Pitt Bands Fill Basements and Lots with Grunge and Indie Rock
Sun Cruiser Band and Forbes Fellas are turning off-campus spaces into concert venues, drawing crowds of up to 800 as they build local followings.
By Samantha Reed ·
A crowd of 800 gathered at a Pittsburgh venue on Oct. 17 to watch Sun Cruiser Band perform, according to bassist Benny Balla. The sophomore pharmacy major said the band, which officially formed in May, has played any space it can secure to gain stage experience.
The group’s origins date back to high school, where Balla, guitarist Tyler Pipon, vocalist Joey Bayne, and an original drummer prepared for a battle of the bands. Although that contest was canceled, the four musicians continued playing together. Balla noted that both he and Pipon come from musical families, with Pipon’s father having played in the Pittsburgh band Dharma Sons.
Sun Cruiser moved from informal rehearsals to public performances after a basement party led the members to book a show for friends and neighbors. Since then, the lineup has expanded to include guitarist Devon Cleaveland and drummer Nick King. The band, which cites Stone Temple Pilots, Alice in Chains, and Pearl Jam as primary influences, has amassed 2,000 Instagram followers in two months.
Cleaveland, a sophomore applied developmental psychology major, started playing guitar in his junior year of high school after learning Pink Floyd’s “Wish You Were Here.” He described the current phase of the band as a period of adjustment, stating, “This is my first ever band, so I’m just living in the moment and having fun jamming with my friends.”
Audience members have reacted positively to the DIY atmosphere. Anthony Pellegrino, a sophomore accounting major, attended a 500-person show at Z-lot, a lot on Zulema Street behind off-campus apartments. He described the event as “fantastic” and said the environment was “welcoming and inviting.”
Forbes Fellas, another student group formed in January, also relies on informal venues. The band began as a trio of Andres Valladares, Ben Kelley, and Luke Sieker in a Benedum Hall music studio before recruiting lead singer Logan McCall and rhythm guitarist Nolan DuBois. The group now performs in Kelley’s basement and other locations.
DuBois, a senior psychology and film major, explained that the band functions as a cover act, with each member selecting two songs per set. McCall said their schedule depends on friends’ parties, which occur every two to three months. The band plans to play a Halloween show this week and a Christmas show before winter break.
Both groups are scheduling upcoming events. Sun Cruiser Band will perform at Little Giant Studio’s “Bands of the Burgh” on Nov. 8 from 6 to 9 p.m. Forbes Fellas will participate in a Battle of the Bands with The Music and Entertainment Business Association on Nov. 6.
