The Northern @ Tisch School of the Arts

As I’ve mentioned previously, I live with about half this band, but I don’t post photos or recommend them just because of that. The Northern are a legitimately good band with great potential. If you like Coldplay, Aqualung, or bands of that sort, then you will enjoy these guys.

So how do they end up playing a CMJ showcase in an NYU building, you ask? Simple. The Clive Davis School of Music. Each year the school hosts a showcase at CMJ to featuring their native talent, and it doesn’t hurt that NYU hosted much of the Marathon this year. The venue is a large black box theater typically used to stage plays by the Tisch Drama department, but it was easily repurposed to accomplish the curious Festival-goers.

Jimmy and David Chalk, the two masterminds behind the band, are brothers from San Antonio, Texas who attend Clive Davis. David’s voice is very expressive, with a range and ability you wouldn’t expect from someone so young. Jimmy provides much of the technical expertise, backing his brother with vocals, on guitar, keys, an indispensible Macbook, and other instruments as they are needed.

The remainder of the band consists of Jonathan Seale and Aaron Craig, two other talented southerners. Jon’s bass sensibilities flesh out their songs, while Aaron’s drumming can take them from the slow build-up The Northern is so fond of the the heights of rocking out that seem to occur only at their live shows.

Often, they are joined by Cameron Orr, a classical and jazz trained violinist who can improvise chorus-like backgrounds on demand.

The crowd was on their feet during the entire show, despite the seats that came with the theater. Sometimes I’d look around and see people just smiling to themselves – a feeling no doubt part and parcel with the show. In short: watch these guys. They’re going to impress you one day – if they haven’t already.

See Also: The Northern @ Sullivan Hall, March 6, 2008