On April 30 at 7:30 p.m., New Brookland Tavern will host local bands The Harsh Truth, Barnwell and Dempsey. Many of the members attended USC and are excited to play for a local crowd.
Columbia-based Barnwell includes USC alumnus Tyler Gordon who drums with his brother Andrew Gordon alongside Columbia natives Nick Fogle and Ross Swinson to create their indie rock sound. Barnwell has been performing live for almost a year and has been practicing new material for the upcoming show.
Because Gordon stayed local for college, he has gotten a sense of the music scene.
“Students in general should go to local shows more often," Gordon said. "I don’t think a lot of students at USC are aware of how much music there is around Columbia.”
The Harsh Truth includes former USC student Nate Walker and current third-year students Colin O’Keefe and Andrew Lasseter. The three can agree that their training at USC really helped them grow as artists. Other members include Joe Lansburg on guitar and Talon Vick on keys and percussion.
If you go to a performance by The Harsh Truth, you can expect to hear mixtures of indie rock, pop and blues.
“We’ve been practicing nonstop and have been working closely with the other bands to get about three hours of music ready," Walker said.
Member of Dempsey and fourth-year USC student Grady Rogers loves being here and has taken advantage of audio recording, music theory and guitar classes at the university. Dempsey also contains third-year student Preston Hall and South Carolina natives Aaron Reece and Zach Santiago.
The band considers USC a great networking opportunity and is using the USC recording studio to help create their new EP. The members agree that nothing beats a live performance and are excited to put on an energetic show.
“Good rock music anybody can enjoy," Hall said after being asked to describe their musical style. "That’s not really something you hear on the radio.”
All three bands stress that USC students need to take advantage of all the great music Columbia has to offer.
"USC students should be interested because this show is an opportunity for them to see some of their classmates and friends put on a great concert," Walker said.
Dempsey members stress that the show is something different than a usual night downtown and can connect you with some great people and music. No band sounds the same, but they all share an indie rock vibe. If you’re looking for local rock music and upbeat tracks, this event is sure to be a great night.
“If you’re looking for local music, this is a good place to start because it’s very cohesive," Gordon said. "It should be a good show.”