Roll Acosta, a local indie pop band, will perform one of their biggest concerts to date at Plush on July 6 with Carbon Leaf for the release of their EP, “”The Dawn.””
The self-managed trio, composed of Roll (Jake) Acosta, Andre Gressieux and Kevin Frederick, formed when Acosta, a UA alumnus, was in search of a pianist and made a post on Craigslist. He found no pianist but instead, drummer Gressieux and then later strings and violin player Frederick.
The group possesses an indie pop groove and catchy melodies, while their lyrics encompass relatable subjects such as heartache, reality and candor. With a smooth sound similar to a blend of the Avett Brothers and Andrew Bird, the trio works together in harmony. The band would not be whole without the accent of the violin paired with Acosta’s velvety voice or Gressieux on drums as the heartbeat of the group.
“”We literally spend hours writing the perfect melodies or lines that seem to suspend the most important parts of a song for the audience to experience,”” Acosta said. “”We really feel if we can’t make our songs ‘all inclusive’ in the experience of our music, then we are aiming wrong.””
The band is performing after special guest Carbon Leaf, a Virginia-based rock band that calls themselves “”ether-electrified porch music,”” according to their website. This Celtic-inspired quintet originated with more of a bluegrass feel but has evolved into a realm that also includes rock and pop.
Band members include Barry Privett, Carter Gravatt, Jason Neal, Jon Markel and Terry Clark. The group includes a vast array of instruments, from electric guitar to harmonica to a tin whistle.
The bands consider themselves good complements to one another, as both achieve a sizable selection of acoustic rhythm, diverse instruments and captivating tunes.
“”Carbon Leaf is a great act with some pretty wide influences in their style. Their music is well thought out and evocative of many of the same kinds of emotions we try to bring out in our music,”” Acosta said. “”I think this concert will not only visually be a sight to see, of course, but the music from this group paired with Roll Acosta will deliver a great live music experience that the audience will remember.””
