For the past two years the SBHS Guitar Club was just that – a group of like minded students who loved to play guitar. Fast forward to this year, and the club has grown into a full-on band – complete with drummers, bassists, and singers.
On Friday, February 13th, the group stepped out of the practice room and onto the stage for the first time to perform during the Day of Love and Service, an event to commemorate and honor the lives lost in the 2018 the Majorie Stoneman Douglass shooting massacre.
“It really felt like it was an honor that we got to perform on such an important day,” said club member Sophia Gonzalez.
The band’s performance, part of a rotating schedule of activities for the Day of Love and Service, featured a 30-minute setlist of classic 90’s rock songs by bands like Radiohead, Nirvana and even some Ozzy Osbourne. About 200 students filled the first several rows in the newly renovated auditorium, mingling and jamming out to the club’s inaugural performance.
“You could really see how much they had worked and prepared for this performance,” said SBHS freshman and audience member Arianna Erazo.
At the sound of a bell, the band finished and students were directed to the next participation event at various locations around the school. There were arts and crafts and therapy dogs in the cafeteria, field day games on the football field, and dance lessons in the gym.
The live performance was a huge step for the club, because, in its earliest stages, there were no amps or drum kits. The club’s origins were far quieter. Meetings were defined by individual guitar practice, where students would huddle in corners, focused on mastering chord transitions and trading tips.
The club became a place to belong. For sophomore member Twyla Heieck, it helped relieve stress and provided a community where she could get better at guitar, spurred on by the encouragement of others.
“It helps me relieve my stress and be more part of more people. And I like to have friends, maybe start a band even,” said Heieck.
But as new talent arrived, the potential for something bigger became undeniable. The turning point was the realization that they weren’t just a room full of guitarists. They had a rhythm section. They had bass, drums, and powerful vocals. They also had a huge variety of musical styles to draw from.
Although his original vision was not a band, club sponsor Mr. Gianncarlo Ledee said he likes this a lot better.
“It’s a lot more fun for the kids to work on and it feels like we’re constantly working towards something,” said Ledee.
Transitioning from a club to a band meant moving pieces around. SBHS senior and club president Kai Bruestle, a natural leader who started playing guitar in the fourth grade, found themself as a jack of all trades, playing whatever was needed as president.
SBHS senior and club vice president Noah Dirosier, initially hesitated to join because he wasn’t “proficient” yet. Now, he’s integral to the club, playing bass and guitar.
“At first it was a little rocky,” said Dirosier, “ but after that I got into the groove of it and enjoyed it.”
Then there are the newer voices, like Rayen Hankins, who joined as a singer, but can also play guitar, bass, and piano. That’s when the dynamic changed from people playing next to each other to musicians listening to each other.
“Everyone was really nice and they’re all really fun to talk to,” said Hankins.
Then came the big jump. The opportunity to play onstage at the Day of Love and Service.
Becoming stage-ready required a grueling shift in discipline. The biggest hurdle, according to Mr. Ledee, was simply to “get ’em together after school to practice and consistently.”
Rehearsals moved from casual meetups to sessions in the courtyard, band room, and eventually the auditorium. The casual strumming was replaced by the logistical nightmares of a real band.
“Memorizing lines and equipment was a struggle, but now we’ve kinda got it down,” said Hankins.
There were challenges ranging from rehearsal time to group concentration. For Dirosier, setting up the band was the biggest hurdle.
“We’re not exactly professional musicians,” he said. “So just trying to figure out how things sound on stage and things like that, the technical side of it you have to get used to.”
Although challenging, most members agree the success of their first performance only whetted their appetite for more. Although they don’t have a next gig, or even a name, the club is looking forward to their next performance, and improving with each one.
For Mr. Ledee, looking at the band they’ve become, the goal isn’t necessarily to get bigger, but to get better together.
“It feels great,” said Ledee. “It makes me really proud of them.”
