Last Friday, as many bands filled the air with their catchy and original sound at the annual Steppin’ Out festival, one band in particular, Curious Strange, ended their set on Henderson lawn with a standing ovation from the enthusiastic crowd.
For many locals in attendance, this was not their first time hearing the band play. The five young men who comprise Curious Strange have been a fixture of the local Blacksburg music scene for over two years now.
They may not be just local names for long. Curious Strange is building a strong regional following, and once their sound is unleashed on the world who knows where their music will take them.
The band is made up of five members, Rory Glass and Chad Florstedt on guitar, Nick Kalen on bass, Joey Cuicci on keyboards and vocals and Justin Beach on drums.
All members are Tech graduates except Rory, who is set to graduate soon. The band has a solid foundation in Blacksburg and a musical enterprise based on friendship.
Florstedt appreciates the situation the band is in.
“We’re all friends and we all hang out together, that’s what makes it so good, we just want to play music and we want to play it for the people,” he said.
What is refreshing and unique about Curious Strange is the motivations behind their songs. They deliver not only exceptional instrumentals but also very meaningful lyrics.
Nick Kalen believes it’s important to stay true to what you believe in and reflect on personal experiences.
“Our lyrics are influenced by our personal beliefs, experiences, and meditations,” Kalen said.
“The song King Coal explains our opposition to mountain top removal and the careless practices of many coal mining companies. Thinline tells the story of when three of us got caught in a tornado storm while driving cross country. St-Stutter is a more light-hearted one that talks about Rory's stuttering and incorporates musical stutters in the song. Other songs talk about our places in life, thoughts on society, or our artistic influences.”
Florstedt writes the lyrics, along with help from Glass and Cuicci, and he also shares Kalen’s sentiments.
“The lyrics mainly come from personal experiences, I try and make it creative, they just come to me,” he said.
The instrumental talent of the band sets them far apart from other musicians. They play a blend of elements from rock, funk, soul, blues, jazz and southern rock. This is accentuated with multi-layered harmony and different time signatures to give it an original sound.
Kalen believes there are a number of reasons the band maintains its original sound.
“Our individual, yet wide ranging sound sets us apart from other bands,” he said.
“Some of our songs are 5 minute standard blues and rock songs, while others are quite lengthy and progressive, incorporating elements of many styles. We also try to use the mood and sections of our songs to communicate the concept behind it. Also, our five piece set up delivers a very rich and full overall.”
Although the band originated in the summer of 2005, some fans may have noticed a recent change. In January, after the original drummer left for personal reasons, Ciucci and Beach first joined the group.
The new additions have added something new and exciting to the overall sound.
“They definitely brought a lot to the band. Joey brought a lot of songs he has written and his style of music is traditional rock and jazz fusion,” Kalen said.
“Justin has helped to tighten the overall sound and helped us out with different drum parts. Having the piano has added a layer to what we already had,” he added.
One of the great things about Curious Strange is that listeners can relate to their music. Florstedt and Kalen favor the same song, “Jungl,” from which almost anybody can draw experience.
“Jungl has spacey and jazzy sections in it as well as a rock based section. It’s about trying to develop your life and avoid being stuck in a life and a job you don’t want, the jungle is that job and that life,” Kalen said.
Alexandra Bright is a Tech student who saw Curious Strange perform for the first time last Friday.
“I thought they were brilliant, their instrumentals were great and they really got the crowd involved. Everyone seemed to be having a great time and getting into the music,” she said.
Curious Strange plan on recording their EP later this year, and with more regional shows lined up, Florstedt hopes that they can continue doing what they do best.
“It would be great to just be out on the road touring, release a couple of albums and keep doing what we love,” he said.
Although they are expanding in popularity and being recognised at a wider level, Curious Strange will always be thankful for what they have in Blacksburg.
“We have really good friends at Tech, a lot of us have been here for 5 or 6 years and having people come out and dance, giving us an atmosphere is really conducive to our music,” Kalen said. “The community here is definitely important to us.”
Curious Strange have a number of shows lined up in Blacksburg over the next few months. Catch them at Awful Arthurs on Aug. 17 at 9 p.m. and Aug 29 at Top of the Stairs at 9 p.m.
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