Artist of the week: Guster

Ah, Guster.

I don't feel like searching for a bio, so here goes. The three original members of Guster (Adam, Ryan, Brian) met at Tufts University back in the 90s. (Incidentally, Brian graduated in American Studies. We were meant to be together.) They were all members of different bands at the time, and then they decided that it would be fun to play together under the name "Gus" (they changed their name when a guy named Gus made it big before they did). They were big with the college crowd on the east coast, but over the past couple of years they've gotten air time on the radio with more mainstream stuff. I think that the summer of 2003 was Joe's introduction to the band as a temporary member, and now he's just with them permanently. Ryan and Adam play guitar, Brian plays drums (no sticks, yet not Provo-sounding!), and Joe plays whatever he wants... I've seen him on the banjo, the electric guitar, and the micro-Korg. Probably something else that I'm missing.

I seriously love Guster. I get made fun of by so many people for liking them, but I don't even care anymore. They're smart guys (all college graduates!) with good taste in music and a flair for... originality. There are so many bands out there that follow the same chord progressions, same repetitive lyrics, same everything, and it gets old. The best part about Guster is that you can't really put a label on the kind of music they play. And to be honest, it might take a while for you to get into them. It's a rare group of people that you'd be able to introduce Guster to (well, and having them like it).

Friday marks the fifth time that I'll see them perform live (and Eliza's 200th or something), and I still get excited. They always put on a good show! I saw them first with John Mayer, then the next year with Clem Snide (oh, that was such good times with Ashlinn, Noah and Eliza), later that year with some random guy opening for them (with Hunter and Tammy... MAN!), and then the last time was September 2004. Highlights of shows include the band performing an acoustic version of "Jesus on the Radio" for the first time, Brian singing Bonnie Tyler's "Total Eclipse of the Heart" (worst voice EVER! but still so hot), and the band dressing up as their own opening act, a hippie group from Chico called Trippin' Balls. I can't wait to see what they do this time at ye olde McKay Events Center. It'll be an interesting experience for me this time, since I have a gigantic boot on my foot to correct my tendinitis. More on that later.

Anyway, you can listen to my very very very all-time favorite song by them on their MySpace page, "Come Downstairs and Say Hello." They also have some new songs up there from their forthcoming album. Please don't deny yourself that privilege.

*P.S. Hot Brian is the frowning one. He's also the only unmarried Guster.