ISHMAEL

Ishmael is a band that does things their own way. Surrounded by groups that focus on short form songs, Ishmael is a band focused on expansion. An amalgam of many genres, ranging from 70?s European Prog music to 80?s New Wave, to Post-Modern grit, the band has forged their own ineffable brand of invigorating and innovative music. New York natives, the band is Nick Otte on bass and lead vocals, Andy Werle on guitar and Aaron Silberstein on percussion. The band has been honing their visceral yet stylized sound since 2008, taking it on the road and sharing with ecstatic crowds all over the East Coast. With a strong presence in the college music scene, Ishmael disseminated their music through word of mouth and through the dedication of their loyal fans. The band has frequented venues such as The Knitting Factory (NY), The Cameo Gallery (NY), Sullivan Hall (NY), Arlene’s Grocery (NY), The Middle East (MA), Death by Audio (NY), Casa Del Popolo (Montreal), The Fire (PA), and The Radio Bean (VT). They have opened for and played with artists such as Dan Deacon, Beach Fossils, Asa Ransom, The Static Jacks, and Anamanaguchi. Praise for Ishmael: “When the mystical four-piece unites, they churn out stadium-sized instrumental workouts, replete with tangling guitar spirals, soaring vocals, melodic left turns, and grooves that you could dance to if you wanted. (That is, if you weren’t too busy head banging.)” – The Wesleyan Argus “The band: Ishmael. The keywords: Variety, Talent, Originality. The verdict: See them live.” – The Quad (BU) “A thoroughly reinvigorating 45 minutes of proggy interplay, epic vocal acrobatics, twisted time signatures, and well-honed fuzz explosions.” – Wesleying.org “One of our new favorite NYC-based indie bands” – Nopulpmusic.com “The group was impressive… Ishmael at times at sounded as though the lead singer was part of an opera or a musical, but the background music kept the performance punk rock.” – Beyondrace.com