Popular local cover band Sue Johansons planned to break up as its members began to graduate college and enter the real world, but the members have decided to continue rocking venues around Baton Rouge.
The band — made up of current University students and alumni — briefly considered splitting up after its members began their separate paths for their own life aspirations.
The band’s availability quickly became limited after lead guitarist Rusty Sanchez began medical school, rhythm guitarist Ryan Beadle left for school to be a physician’s assistant and other members began their real-world jobs.
The band’s last gig was scheduled for Aug. 13, but the members decided they didn’t want to disband if they had a choice.
The Sue Johanson’s made a vow to never speak about the taboo subject of disbanding again, said Bennett Roman, bassist and keyboardist.
Roman said each member’s schedule was considered, and the band decided to cut the number of shows it played from five or six per month to only two a month at most.
The amount of fun the band has together justifies the sacrifices everyone has made, Roman said.
Ashley Allen, finance junior, said she would be upset if the band stopped playing shows.
“They bring something that  other bands can’t bring because they are LSU college students, and we can relate to them,” Allen said.
The band has been playing at venues in Tigerland and surrounding areas like Reggie’s, JL’s Place, Mike’s Daiquiris and Grill, Shady’s, Bogie’s, Varsity Theatre and Cadillac Cafe for two years.
“Sue Johanson’s have developed a diverse following by playing Tigerland bars and LSU Greek social events,” said Chris Lundgren, Varsity Theatre talent buyer and marketing director. “By playing bars and venues with a built-in crowd, in other words a soft ticket venue where the bar itself is the focal event, a band can expose themselves to a wide variety of people.”
Lundgren said that after a cover band builds it identity it can branch out to venues like the Varsity and play a hard ticket show, meaning a ticket is required to attend, and the band is the main event.
“Tigerland is our bread and butter,” said Sue Johanson’s drummer Trent Ciaccio.
The band covers songs familiar to many students, such as Bon Jovi’s “Living on a Prayer,” Rage Against the Machine’s “Guerrilla Radio” and Neil Diamond’s “Sweet Caroline.”
Sometimes mixing things up by playing humorous songs like the “Team America: World Police” and “That ’70s Show” theme song is another way to get the crowd involved, Roman said.
“There’s something for everybody at the show,” Roman said. “It’s going to be hard not to have a good time.”
The band likes to get everyone involved — even the people in the back, said singer and general studies senior Paul Barrios. This is               accomplished by occasionally giving the audience a choice between two songs, ranging from Taylor Swift to Rage Against the Machine.
Along with playing music that everyone can get into, the band is dedicated to putting on a spectacle, often dressing up in ridiculous       costumes.
“The last thing we do is take ourselves too seriously,” Ciaccio said.
Hilary Maurin, communication disorders senior, agreed the band is fun and upbeat and said band members seem to enjoy their shows as much as the crowds do.
The band members collectively decided that having the opportunity to play music and create strong bonds between bandmates are the most rewarding aspects of being in a band.
The band members said if they were to break up, they would miss their relationships with each other and their ritual of shooting a bottle of Jägermeister before gigs.
Breaking up is not in the Sue Johanson’s immediate future, and the band would like to be around for at least a few more years, Roman said.
“We aren’t going to stop rocking just yet,” he said.
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Contact Ferris W. McDaniel at [email protected]