Empty beer bottles and Red Bull cans strewn about their cheap, commercial-grade carpeting reflect the neon light emanating from the room’s lone illumination: a slipshod-hung Pepsi sign. MLA-format texts and various other books sit atop the Marshall amplifiers, and guitar cases moonlight as tables. Interspersed between the buzzing feedback and gnashing of strings is the humming of an electric boxfan. Welcome to the life of college-rock band Red Sky South
Red Sky South hails from the outskirts of Boca Raton, an area that is a mixture of soundscapes – equal parts alternative rock, pop and punk, which all collide to create the band’s unique sound. Three-quarters of this quaint little quartet’s physical makeup are members of the flock here at FAU: Danny Gootner, a junior studying business administration; Nicholas Calvoni, a junior majoring in social studies; Larry Dinan, a sophomore criminal justice major. The fourth member is Andy Uihlein, who attends SAE.
Now, college life is not exactly what it used to be; gone are the days of yesteryear where students balanced classes, varsity-letter sweaters and malt shop sweethearts. Today’s college students traverse their college days with full-time course loads whilst juggling full or part-time employment and a relationship (also full or part-time). In today’s oversaturated, media-driven world, it is also not uncommon to add your dreams and ambitions into the mix. This overflowing lifestyle can easily frustrate any college student, artist or athlete. However, unlike other college bands out there, Red Sky South is committed, extremely driven and prepared to juggle the rigorous demands.
Uihlein, the lone member of Red Sky South who does not attend FAU, believes that facing up to your responsibilities is a no-brainer: “We go to school and work so that we can be in a band. It’s all about delegating; you just need to budget your time. It’s not a big deal to get our stuff [classes, work] done because it allows us to not only be in the band, but also perform and record.”
Red Sky South was formed six years ago while both Gootner and Calvoni were freshmen at Olympic Heights Community High School in Boca Raton. Since then, Red Sky South has gone through a few changes, trying to get its lineup just right, but once the band’s current lineup was formed, the rest was history. Unquestionably, it looks like Red Sky South has definitely achieved their desired sound; just ask any one of their rabid fans, via MySpace or any of the students attending FAU.
“[Red Sky South is] one of the best local acts going on in Florida,” FAU junior and elementary education major Megan McGhe says. “Their sound is a little bit of everything awesome, sprinkled with some Incubus. It’s even cooler that they’re just some guys from FAU.”
Red Sky South cites their major influences as Incubus, the Red Hot Chili Peppers, Smile Empty Soul, Coheed and Cambria, and Trapt. After listening to Red Sky South once, it becomes undeniably clear which of their influences they most sound like – Incubus, sans the turntablist. This similarity rests with Nick Calvoni, Red Sky South’s frontman. Other than his stylings, Red Sky South does little if anything at all to sound similar to the famed aforementioned Cali-based quintet. Without question or comparison, Red Sky South is a pop-rock/alternative-rock band, whose talents lie in its dynamically-rhythmic duo of drummer Dinan and bassist Uihlein, and the raucously-blues-laden riffs of the band’s guitarist, Gootner.
Red Sky South is much more than a tenacious college-rock band trying to make it: They are four guys who understand that life’s all about the journey, not the destination.
“Just doing it [playing music]…is a lot of fun,” resident guitar hero Gootner says. “I mean, I’ve always dreamed of doing it as a living, but if it doesn’t work out, it’s all good. Just the other night, about halfway through our show, I started smiling and it just wouldn’t go away, you know.”
In a recent performance at The Scene in Pompano Beach, Red Sky South proved worthy of their accolades and recognition.
“[I] absolutely loved it,” FAU freshman Shae Pribisco says, despite it being her first Red Sky South show. “My favorite song was ‘Angel with Broken Wings,’ because it really showed how these guys can rev it up and take it to the next level.”
Unfortunately, there is no Red Sky South recording in stores yet, nor, as of press-time, is there anything on the band’s MySpace Web site (www.myspace.com/redskysouth).
However, both the band’s manager and the band itself assure this writer that they are feverishly working on laying down some tracks to cut an album.
Until that happens, you will just have to catch Red Sky South whenever and wherever you can.
Check Out the BandNEXT SHOW: Oct. 6 at 11 p.m.Murphy’s Downtown36 SE 3rd St, Boca Raton(561) 447-6617
Band website: www.myspace.com/redskysouth
WANT MORE?: For exclusive live video clips of the band at their latest show, visit www. upressonline.com
Red Sky South, a local band from Boca Raton, is a pop-rock/alternative-rock group whose members are all still in college.
Red Sky South lead singer Nick Calvoni
Red Sky South band members (from left to right): Guitarist Danny Gootner, lead singer Nick Calvoni, bassist Andy Uihlein, and drummer Larry Dinan.
PHOTOS BY ASHLEY ROTH
