In a time and age where teenage pop sensations are all the rave, finding unique genres for the independent listener might prove to be difficult. EagleDown, a local band indigenous to the Raleigh-Cary area, has something new to offer.
A self-professed alternative-punk-rock group, the band delivers distinct melodies through lyrics that offer more than just clever rhymes on crushes and lust at first sight.
EagleDown proved themselves worthy of listening in last month’s Battle of the Bands, hosted by West Campus Wolfpack Pride. The Battle was no walk in the park for its contesters.
To filter through the many bands of the area, the event required interested bands to try out as the first step. After the preliminary selection process, the set list was made for five bands to take the stage in a competitive musical showdown. At the end of the night, EagleDown came out on top against other bands, including Port Royale, Youth in Asia, Us and Danger from a Distance.
“It was enjoyable, but it was definitely competitive,” Macon Adams, a freshman in textile engineering and lead vocalist of the band, said.
Adams and three other musically-inclined students came together to form EagleDown, three of which attend N.C. State. Matthew Cain, a sophomore in textile engineering, is the lead guitarist and back-up vocalist for the band.
“We were all in the same school,” Cain said. “We just got together, just jammed around for a while. We sounded awful back then.”
Other band members include Joe Costin, a sophomore in computer science (bass guitar, back-up vocals) and Dylan Dekker (drummer), a freshman attending Panther Creek High School.
As a new up-and-coming band, eight years has sharpened much of their edges, bringing them to where they are today. The two original members of EagleDown, Adams and Cain, started the band with the typical problems of long-term friendship.
“There has definitely been problems. Among any group, there are always problems,” Cain said. “Macon and I have had our share of tough times.” From disagreements with former band members to arguments over who should play what part, the band has seen conflict in its days. “But we’ve always had a way of working things out. The fact that we’ve been playing for eight years is a testament to that.”
Besides winning first place for this year’s Battle of the Bands, another attribute distinguishes EagleDown from other bands wishing to make a name for themselves.
Their usual lyrics are often products of not just composed love ballads, but also influences from their religious backgrounds. The band claims their music is for anyone – providing an option for those with a preference for “clean” lyrics.
“The lyrics are also relevant to a lot of aspects of my life which is what I think makes a good song when you can relate to it,” Tucker Reyner, a fan of the band and sophomore in public and interpersonal relationships, said.
Paired with the lyrics is the band’s usual style of rock and alternative-punk.
“It is kind of a soothing rock genre – easy to listen to and rock out to as well,” Reyner said.
Since 2003, EagleDown has often performed in churches. Atypical from their usual church setting, local venues in the area have hosted and sought out the band, such as Solas Café on Glenwood Avenue, and both the Brewery and Shakedown Street on Hillsborough Street. The band also plans to release an EP by the end of the semester. Currently, shows in Wilmington, Virginia and other locations are being scheduled.
“I would say the thing that distinguishes them from any other up-and-coming band is that they play because they love to perform and play music together,” Ryan House, a junior in international studies, said. “They don’t just play to make themselves look good, but because they love what they do.”
