The band without a plan

The old adage may go "third time's the charm," but in the case of BFB, the charm may only emerge after the 15th try. After countless reconfigurations, member replacements and relocations, BFB -- formerly Boston Funk Band -- has not only stumbled upon a combination that works, but has a discovered a chemistry and cohesive level of talent that far exceeds any of its previous lineups.

The group currently consists of five members: senior Ben Halperin on lead guitar, Tufts graduate Rich Wilner on drums, Tufts graduate Mark Schwayder on bass, 23-year-old Tim Shepard on keys, and the newly inducted sophomore Sean Zimsmeister on lead vocals.

This combination was not easy to come by. In addition to missing a steady keyboardist -- a role that was eventually taken on by Shepard -- the band was in need of a solid lead vocalist to tie the group together. While Halperin and Wilner often split the role, the group agreed that the arrangement was less than ideal and held a series of auditions to find a steady lead singer.

Zimsmeister is a classically-trained music major and member of the Beezlebubs a cappella group. He knew Halperin prior to joining the band and never underwent a formal audition. Halperin was well aware of the singer's musical experience. The two are both brothers at Sigma Nu, where the group holds the majority of its concerts, so Zimsmeister entered the group with a feel for BFB's sound.

The current five members played as a group informally for the first time last semester when Zimsmeister made an impromptu appearance during a concert.

"I just jumped up on stage at their last gig and started harmonizing," said Zimsmeister of the unexpected performance.

The sudden confidence and talent that radiated from every player during this performance made it clear that this newfound chemistry could amplify BFB's on-stage magnetism as well as allow the members to pursue more advanced musical endeavors.

"The five [members] we have now are far and away the best combination," Halperin said, referring to the 15 different member configurations over a better part of a year before finally installing Zimsmeister as the band's official lead vocalist.

Despite this initial boost of confidence, however, the band has been having difficulties scheduling performances and practices when all five members can be present. As a result, the group has been playing a game of catch-up rather than being able to focus on creating and polishing new material.

BFB's Saturday night concert in the basement of Sigma Nu was successful, despite frantic preparation. The performance was a showcase for the band's ability to come together and play successfully with little to no rehearsal time.

Two groups who were to serve as Saturday's openers were cancelled and BFB was forced to rely on a set heavy with covers to make up for lack of material. Complicating the picture is the fact that Zimsmeister is still in the process of learning and learning and mastering the band's existing materials. Thus, even the covers were played on short notice, with Zimsmeister learning three of the songs only the night before.

The audience was hard pressed, however, to sense the lack of preparation seeing as the band performed with the utmost confidence and no unfortunate surprises. The only hint that the group was struggling for material was the amount of covers played which included an unexpected rendition of the Beatles' "Let it Be," -- not a song one expects to hear in the basement of a fraternity.

The group reportedly needed the song as filler, and although they realized it was unusual, it didn't appear to inhibit the concert's crescendo. "People didn't sit down or anything," said Halperin of the mellow rendition, "so that was good."

If BFB can do so well after haphazardly throwing something together, it's exciting to imagine what the group could accomplish were they to actually rehearse.

Halperin recognizes their potential and is eager to explore "the things you can do when you have talent and no weak links."

Despite the band's bursting potential, BFB has no current plans to take the group to the next level. Though they'd like to explore venues outside of Tufts and are always interested in playing charity events as well as on campus parties, the group is planning on taking the semester in stride.

"We are still in the rebuilding process," said Zimsmeister.

The group may not need to make any giant leaps off campus just yet, as the two-year-old name is easily recognizable as one of Tufts' favorite jam bands. Although you won't hear your "typical dance music," the BFB -- influenced by groups such as Phish, Red Hot Chili Peppers, and the Beatles -- has already carved out its on-campus niche.

Halperin concedes that the group's party style isn't particularly bump and grind. "The hippies can twirl up front," he said referring to the music's "jam" style, "but it's not really dance music."

Dance music or not, plan or no plan, judging by Saturday's crowd, BFB must be doing something right..