Faring well

By Wade Coggeshall

AVON June 09, 2008 05:06 pm

— Farebridge’s practice space is in the basement. It would be easy to peg the young quintet as just another green indie-rock band in a litany of school-age wannabes. But a quick listen to their demo, “Time is an Undertow,” as well as witnessing them in action, composes a vastly different portrayal.
On a warm, late-spring day, Farebridge are assembled in a soundproofed room in Melanie Borders’ basement. Professional gear, including Audio-Technica microphones, a Hartke bass amp, and a new set of Risen Drums (all companies that endorse Farebridge, including Vitamin Water), are wired and ready for use. A life-size cutout of John Wayne watches from a corner.
The band — comprised of Borders on lead vocals, guitarist Aaron Eberly, keyboardist Tyler Miller, bassist Nick Berry, and drummer Lee Eisenbarth — are rehearsing for a private gig n Rochester, where Berry lives.
They quickly run through the brash originals “Granted” and “The Quiet” off “Time is an Undertow,” songs further propelled by Miller’s curlicued chords and contrasted by Borders’ honeyed voice. Those tracks are tempered by the introspective “Let Me Begin” and “Tug of War.”
“No two of our songs sound the same,” Eisenbarth said. “We have really diverse stuff.”
Members credit that variety to each other’s taste in music. Eberly enjoys acoustic sounds while Miller grew up listening to piano greats. Eisenbarth can veer between the caustic flavor of The Devil Wears Prada to the soothing silk of Colbie Caillat without blinking. Combined, it’s motivated Farebridge to cultivate their own style.
“We don’t want to be the band where (people say), ‘Oh, they sound like ...’” Borders said. “Our main goal is to create our own thing.”
That continues to be an alchemic process.
“We don’t have a set musical style right now,” Eberly said. “The stuff you hear on our CD is different from the stuff we’ve been writing now.”
That amelioration began in the form of a group called This Return about a year and a half ago. Eberly was in charge of vocal duties for that incarnation before Borders joined. With the exception of Berry, who moved from West Virginia after playing in the band Fairweather Fan, all the members of Farebridge are either alumni or current students of Avon High School.
“We’re all connected through either old bands, friends, or school,” Borders said.
They changed their name to Farebridge after Miller blurted out the word when they were watching TV one day. Eberly says everything has clicked since this lineup coalesced less than a year ago.
“Music is a lot easier to write (now),” he said. “(Borders) had lyrics, we were all comfortable with each other, and music started to flow.”
It signaled another transformation within the band. All of the members are deeply religious and This Return’s bent was strictly Christian.
“But with Farebridge we’ve decided if we really want to get our message out, not everyone who needs ministering to is going to be at a Christian concert,” Eisenbarth said. “We’ve taken the route that we want to play with secular bands and be a light in the darkness.”
Borders applies that idea to her lyrics, which she says can be construed as religious or secular.
“It’s all in how you view it,” Borders said. “We try to stick to positive themes.”
It has achieved its purpose of opening Farebridge to a wider audience. They’ve expanded their performance schedule to include all-ages venues and outdoor festivals along with church functions. Their biggest show yet was in April when they played the main stage of the Agape Music Festival in Greenville, Ill., alongside such acts as Relient K and the David Crowder Band. That opportunity came courtesy of a second-place finish in a battle of the bands. Eisenbarth thinks Farebridge would’ve placed first but 40 percent of the scoring was based on crowd noise and the winners were local.
“It was rigged,” Eisenbarth said.
They’ve played all over this state and parts of Ohio and Illinois. This summer’s itinerary, dubbed the “Time is an Undertow Tour,” includes scheduled stops in Kentucky and Tennessee.
“We’re trying to branch out and be more of a regional, Midwest band rather than just hanging out in Indiana,” Eisenbarth said. “There’s nothing wrong with (that), but we want to go further.”
Farebridge are accomplishing that thanks in large part to a strong work ethic. They practice four or five days a week, even during the school year. Shows are generally confined to the weekends, though the schedule greatly expands during summer break.
“I think we do a pretty good job of managing it,” Borders said.
Eisenbarth doesn’t totally agree.
“We’re burning the candle at both ends,” he said. “We’re constantly busy with the band and trying to fit in personal relationships and extracurricular activities. It gets insane.”
Borders and Eisenbarth both missed the state championship performances of the Avon High School Choir and Wind Ensemble, respectively, to perform at Agape.
“My choir director was not happy with me at all,” Borders said. But she adds it was for a good reason.
“We don’t want to be a little high school band that plays a couple local shows,” she said. “That’s why we’re determined and have goals. We don’t get worn out. We’re enjoying it.”
It helps that Farebridge personnel have the support of their parents. They have to. Long-distance travel requires separate lodging. Being only 17, Borders and Eisenbarth need adult chaperones when they go on the road. But Borders’ mother, Tammie, says the experience has been worthwhile for the band.
“They’re learning a lot: management, marketing, business,” she said. “That’s what my husband and I have been so impressed with. They’re learning so much that kids don’t even learn in college. I was a marketing major, and they’re doing stuff I did after college.”
The next step comes in July. Farebridge are traveling to Columbus, Ohio, to record a single in Penwood Studios that will be nitpicked by pros from the Greenlight firm, which is associated with the Fidelity Entertainment Group, known for launching artists like Relient K.
After that the future remains uncertain. What Farebridge know now is they’re serious about what they do. To continue it would be a blessing.
“This is a great group of guys and girl,” said Miller, who’s dreamed of being a professional musician since high school. “If this band can do that, I’d be more than happy to do it with them.”
Even though Farebridge skipped the garage rock phase, Eberly doesn’t consider them lucky.
“In some ways we’ve earned this, with all the practice we’ve put in,” he said. “To get something out of it has been rewarding.”
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Online:
www.farebridge.com

wade.coggeshall@flyergroup.com

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