In an office smaller than most dorm rooms, three musical entrepreneurs practiced hard Thursday night. Their band, Soulhouse, has been making a name for itself quietly around the Baton Rouge music scene, playing such local venues as The Caterie, Ichabod’s and Spanish Moon.
The strong local scene helped Soulhouse gain popularity, said Drew Reiley, a graphic design freshman and the band’s lead guitarist.
“I see a lot of potential for everyone around here,” Reiley said. “The scene has really gotten a lot better, and that’s helped us along with everyone else.”
Soulhouse has been playing in the area for about three years and has developed a fan base that seems to follow them wherever they play.
“I think they’re great,” said Nicole Falkenhiener, an English freshman. “I have respect for all the guys who will get up and write their own music; there are so many cover bands around here.”
Lead vocalist and guitarist Drew Reiley said he writes the band’s songs, but other band members put in their two cents until the song contains a little of each of them.
The band says their audience is anyone and everyone; anyone can come to their show and have a good time.
The band’s live show reflects its attitudes on stage. Reiley and Heroman are cornerstones of the band, but bassist Michael Russo is a stage show all to himself.
The bass-driven songs and his Green Day- inspired antics take much of the audience’s attention. Russo always is wearing or doing something to keep the audience entertained.
“We perform better when the crowd gets into it,” said drummer Matt Heroman. “It makes our music more high-energy and a lot more gratifying.”
Three different musical backgrounds combine to make Soulhouse’s unclassifiable sound. Reiley was trained as a blues guitarist, jazz drummers influenced Heroman, and Russo likes to play funk with his bass guitar. Mix them together, and it’s a crowd pleaser.
During the show, Soulhouse goes to feel-good anthems such as “Missing Her,” where Reiley’s shaky but undeniable tone hits home with college students everywhere.
“My girl went off to college,” he sings. “And now I’m missing her.”
The other side of the coin includes darker love songs such as “It’s OK” and “The Ghost.”
The three friends have been trying to record an album for years, and on May 15 they finally will head into the studio. Russo, who owns his own recording studio, said they’ve had many setbacks in recording the album. The studio was robbed once, which set them back almost six months, and school and work have been major barriers in finding time to record.
“We’re excited, all the time we’ve had helped us develop our sound,” Russo said of finally being able to record.
Soulhouse members said the album will be out by fall 2003, and a release party and show are planned.
In the meantime, fans can catch Soulhouse on April 4 at The Caterie in a benefit concert for child abuse. The concert starts around 10 p.m. and will include other local bands, such as tWeezer and Movin’ Weight.
Soulhouse also will play again at The Caterie on April 5 with two bands from the New Orleans area, Punch People and Bird Finger. Its Web site, which should be up soon, is www.soulhouseonline.com.