Local band rocks Pre-Grammy show

With that being said; The Alternates are a group of friends that have grown up together in the San Fernando Valley.

 

They attended Sherman Oaks Center for Enriched Studies in Tarzana, Calif. since the fourth grade and have been playing music together for the past five years.

 

Four out of the six members of the Alternates have attended Pierce College. 

 

The Alternates are from the Valley. 

 

Although they are all from different areas of the Valley and come from different backgrounds, their comradery allows a comfortable environment where honesty is easy and everyone contributes.  

 

“We have that twist of flavor that no other band has because of the experiences we’ve had together as friends and family,” said bassist Kevin Solis. “We have chemistry that no one else shares.”

 

Even though The Alternates are a few freeway rides away from LA, that hasn’t stopped them from being noticed by the industry with their distinctive sound and unorthodox band structure. 

 

Their band consists of two drummers, Kevin’s twin brother Erwin Solis and Matt Walker, both current Pierce students, who play together on stage at the same time. 

 

With Walker being the more “classical” drummer of the two on the stage and E. Solis “non-traditional” drummer, the two balance each other out.

 

“We have way different styles,” said E. Solis. “I didn’t know we would fit that well together, but we did.”

 

Most of The Alternates have alternated their original position in the band. This shows the dedication they have towards each other to take on new tasks or change for the better of the group.  

 

Former Pierce student and guitarist Tristan Esmundo is The Alternates most recent addition to the band, but has recently began singing backup vocals. 

 

 “When we’re not playing shows or practicing for the band, it’s a good chance we are hanging out,” said Esmundo. “With us it’s just a comfortable setting.”

 

Originally a bassist, Jake Craven, who lives in Santa Cruz while attending school, now plays the keyboard and trumpet in The Alternates. 

 

K. Solis was a guitarist but picked up a bass with the help of lead singer Spencer Livingston.

 

But the main reason The Alternates have such a distinct sound is because of Livingston. 

If you were listening to The Alternates while standing next to Livingston, it’s possible that you might not realize that he is the lead singer. 

 

“I didn’t even want to be a singer,” said Livingston, “but no one else wanted to do it.”

It’s a good thing he started. Singing is in his genes. 

 

Both Livingston’s parents sing and, according to Esmundo there is always someone singing in their house. 

 

With Livingston’s vocals and the band’s unusual setup, The Alternates showed promise by winning a 2008 Battle of the Bands at BB King’s on Universal City Walk wittheir most played song, “Should Have.”

 

The Alternates have been busy playing LA venues, including the House of Blues

on the Sunset Strip and most recently a networking Pre-Grammy Party at The Kress in Hollywood, hosted  by Moodtyme Events on Jan. 30.

 

Because it was a networking event, chaos ensued the 

dimly lit club in more ways than one.

 

Guests didn’t necessarily want to hear music over their networking conversations, so while other musical guests played it was hard to hear them over the chatter.

 

Although the Pre-Grammy show wasn’t the exact setting that The Alternates are used to playing, they still turned heads.

 

Originally they were only scheduled to play a two-song set. 

 

A pair of requested songs that are considered The Alternates “hits” and their oldest songs.

 

However that quickly turned into two sets, totaling six songs, with a replay of their song “Wake Up,” which was requested by event host and CEO of Moodtyme Events, Germaine Moody.

 

“They took over the event, they stole the crowd,” said Moody. “They are a true indie rock band that needs to be out there.”

 

As The Alternates ended their second set, a line gathered to get their album and shake their hands.

 

“It was more of a presentation for us,” said E. Solis. 

 

 “It just opened so many doors,” said Livingston. 

 

Networking events are one way of exposing themselves. 

 

Another way of getting them exposure is getting added to the standby list for The Southwest by Southwest Music Festival (SXSW).

 

SXSW is a huge music festival, that now includes film and interactive aspects that will take place in Austin, Texas on Mar. 12th-21st. 

 

A summer tour is also in the  works for The Alternates.

 

Plans to go to San Francisco, San Jose and other places up north.

 

But the networking event might get them a little further than the west coast. 

 

The future seems bright for these young twenty-year-olds from the valley.

 

But the entire band attributes a lot of the success to their families. 

 

They all mentioned how supportive their families were to let them bang on a drum sets since sixth grade, as Walker’s parents did, or let your twin sons mess with their dad’s DJ equipment, as the Solis brothers did, or simply push her son into playing the guitar as Esmundo’s mom did. 

 

By growing up together, it makes their dream of playing professionally sweeter. 

All members of The Alternates just want to play music, not for the money, although they mentioned that would be nice, but because it is what they love and do everyday. 

 

Most of them also mentioned that if they weren’t in The Alternates they would still be playing music-but most of all they would all still be friends. 

 

For more information on The Alternates please visit their website at Myspace.com/thealternates.

 

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