Comprised of four FSU students, local band Wild Planet (formerly known as “David and The Phoenix”) has been establishing themselves amidst the Tallahassee music scene since 2015.
Drawing inspiration from popular bands such as Vampire Weekend and Young the Giant, the band is an amalgamation of the musical tastes of members Justin Fogel, Madison Fields, Daniel Prusher, and Dartanyan Melendez. When asked about their origins, Fields described them as initially folk and acoustic, but since the addition of their drummer Dan they can be better classified as indie rock.
The band prides themselves on their deep connection with one another, citing it as a useful tool in making music together. “We all are very deep people, from the surface to the core we all have an insurmountable amount of weird stuff underneath our skin that makes us, us. And the way we connect is through that, and I think that’s why we really connect when we play music. It’s all sound in this sonic space of life and we’re just trying to make sense of it.”
In celebration of their debut EP, ‘Subtle Spectres’ the band will be playing at The Wilbury on Friday, September 22. The EP is set to be released on the same day. Guitarist Justin Fogel gave some insight into what fans can expect from the show, “the set list is featuring all of our songs on the EP and two new ones so be ready.”
Besides the new music, guitarist/vocalist Dartanyan Melendez discusses some features for Friday’s show that have never been seen before from Wild Planet. “We’ve been experimenting with some new gear and working it into our set. We’ll also have Wild Planet merchandise for the first time ever.” Melendez continues on with hopes that “people dig the stuff we put so much time and love into making.”
In addition to this week’s performance, the band will also be playing at Firebetty’s on Thursday, September 28 and The Wilbury on Saturday, October 7.
Looking further into the future, the band hopes to eventually go on tour and “play with even bigger and more wonderful people.” They cite bands such as Hippo Campus and Jacuzzi Boys, who they’ve preformed with in the past. Ultimately, Fogel says the band’s goal is to expand their horizons even more. But at the moment they’re primarily focused with getting their music out there and recording as much as possible.
Wild Planet’s new EP will be available this Friday, followed by a free performance at the Wilbury including artists such as Fake Jazz, Hold That Hand, and Pat Puckett.
Down the road, mark your calendars for their show at Firebetty’s on September 28, and the Wilbury on October 7.
In the meantime, make sure to keep up with the band on social media and remember the band’s motto of “stay wild, you wild people.”
All photos courtesy of Wild Planet