Health & Fitness
Student Officer’s Prog-Rock Group Performing at Battle of the Bands
Edmonds Community College student officer Isaac Seavello is a budding rock star. He competes in a Battle of the Band competition on March 23.
By day, Isaac Seavello is Executive Officer for Clubs for the Associated Students of Edmonds Community College (ASEdCC), one of eight students who legislate, promote, and regulate student activities and affairs.
By night, Seavello’s a rock star.
The 22-year-old’s talents will be put to the test at 4 p.m. March 23 when he and his band, Grid Hopper, compete in the Gorilla Seattle Battle of the Band Finals at Studio Seven, 110 S. Horton St., Seattle.
“I really love performing the music that I’ve written,” said Seavello. “It’s extremely satisfying, one of the best feelings in the world.”
You can help the band’s chances by buying tickets for the show (cheap at $8), since the bands selling the most tickets perform closer to the end, which Seavello says gives them a better chance of winning.
“The winner is determined by the loudest audience cheer,” said Seavello, a music major — of course — at Edmonds CC who plans to continue his education at a four-year college.
So what is Grid Hopper? It’s a fully instrumental progressive rock band that takes its inspiration from such notable groups at King Crimson, Jethro Tull and Dream Theater. The name? Seavello says it’s from a computer game.
Seavello is the band’s lead guitarist, and is joined by brothers Gabe (guitar, flute) and Ben (keyboards), as well as Grant Olson (bass) and Phil Allen (drums and percussion). Last year, Grid Hopper released a CD called “Patterns” that’s available through http://gridhopperband.bandcamp.com and http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/gridhopper.
Grid Hopper has played a number of notable shows, including Rock Against Rape at Central Washington University, a benefit concert for VH1’s Save the Music Foundation, Musicians of Marysville’s M.O.M.Fest 2011, and many more. They have shared the stage with other locally and nationally well-known bands such as The Good Hurt, JAR (of Rain), The Cat From Hue, Candysound, The Sunbeams, and The Melancholics.
Seavello has high praise for his studies at Edmonds CC. “The music program is phenomenal here. (Music Department chair) John Sanders is the best teacher I’ve ever had.”
Want to read more about what's going on at Edmonds CC? Check out Edmonds Sphere.