This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at PS Berks chapter.
Folk-rock band Ballroom Thieves performed an intimate set Tuesday night at Campus Activities Board presents Jitters. The Boston-based band stopped at Berks as part of a country-wide university tour.
The three-member band nonchalantly moved from a corner of Tully’s and started playing promptly at 9 p.m. with no introduction. After a mellow start thanks to guitarist and vocalist Martin Early’s hypnotic, sensual voice, percussionist Devin Mauch bursts in with a sudden, ear-splitting drum beat.
The rest of the set contained a brilliant array of hand drum, tamborine, and cello-laden songs. These separate parts of a folk band come together to form their unique brand of rock alternating between calm coffeehouse style and upbeat poprock. Whatever the sound, every beat was heavy with passion.
Formed in 2012, Ballroom Thieves has been touring ever since and released their second, self-titled EP last month. Their self-proclaimed “rock disguised as folk” music entertained a crowd in Tully’s.
Early and Mauch joked with the audience in between songs, asking whether they are Team Edward or Team Jacob. They told two girls on opposing teams they could face-off during the next song, fittingly about vampires.
“And I’m sorry if you don’t know each other and now it’s super awkward,” he said.
When they asked what the audience does for fun, they were met with a definitive, “THIS!” They promised to return to Berks for student entertainment.
“It seems like you guys haven’t had fun until now,” he joked.
Cellist Calin Peters, who joined the band in September, said the jokes continue on the road as well.
“Since I’m new I’m still in the hazing process,” she joked. “But really, I’ve had a lot of fun touring around together.”
They ended the show with a passionate acoustic song performed off stage in the midst of the audience. Check out a video of the show on our Facebook page!