“If the crowd is having a good time, we are having the best time on the planet,” said Chris Goodchild, third-year English major and guitarist of Bowen and the Uproar. He made it clear that the collective was a “live” band. Fortunately for him and his fellow musicians, that is exactly what was asked of them when they performed at Block Party.
Bowen and the Uproar got its ticket to perform at Block Party by winning this year's Last Band Standing competition.
“On the final night, we ended up winning the competition by one vote, so it was very very close,” said Goodchild. The band was created in the fall by merging musicians from two former bands, Rebel on a Mountain and Young Pacific.
The merger united two experiences of live music and the new band quickly established its taste for interactivity with the crowd. “We like to include everyone, we like to talk, we like to introduce ourselves to the crowd,” said Goodchild. “I have never been in a band like this before, where it has been so much communication with the people who are coming to see the show.”
The band's signature style has to do with clap-along rhythms and sing-along lyrics. “I would definitely say it is quite “pop-y.” Of course we do not stick to the standard pop song,” he said. “We include a lot of very melodic, catchy vocals and lyrics.” The six-piece band includes a trumpet and a keyboard to boost the traditional “drummer, bassist, guitar, singer” formation, and hopes to make people cheer no matter how early they play or how bad the weather is.
The looming clouds could remind people of the 2013 Block Party. But in the eye of Goodchild, even the rain can't stop students from having a good time. He was in the crowd that year, for his first Block Party.
“It was an example of very good UBC school spirit. Everyone, despite the bad weather, showed up, had a great time.... To me it was the launching point for the rest of my UBC career."
Correction: A previous version of this article identified the band's guitarist as Chris Goodwill. In fact, his name is Chris Goodchild. The Ubyssey regrets the error.
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