MUSIC

NOW HEAR THIS

Riding the Bus

BY DAWN JANKE PHOTOGRAPHY BY SPENCER SARSON

See Próxima Parada live: June 12 at the Torch Club in Sacramento June 27 at Claiborne & Churchill Winery in San Luis Obispo July 4 at Concerts in the Plaza in San Luis Obispo July 6 at Talley Vineyards in Arroyo Grande July 31 at Marilyn’s on K in Sacramento

Stream their album at proximaparadamusic.com

Próxima Parada

left to right Andy Olson Kevin Middlekauff Bryson Bailey Nick Larson Young and dynamic, the Próxima Parada boys are more than the sum of their musical notes. All four band members are Cal Poly graduates who came together in 2012 and made making music their first priority. But they do other stuff too: pianist Nick Larson, a Kinesiology major with minors in Spanish and philosophy, works as a substitute teacher for the county; guitarist Bryson Bailey, also a Kinesiology major, is a scribe in the Emergency Room at Sierra Vista; bassist Kevin Middlekauff majored in biology and now works as an analytical chemist testing water; and drummer Andy Olson graduated with a degree in Graphic Communication and is a freelance graphic designer, but he also worked at Hakuna Matada Bee Company, safely relocating beehives and swarms from local businesses and homes. Larson adds that Olson is an avid climber, and Middlekauff explains that Olson will “climb all the way to love.” I bet after the success of their indiegogo.com campaign earlier this year, the band felt they did climb all the way to love, especially given the outpouring of community support they received. They created their fundraising campaign back in February and were hoping to raise $15,000 so they could record a full-length album. The community so widely championed them that they ended up raising $18,600. Próxima Parada definitely has a buzz about them.

I first heard the buzz last fall when their show at SLO Brew was announced, and I first encountered their music in early March when the band performed at a Herman Story Wines pick-up party. By that time I was already slated to interview them for this article, and when I heard their bluesy, soulful sound on that sunny day, I was stoked to learn their story and share it with SLO LIFE readers.

I met the band at Speak Studios in San Luis Obispo where we sat down for a chat and some laughs (well, it was less chat and more laughs, actually, and the experience was quite uplifting). One thing I learned was the origin of their band name—I thought it surely had some romantic backstory but discovered that despite being world travelers, they chose the name “Próxima Parada” after hearing the phrase over and over again on a SLO Transit bus, “La próxima parada is the next stop.” But for Larson, Bailey, Middlekauff, and Olson, it’s clear there is no stopping. Indeed, the band has come a long way since their first performance at a local donut shop in the Winter of 2012. By Fall 2013 Próxima Parada solidified their roles and teamed up with Vince Cimo at Speak Studios to get serious. Olson says, “Cimo’s equipment helped us identify our sound,” which they define as California Soul Folk.

Bay Area music blogger Brian Gagliardi said this about the band’s sound: “Próxima Parada reminds us all that no turntable or synthesizer can ever strike the same chord in our souls like a live performance that features harmonica, guitar, keyboard, bass, trumpet, and mandolin.” I couldn’t agree more. Just as they strike chords in our souls, SLO County has struck theirs. All California natives, the band members have called San Luis Obispo home since they began attending Cal Poly about eight years ago, and they’re committed to giving back to the community that has generously supported their music. They’ve performed at a number of events in an effort to support local organizations such as the SLO Food Bank, Transitions Mental Health Association, and The United Way. Most recently, the band took a break from recording to perform at San Luis Obispo’s 12th Annual Walk a Mile in Her Shoes event, an international men’s march to stop rape, sexual assault, and gender violence. In the 1970’s, Cat Stevens asked us to ride on the peace train; Próxima Parada wants us to join them for a ride too, and with each next stop, they are committed to sharing what they refer to on their website as “Operation Spread-Joy.” To be sure, these four are moving onward and upward, a phrase Larson explains is thematic for the band. With their debut album out in July, Larson, Bailey, Middlekauff, and Olson are climbing all the way to love, and we’re following right behind them. SLO LIFE