"Yeah, there are some people who like us," theMark's lead guitarist, Alec Eiffel, says modestly. Following their recent accomplishments, Alec is taking the band's success lightly. After winning last year's Battle of the Bands and opening Spring Fling, theMark became one of the premier bands at Tufts.
Not ones to sit idly on their laurels, the band toured extensively throughout the Northeast and, according to the members, have their largest following in New Hampshire. If that wasn't enough, the band also managed to record their first full-length album, "The Catastrophist," in the past year.
On April 17, theMark will take the stage at the Paradise Rock Club for the semi-finals of the worldwide Emergenza Festival. The band believes that this will make them the first Tufts group since Guster to play the main room at the Paradise Rock Club. The Emergenza Festival, started in Germany, is only in its second year in the United States. theMark were accepted into the festival after submitting a sample of their recordings. On February 5, they won the preliminary round of the competition at The Middle East rock club in Boston.
Even theMark's most devoted fans will hear something new at this weekend's concert. The band is in the process of recording a new EP this summer and will play at least one new song at the show. As always, theMark will be following their philosophy: It's all about good music and playing it well.
How did such a rock juggernaut emerge from the quiet Tufts campus? According to the band, theMark was born when the band members met in Miller Hall and realized their shared interest in music. After playing in the basements of fraternities, theMark quickly gained a faithful following of fans looking for an alternative to the typical Tufts music scene.
theMark was more than willing to deliver the rock that their fans wanted, building up a reputation for their energetic live performances in the process. Lead singer Paul Farris notes that they first realized their fan base was growing when they would "have people in the audience who'd actually know our lyrics to songs like 'Glacier'."
What helps distinguish theMark from most bands on campus is that they are, as Farris says, "not exclusively Tufts." This comes through in their music. Farris explains that most of the music he listens to is from other bands they meet while performing off-campus, such as The Receiving End of Sirens and fellow Tufts band The Main Drag. From listening to songs on "The Catastrophist," it is easy to see that theMark look beyond the campus; their propulsive songs are characteristic of a band that loves to be on stage.
Listening to theMark you can hear that there is something different in their music from the rest of modern rock radio. Paul says, "We've even been compared to The Police." The band attributes their unique sound to the wide range of influences, listing groups ranging from Thursday to Neutral Milk Hotel.
Alec admits to making fun of bassist Jason Autore's musical tastes, but says due to the wide range of influences "we don't sound exactly like any other band."
Fans of theMark have an extra incentive to catch the band this weekend, as they won't be playing on campus again this semester and will be taking time off from performing in order to record their new EP.
Tickets for the April 17 show at the Paradise Rock Club at 8:00 p.m. are available at a discount through the band by e-mailing themark@themarkmusic.com.
