Catch 22 set the Rensselaer Union ablaze on Friday night. They brought a power-packed style of music that sent the crowd into hysteria. Their innovative ska style of music is something you don’t hear very often. Their songs pack a ton of punch. Once you get caught up in the quick-paced trombone tunes it is very easy to lose track of time. They played for more than an hour, yet it seemed like only a few minutes.
The concert was lively and it definitely crossed over music style barriers. Catch 22 uses a combination of crazy vocals and screaming horns. They utilized trombones, trumpets, and saxophones. The trombone player, Ian McKenzie, was the centerpiece for many of their songs. He helps carry the tunes along and it definitely gets the crowd moving.
The band started their career in the Garden State in 1997 when they put out their first album entitled, Rules of The Game. This was a demo tape and it sold over 2,000 copies. This overwhelming response to the their music started a statewide tour. Then they released their next album, Keasbey Nights. This album became one of their label’s top-selling albums of all time. The band was originally formed when Chris Greer met Kevin Gunther; they formed the band we see today.
Coming from New Jersey, I have seen Catch 22 perform up and down the Jersey Shore. I was pretty surprised when the McNeil Room was filled to the brim with a motley assortment of followers. There were people from RPI and neighboring schools. The crowd definitely played their part in the show—there were people dancing in circles and just having a great time.
I interviewed a fellow RPI student, Brandon Kaplan. He commented, "Catch 22 is a great band. I love seeing them perform. They are always exploring new territory." If they can keep performing this way, there is no reason they should not become national superstars.
Catch 22 is touring the East Coast for the rest of the month and then they will move on to new venues and new audiences. If you missed their performance on Friday at the Union, I highly recommend that you go out and purchase their albums and support these great musical performers.
