Story by Liz Ptaszynski, Staff Writer
Photo courtesy of Liz Ptaszynski

For some music is merely a collection of sounds that flow in one ear and out the other . It might cause them to tap their foot or bob along to the rhythm of the beat, but besides the face value, it doesn’t mean much more. However, for others, it’s more than that; it’s an escape from a stressful day; it’s a comfort when there seems to be no one in your corner, or an inspiration when you’re staring at a blank canvas.

As someone who is deeply in love with music, I sadly have forgotten the meaning of it all between papers, assignments, and the stress of the everyday life. This break up from music has been anything but easy, however I have been searching for new sounds to make me fall in love again. I can’t lie, the road has been bumpy but just when I thought all hope was lost, I discovered the musical greatness of Watching for Foxes.

Led by AQ alumnus Joey Frendo, this band has been playing all over the city, to spread the word on what it really means to enjoy a song.

“Our goal is to really just take the air out of the room when we play,” Frendo explained over coffee at The Early Bird Cafe.

On Thursday, Nov. 17, that is exactly what they did in front of dozens of fans at the Pyramid Scheme. When they first came on stage they got the crowd going with one of their more upbeat songs. Watching them perform, I couldn’t help but be in awe. I could tell from the rest of the audience that I wasn’t alone in that feeling. It was as if our attention and their performance were polar opposites and there wasn’t a choice to be attracted to it like magnets, in a sense of permanent wonder of what they were going to do next. Each song slid easily in transition to the next, making this show feel more like a story rather than a collection of songs.

The thing that sets this band apart from others is the raw emotion that they convey in their lyrics. It’s not simply just the entanglements of words that rhyme and sound pretty; it’s honesty and passion in its truest form. And watching them perform them was nothing short of that. As they concluded “Howl,” an oldie from their EP that includes harmonious howling, Frendo bellowed out the lyrics: “And now I’m the one howling.” A simple phrase that could mean anything captivated the entire audience and held them hostage to feel what it truly means to feel connected in times of pain.

“For us, it’s all about cultivating an experience for an audience,” noted Frendo when asked about performing live. “People are there with their friends and having a good time, and we just want to help with that.”

The absolute best part of the show was when the band handed out lyrics to one of their final songs, and asked the audience to sing along. People rushed toward the stage, screaming out the words along with the band, and in just a moment it was as if we were united with the band, as more than just fans but as a part of it too.

Watching For Foxes is the kind of band that you listen to when you don’t want to feel alone. Their lyrics let you know that you are not alone. When seeing them live they do a great job at letting you feel as one with them. It’s a truly religious experience. You might have arrived at the venue as strangers to the band, but you left a part of their “foxy family.”