is the bassist.

Eichar said he was devoted to playing music from an early age.

"I've been playing instruments ever since I could, basically," Eichar said. "My parents wouldn't buy me a drum set, so I built one. I locked the door and told them they couldn't come in unless they bought me a drum set. I've been playing drums since third grade, guitar since seventh grade and piano since second grade."

Gawlik said he started playing guitar and just couldn't stop. Urman and Gawlik started playing together freshman year.

"I lived with Jesse in the dorms freshman year, and I lived with Peter and Brendan after that. We just started messing around," Urman said.

Eichar said the band really started to evolve when Jesse came over one day with a song he had written.

"We started playing it, and we kind of looked at each other like, 'Wow this sounds really good.' And we took it from there," Eichar said.

The band said they came up with the name UpRoot after eliminating three pages worth of bad names.

"It kind of describes our sound," Urman said. "Altogether our basic influence is Sublime. We try to take what they were trying to do and put a twist on it."

They describe themselves as a combination of reggae, rock and hip-hop. Jesse said he would explain the band as a combination of The Red Hot Chili Peppers, Sublime and Dispatch.

On Monday, the band gets a once-in-a-lifetime experience to play with the bassist of Sublime.

"This is just huge for us," Urman said. "Those guys are my idols, and the fact that we get to hang out and play with them is incredible."

UpRoot has played everything from the Fox Theatre and the Boulder Theater to a backyard jam.

Gawlik writes most of the lyrics, and his inspiration comes from most anything.

"I write whatever I feel at the time," Gawlik said. "I've been writing for about six years now. I like to take the basic meaning of things and say it in a different way, using metaphors."

Urman said they try to morph their music by bringing in guest musicians when they are in the studio. The band now works to expand their fan base in Denver and Fort Collins.

As far as the future goes, the guys are just into music.

"I'm not going to be a teacher," Eichar said. "This is all I want to do with my life. This is all I've ever wanted to do."

They are off to a great start under Truth and Rights Artist Management. UpRoot hopes to release an album by next fall.

"We have most of the songs done, but mostly we want to start going into the studio around May, June or July," Eichar said.

Check out UpRoot demos on MySpace and see them live at the Sink on Saturday.

Contact Campus Press staff writer Molly Gasiewicz at molly.gasiewicz@thecampuspress.com. - The Campus Press 3/16/07