Neutral Snap is an energetic up-and-coming band who started eight years ago. Each member of the group raves about their stellar stage presence, and with their recent boost in popularity in and around Baton Rouge, the group is hoping to become famous.
The band plays a variety of music from the ’90s and 2000s. The nostalgic, teenage angst music gets the audience singing and dancing along with the band, lead singer Josh Latham said. Their music is more of a mainstream pop punk and alternative mix.
“If you don’t have energy on stage, everyone in the crowd feels uncomfortable displaying energy,” Latham said. “But if you’re going absolutely nuts, everyone on stage wants to go nuts with you.”
Everything changed when the band began booking gigs in Baton Rouge. Fred’s Bar in Tigerland has booked them several times, and the crowd loves it.
At the band’s first performance at Fred’s, Shaquille O’Neal jumped on stage to sing with them. Collectively, the band now has its sights set on what is to come and is dedicated to making each performance count, no matter the size of the crowd.
Guitarist Walker Legrand talks about his experience playing at Fred’s over time.
“It was nerve-racking the first year or so we played, but you get so used to it after a while,” Legrand said. “Going out to play at Fred’s now is like any other night, but we’re just jamming out on stage instead of hanging out with friends in the crowd.”
The band has booked some smaller gigs at notable locations like Blue Bayou, where they only had about eight people listening. Down the line, they upgraded as they played on New Year’s Eve this year at The Boot in New Orleans.
The band believes their age and genre puts them in the perfect position to reach their audiences. From their experience, playing for college students is easier when you are a college student. Playing college party music to college students is like playing for a group of friends. Neutral Snap strives to pump up their audience.
Before each show, the band plays “No Problem” by Chance the Rapper to get themselves and the crowd in the right mindset. Legrand wears two ties as he performs. JP Brown breaks at least three strings of his guitar.
Bassist Dominick Conforte asks for patience from his audience as he needs a minute to get in the spirit of things. Meanwhile, George Neyrey is usually in the back, but wants his audience to know that he’s having the best time beating on his drums.
In the near future, the band will be recording some of its original songs. Each performance features a couple of their own creations, and the songs seem to resonate well with listeners.
“We are trying to do a Better Than Ezra type thing,” Latham said. “They made their success through the college party system, and when they were at their prime, they dropped a whole bunch of really good originals.”
As a whole, the band believes that fame is achievable if they put in the work.
“We put 110 percent of everything we do into what we do,” Latham said.

Gallery • 3 Photos

Ryan McCarble

Joshua Latham, lead singer of Neutral Snap, sings into the microphone at The Varsity Theatre on Thursday, Jan. 12, 2017.