Zac Mac Band Interview: Increased Gigging

Sep 15

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The Zac Mac Band set up on a triangular stage about 10 feet across in the back half of Kennedy’s Midtown bar on Saturday night. Most of the stage is dwarfed by Justin Casanave’s drum kit, so that when frontman Zac McIntyre’s keyboard stand is set up, it sits to the front the stage itself. The sound guy has pushed the speakers forward to make space between them and the band.

It’s that kind of life for a band that is newly formed and still finding its fanbase and identity as a band. The members of the Zac Mac Band have individually been around the local music scene, from Maine to Boston, for years but have only played together since earlier this spring. Out of their collaboration has come an album full of songs that they are currently recording with producer Zac Cataldo in Night Train Studios in Westford, MA. In the meantime, the band’s focus is getting out there and playing some gigs.

The first thing that’s hard not to notice about the band is that McIntyre towers over everyone else in the room. At 6′10, McIntyre plays keyboards and also provides the vocals. Earlier this year, he placed a craigslist ad for a bassist and drummer, around the same time that Casanave and bassist Jeff Bates were looking for another band. The two had played together in a band called Soul Taxi, which had split in 2007. The pair jammed one night with McIntyre and it was instant chemistry.

When you sit down and talk to the band, which also includes guitarist Ben Dwyer who joined them last week, chemistry is a running theme. And it’s evident from watching them that there is already a strong rapport, whether they’re talking about Fenway Park, woman, politics, or their music. They joke easily with one another, are to a man down to earth and supremely congenial. So despite the fact that they have only played two live dates, zero before tonight with Dwyer, you get the impression that chemistry is more than just talk.

“My previous projects weren’t of the same caliber,” McIntyre says of the band, “the chemistry wasn’t there.”

“We’re in sync,” Bates agrees.

Like most musicians, their musical backgrounds are diverse. For Dwyer, he played the alto saxophone in high school before he learned guitar. After mastering guitar, he played with an instrumental jam rock band and also an avant garde jazz band. Ten days ago, responding to an audition for a guitarist, he jammed with the guys and they immediately gelled. The guys had auditioned 5 other guitarists; Dwyer was the last. But according to Casanave, “it was a perfect fit. He had 10 days to learn the setlist.”

As for the others, Bates actually learned accordion first (clearly his parent’s decision) but picked up the bass and found it a natural fit. McIntyre played percussion, jokes about his marching band experience, played the piano and later picked up guitar.

Guitar, for him, gave him a chance to experiment in the writing process. “I wanted to write on the guitar. It’s a different instrument,” he says. “You develop habits on instruments and you need that different vehicle to drive the musical soul.” He immediately cringes to realize how corny that sounds, and elicits laughter from the rest of the band.

And Casanave? “I’ve only played drums. All my friends played guitar and bass and I wanted to be in a band.”

The band, now united, has put together a dozen or so tracks that they are eager to play live. The tunes have memorable pop hooks and evoke some of their musical influences, a little Radiohead here, a little Coldplay there, some U2, some jazz influence. But even for only being all together for 10 days, what is apparent is just how much their songs sound like them as a band. They are aiming to have an EP release ready for this December and likely a full album release in the spring.

In the meantime, the band’s goal is increased gigging, getting themselves out to the local venues and playing in front of fans and strangers alike. Or as Casanave says simply, “Get exposed.” To that end, they enthusiastically hop on stage at Kennedy’s around 11:30 and begin an impromptu soundcheck to the tune of their popular song Red Light. The soundcheck version is a little different though. The lyrics go like this:

“This is a sound check song.”

It brings a cheer from the crowd. Launching into a stellar hour-long set, they effortlessly show off what they have been talking about all night. Newly formed or not, this band has a chemistry that’s hard not to notice.

The Zac Mac Band’s next live date is October 3 at All Asia in Cambridge, MA. Music samples are streaming on their MySpace page.

Read a review of The Zac Mac Band at Kennedy’s Midtown.

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