Pitt student bands fill parking lots with grunge and rock
Sun Cruiser and Forbes Fellas are turning informal spaces into regular venues for growing crowds.
By Rafael Delgado ·
Students at the University of Pittsburgh are finding their audiences in unlikely places. Two student bands, Sun Cruiser and Forbes Fellas, are turning basements and parking lots into regular performance venues. These shows are drawing crowds that range from a few dozen friends to several hundred people.
Sun Cruiser recently played a show for about 500 people in a parking lot on Zulema Street. Anthony Pellegrino, a sophomore accounting major, attended the event. He described the atmosphere as welcoming and a great change of pace from a typical weekend. The band officially formed in May, though its members had been playing together since high school.
Bassist Benny Balla said the group started after a high school battle of the bands was canceled. They continued playing informally until a basement party led to their first organized show. The band now plays a variety of venues to gain experience. They have built an Instagram following of 2,000 in two months. Their music focuses on grunge, citing bands like Stone Temple Pilots and Pearl Jam as influences.
Forbes Fellas have been active since January. They began as a trio in a music studio at Benedum Hall before expanding to a five-member group. The band performs covers of indie and rock music. Each member selects two songs for every set. They started with an Instagram account for friends, which eventually led to performance opportunities at parties and other events.
The bands are scheduling their upcoming appearances. Sun Cruiser is set to perform at Little Giant Studio’s Bands of the Burgh event on Nov. 8 from 6 to 9 p.m. Forbes Fellas will play a Battle of the Bands event with the Music and Entertainment Business Association on Nov. 6. Both groups plan to continue performing through the fall semester.
Forbes Fellas members are seniors, so they are looking to fit as many shows as possible before the end of the academic year. Sun Cruiser members are sophomores and are focused on gaining stage time. Both bands are using these informal venues to build their skills and their local followings.
