Moving on up

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(Contributed Photo)
(Contributed Photo)

Looks like Wilfrid Laurier University couldnโ€™t get enough of the Bends, the band from St. Catherineโ€™s that opened for Lights during the 2013 O-Week. The Bendsโ€™ drummer, Dave Klassen, a second-year music student at Laurier caught up with The Cord to talk about the bandโ€™s beginnings and breakthrough success.

The Bends formed while Klassen was a high school freshman. After a couple of line up changes, the band currently features Kurt Dunn as their lead vocalist, Luke Honsberger on keyboard, Duncan Chambers as the bassist, Joe Salter on guitar, Grace Snippe on the cello, and Klassen, of course, on drums.

โ€œWe all came from a variety of different influences,โ€ remarked Klassen on the bandโ€™s unique blend of music, or what their page calls โ€œPost-Punk Indie Funk. We had a meshing of genres going on. That kind of helped us develop our own sound.โ€

Dave seems reserved overall, but is ecstatic when it comes to talking about the heights the band has reached. โ€œOur first show was at a place called 73 St. Paulโ€™s Street,โ€ he added. โ€œYou can hardly consider that a venue. There was no stage. You had to walk through the band to get to the washroom.โ€

Looking forward to the bandโ€™s show at the Turret, opening for platinum recording artists Down with Webster, he said, โ€œItโ€™s a really fun venue to play. You can see everyone dancing up front which is a plus.โ€

Klassen credits the bands growth to the support they have in their hometown. โ€œWe would always have tons of people at our shows. Most of them were just friends from high school. It really encourages you to keep playing when people want to see you.โ€

โ€œItโ€™s ridiculous how much they support us,โ€ he said when asked about his familyโ€™s take on the band. โ€œTheyโ€™ve been putting up with us practicing in the basement for โ€ฆ years. Itโ€™s really heartwarming!โ€
When it came time for the band members to graduate high school, some of The Bendsโ€™ members left their hometown to attend Brock, McMaster and, of course, Laurier. โ€œItโ€™s always worth it but itโ€™s a challenge for sure,โ€ remarked Klassen on the distance between band mates.

While at Laurier, Klassen has sampled the local music scene. โ€œIโ€™ve seen a couple shows at Maxwellโ€™s and the Jazz Room. Thereโ€™s a lot more diversity in the Waterloo music scene than there is in St. Catherineโ€™s.โ€

Reflecting on the bandโ€™s success so far, Klassen explained how he defines success in the music business. โ€œAs long as weโ€™re creating something weโ€™re happy with, and weโ€™re having fun at it, weโ€™re being successful,โ€ he said. โ€œAs cheesy that might sound.โ€

He also gave advice to up-and-coming musicians. โ€œKeep at it no matter what,โ€ he said. โ€œGet as many people involved with what youโ€™re doing as you can,โ€ he added, inspired by how far the band has gotten with the support from friends and family.

Waiting to see Passion Pit in September, Klassen was surprised that people remembered him from the Bendsโ€™ opening set for Lights. โ€œItโ€™s a really cool feeling to be recognized like that.โ€


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