It is no surprise that Austin has a local music scene. Way to state the obvious, Rebecca. But, I had no idea that my posts about Aaron Ivey, The Soldier Thread, Alpha Rev, Matt McCloskey, and Courrier in last week’s self-deemed Tribute to Local Musicians Week would have the widespread reach that it did. In fact, when I decided to embark on the tribute week pattern of daily posts, I didn’t know what I was getting myself into. Posting daily is more challenging than it seems when you are putting effort and thought into each word, and writing about music requires an entirely unique set of concentration skills. I found myself being much more descriptive and trying to find just the perfect adjectives to convey to you the effects of certain sounds not only on my ears, but also on my emotions. I was excited to see that the bands and musicians I wrote about were pleased with their write ups, which is always a hope of mine and something I have worried about since I realized I was in fact a writer. I hope to get facts right. I hope to portray entertainment topics, businesses, and people in the best light and most accurately descript manner as possible. And, I found that people are interested in reading about local musical acts, whether new to them, or if they are already a fan.
So, here I am with a Local Musician Spotlight for a local quintent called Suite 709. They call themselves “Austin’s Newest Band”. And, I can understand why. They bring a totally different sound to the Austin music scene. It’s not Indy. It’s not Acoustic. It’s not Rock. It is what I would call ‘Funky Pop’, and let me tell you, it’s catchy! After all, that’s what I consider to be one of the defining characteristics of Pop (short for Popular) music.
How do I know about this catchy new getup? Fascinatingly enough (writer’s liberty with that one–not even sure that is grammatically correct), Suite 709’s keyboardist, Dietrich Schmidt, was a fellow classmate of mine back in our college days. He has made his way back to Austin and through a series of events, we recently reconnected, at which point I discovered his latest musical endeavor. I heard two of their songs, was pleasantly surprised, and felt a “Rebeccammendation” was in order. To quote myself in response to Suite 709’s jams, “I like the combination of jazzy, pop-y, and the diverse instruments and sounds they have going on all at the same time!” Take a listen on the music tab of their website and you will hear brass, a piano/keyboard, stylish vocals, and beats that make you want to move, even if it’s just tapping your toe.
The band is made up of two sets of long-time friends ( 1) vocalist Jirod Greene, guitarist David Butler, and bassist Ross Falcon and 2) keyboardist Dietrich Schmidt and drummer Zach Boston) who have played with one another in different musical acts for years. The horns section of the band, one of the strongest distinguishing factors of their live experience, is made up of accomplished jazz musicians who played in the high school band with Dietrich and drummer Zach. You can tell history, experience, talent, and friendship back the music they make and although so many sounds are occuring at the same time, they all fit together to produce tracks that are clean, unpredictable, professional, and always waiting to reach new ears.
Reminds me of: Maroon 5. High energy. Young, casual, but clean. Classy and polished. Full of fun beats and fresh vocals.
Check them out this Friday at their Suite 709 Unlocked: Austin’s “Suite Party” #1 at The Parish at 9 PM. Tickets are $10 and the event will also feature local bands Mothers Anthem, Eyes Burn Electric, Canvas Waiting, Paco Estrada, and One Love.
