Luke Thrasher sat down with members of Stick House, a finalist for the SGA Battle of the Bands competition, ahead of the final competition. The band consists of Cameron Darr, Webster Jackson, Noah Wilson, Matthew Seitz and Gage Wiebe.
Thrasher: Why did you decide to participate in the Battle of the Bands?
Jackson: I went to it last year. It was a good time. It’s a cool place to play, you get your name out there and it’s just a great opportunity playing in front of students and having fun.
Thrasher: Can you explain the name of your band?
Jackson: Last summer we were all distant and doing our own thing. We would occasionally call each other and talk about what we were going to do, and when we went through names I remember Seitz said Snow House. From there, we were like, what about Stick House?
Thrasher: What inspires you to make music and perform?
Jackson: I was in a band in high school, we started covering some Beatles songs, and then we started playing shows, and that was fun. When we graduated, the band I was in went different ways. I was just looking for that here. I’m in Cameron’s fraternity, and he was in this band, and their bass was just graduating. I thought it was a cool opportunity to play live and get to play with some great musicians.
Seitz: All of us have played classic rock and blues and all that stuff growing up, and even in the band before Wiebe got in, we were playing the same stuff I guess. We had an opportunity to branch out into something new, and so we decided to start going more toward an indie sound. And I think it’s been a good change. So far, it’s made it a lot more fun performing.
Thrasher: What does music mean to you?
Jackson: It means everything. I feel like it brings a lot of people together, especially with this band. It’s an honor to be able to play music live, in a sense, for other people. They enjoy it too, so if they enjoy it, we’re enjoying it. It really is everything.
Seitz: Music is one thing, but playing music with guys that you love and you trust is really the main thing for all of us. This is one of the few bands that I’ve been with where I feel like a family. I mean, I really haven’t had a connection with any other band like I’ve had with these guys.
Thrasher: Why do you think you deserve to win?
Jackson: Honestly, I really think it’s the pure dedication and the poise we have for all this. I mean, we have been cracking at this band for quite a while now. We’re dedicated. We try to clear out our own personal lives, attending rehearsals and practices, etc. It’s not necessarily winning. It’s just going out and doing our thing, maybe we do it better than others. We want to win.
Weibe: Just on a pure progress line, even if we don’t win the competition, the amount of preparation that goes into that actual show itself is going to better serve us for the future. It’s a win-win situation.
The final competition will be held Nov. 13 from 7 to 11 p.m. at Druid City Music Hall. Individual tickets are $10 and can be purchased on the SGA’s Facebook and Instagram pages or at the venue. Online ticket orders can be picked up in the SGA office in the Student Center Nov. 6-8 from noon to 5 p.m.
