Folk band Saintseneca has rooted itself in the Columbus music community. Performing in bars, houses and even under bridges, the band plays its music with passion rather than ambition.
Saintseneca modernizes folk music by combining the sounds of different instruments, including banjo, dulcimer, violin, guitar and trash can. The band members round out their sound using themselves as instruments to sing, clap and stomp.
“There are only four of us. To get the most sound out of four people when everyone is [already] playing an instrument, you stomp to get the percussion in there since everybody’s hands are full,” said Zac Little, a third-year in sculpture and fine art.
Although the band cites The Beatles, Sufjan Stevens, Bright Eyes and Grizzly Bear among its inspirations, it considers these musical influences to be “subliminal,” said band member Luke Smith, a third-year in vocal performance.
“We probably don’t sound like any of our influences, but we still draw from them,” Little said. “We didn’t set out to be a folk band that sounded like somebody [else].”
Saintseneca formed when Grace Chang, Steve Jacobs, Zac Little and Luke Smith came to Ohio State. Jacobs, Little and Smith played in an indie rock band together at their high school in Caldwell, Ohio but they discovered their softer sound when they met violinist Chang.
Saintseneca has found Columbus’ music community to be extremely supportive, and they encourage people to see what other local bands have to offer.
“There are a lot of really cool local acts in Columbus,” said Jacobs, a third-year in architecture. “Just be open and attend different shows. I don’t think being famous has anything to do with quality.”
Although Saintseneca has a large fan base in Columbus and other cities where it has toured, the band is hesitant to make big plans for the future.
“We just work really hard with it, have fun with it and meet people,” Little said. “Thinking about the future and what you want to do with anything is too much of a distraction to do anything well or have fun doing it.”
The band transfers this laid-back mentality to its performances.
Given the opportunity to perform in a packed bar or in a more intimate house setting, Saintseneca will choose the smaller venue.
The band has played at locations all around Columbus, including Used Kids Records, Café Bourbon Street, The Basement and more informally under a bridge on the Olentangy bike path.
“A lot of bands fit in playing in a bar, so it’s fun playing in strange places,” Little said. “…It’s just about the mindset of the audience. If you go to a show under a bridge, you’re there to see the show. If you go to a bar, you’re there to see the show and party.”
Saintseneca has already been on two short tours through the Midwest and Northeast regions and will be touring again in March.
Fans can also look forward to the release of the band’s second album. The album maintains Saintseneca’s lyrical folk vibe, but it incorporates even more instruments, including the baritone ukulele, and features more female vocals from Chang.
Saintseneca’s first four-song EP can be downloaded from iTunes.
For more information about upcoming shows, visit
myspace.com/saintseneca.
