Two teen bands to rock on New Year’s Eve

The Orcas Grange will be rocking this New Year’s Eve, compliments of not one, but two Orcas Island teen bands.

There will be Blue Decline, with Drew Gutschmidt on base, Jesse Anderson on vocals, Will Fritzberg on lead guitar, and Nic Fritzberg on drums. The band will be playing its own creations, which Drew describes as “alternative, post grunge rock that’s not too heavy.”

Also on the Grange stage will be Catchpenny, with Zac Lefton on guitar and vocals, Emmanuel Chocano on bass and vocals, and Chris Rosa on drums. Catchpenny will also be performing its own music. Zac describes the style as “rock-punk mix, but faster and more upbeat.”

The two bands will be performing 8 - 11 p.m., helped along by local disc jockey DJ Nos, known to his fellow students as Ian Welch. Band members have played on several occasions for their fellow students, but they’re hoping to attract music lovers of all ages to the New Year’s concert.

Islanders are welcome to come and dance, or just sit and listen. And the concert will wrap up leaving plenty of time so everyone can welcome in the New Year somewhere else,” Zac says.

Despite their different styles, the two bands have many things in common. Except for Nick Fritzberg, they’re all Orcas High School students. They’re all self-taught, they all regard themselves as serious musicians, and many intend to stick to their music after high school.

Blue Decline was formed in September 2001. “Will and Jesse wanted to start a band,” Drew says, recalling how things got started. Band members now practice two or three times a week, and even more frequently when performances near. Over the past year and several months Blue Decline has played at Orcas Center, the Grange, and the San Juan County Fair.

Catchpenny was started one month earlier, in August 2001. Their practice schedule isn’t quite so regular, because Chris has to fit rehearsals in with his commitments to the Viking basketball team. Catchpenny has played on Lopez, at the county fair, the new skateboard park, and the Funhouse.

Both bands try to put on a good show along with their music. Blue Decline members “spray painted their hair blue” for a recent show, Drew said. Catchpenny band members tell jokes and “lots of crazy stuff,” Zac says.

The two bands aspire to make CDs some day, and take their acts beyond Orcas Island.

Admission to the New Year’s Eve concerts is $3. Members of both bands are hoping that they’ll be able to put the proceeds to good use in order to improve their respective groups.

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