Supporting local has never been more encouraged. From local grocers to restaurants and everything in-between, supporting KC natives gives our community a sense of unity and support in corona times. But one thing you may not have thought about supporting local is music, and I just so happen to have the PERFECT band for you.
One local group that I cannot encourage you enough to listen to is The Greeting Committee. The indie rock band from Overland Park, KS have quickly rose to local and national fame, receiving over “35 million worldwide streams to date,” as stated in their website.
The group gave me their personal statement of what local support has meant for them over Twitter, saying, “local support is what gave us the opportunity to share our music with the world. we wouldn’t be here without Kansas City. and for that we are forever grateful to call it home.”
The Greeting Committee started at the Music House School of Music in high school but debuted in the talent show of the high school they attended together, Blue Valley High. The band consists of 4 friends: Addie Sartino on vocals, Brandon Yangmi on guitar, Pierce Turcotte on bass, and Austin Fraser on drums.
I first stumbled upon The Greeting Committee 2 years ago. I thought it was amazing how 4 teenagers from my district were making music I really loved. My friends and I all bought tickets to see their show back in November of 2018, and let me tell you, The Greeting Committee knows how to play a venue. I could feel that the ambiance was different. After touring in other states, the band was finally playing in their home state, and I could tell just how much Kansas City meant to them.
My favorite part of the whole show though had to have been Addie’s iconic crowd-surf. Trust me, if you’ve never been to a local band’s concert, I urge you to make it the first thing you do after Covid-19 is over.
When it comes to being from the great state of Kansas, finding successful local artists can seem like a dead end. But hearing that some local kids from the suburban Blue Valley School District had actually made it out there really inspired my friends and I back in high school, even if none of us were musicians. Knowing that if their dreams can come true, despite being from a small suburb in Kansas, ours could too. And that is the impact of local artists.
If you get anything from this article, it’s that you need to go find them on Spotify RIGHT NOW. It can be hard to find some of the gems when it comes to smaller bands, so take it from an avid listener, “Hands Down,” “17,” and “You’ve Got Me,” are all great places to start.
LINK TO THEIR SPOTIFY: https://open.spotify.com/artist/1MIe1z4RdqLqHSJsb7EBMm?si=JqnP9LjNS1OA9vM-EKSN2w
LINK TO THEIR TWITTER: https://twitter.com/TheGCBand?s=20