“Mystic Mermaid Rock Music” Comes to Campus

Brooklyn-based band El Mar, with bassist Ryan Gleason ’05, played a fantastic concert in Flickinger Auditorium for students, faculty, and the inaugural cohort of Art Scholars. 
The band played an animated, hour-long set that was very well-received by the community. Front-woman Joey Primero was described as having a “Stevie Nicks-esque sound” and a beautiful, soulful voice. Her ability to tell stories with her music was something that stood out to the community. Ryan Gleason ’05 performed on the bass, with guitarist Fred Sladkey and drummer Matt Musty, usually of Grace Potter and the Nocturnals. The band is made up entirely of Berkeley School of Music graduates. Students have been hooked to the band’s Spotify profile ever since the concert!
 
Following the performance, the members of El Mar gave a 45-minute Q&A session to the Art Scholars. The talk was centered around how to make time for art, make a living as an artist, and stay disciplined enough to practice your craft. The Art Scholars gained insight into how these talented musicians create their music – the group starts with lyrics and then builds the music to follow – as well as how they formed El Mar. Ryan Gleason ’05 was very passionate, approachable, and lively. One Art Scholar remarked on the band’s energy: “Trying to live passionately each day of your life requires stamina. The musicians of El Mar exemplify their stamina by consistently pursuing their career in music and always allowing room for growth.”
 
After the August release of their new 11-song LP, “Try to Forget”, El Mar has received positive feedback from big names like BillboardLemonade Magazine, and Vinyl Mag. Billboard describes the sound: “Along with the crisp instrumentation that combines the stripped-down elements of alternative rock, the authentic spirit of vintage country, and the powerful weight of soul, [Joey Primero] adds some Latin flair as a nod to her hometown and Cuban-American and Colombian ancestry.” Listen to El Mar’s music on SoundCloud.
 
Ryan was extremely excited to return to The Hilltop and share his music with the community. Remarking on the performance and experience, he writes:
 
“It was a wonderful opportunity to be invited to return to campus to share some of the music that I’ve been working on with El Mar over the last few years down in New York City. Returning to the hilltop after a number of years away and seeing so many familiar faces, as well as getting to meet so many new ones was a real treat for me. The band and I also really enjoyed having the chance to speak with some of the students in the Arts Scholar program about our different experiences in music and the arts after the show. Thank you for having us KUA!”
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