The concrete floor was cold. Wires snaked through the low-hanging wooden ceiling of the basement in an old brick house near Eastern Mennonite University (EMU).<\/p>\n
A vibrant peach couch with yellow flowers, an old beat up purple pool table and a small silver refrigerator formed a half circle around a brick fireplace.<\/p>\n
In the center of the cluttered nest, the shells of five musicians came alive. The sound was warm; a mixture of folk and rock – concocted with hints of bells, flute, drums, acoustic guitar, electric guitar and keyboard – with a hint of melancholy all perfectly blended into a smooth cocktail of melody.<\/p>\n
The members of the band Half Circles have been practicing in anticipation for their half-hour in the spotlight starting at 8:10 p.m. April 6 at Court Square Theater during MACROCK: a two-day music festival with more than 60 bands playing at multiple venues throughout Harrisonburg the weekend of April 5.<\/p>\n
The relatively new five-member band that features a brother-sister singing duo will perform songs such as “My Friend” and “Siren Song.”<\/p>\n
The sister half of the duo, 22-year-old Amanda Styer, a cook at The Little Grill, sings harmony and plays flute, melodica, keyboard and steel bells in the band. Styer said she was a 16-year-old visiting her brother, Jon, at EMU when she first went to MACROCK.<\/p>\n
“We grew up in a small Ohio town, so I just thought it was like the coolest thing ever. Just like, I can’t believe people do this. They have all these bands, local music and they have famous bands come … Since then, MACROCK has always had a special place in my heart.”<\/p>\n
J. Frank Hillyard Middle School teacher Dan Baker, 30, who plays guitar and does vocals, is also a longtime fan of the festival. Having grown up in the area, he’s been in the audience for years.<\/p>\n
“I’ve be going since I was in high school, even when it was over at [James Madison University] still. It’s had its up years and its down years, but yeah, I am excited to play,” Baker said.<\/p>\n
“Since I’ve always been in this area, it’s something that you always hear about. And, since bands have to apply, it’s almost like a prestigious thing to actually get in and get a good slot like we did this year.”<\/p>\n
The approximately 2-year-old band has come full circle since the original one disbanded a few years ago.<\/p>\n
Guitarist and vocalist Jon Styer, 28, a photographer and graphic designer for EMU said he and bassist Andrew Jenner, 30, a freelance writer, originally were in a band called Dear Wolfgang.The band played for five years, but split after the two lead singers moved to Kenya. Jon then started jamming one day with his roommate Baker.<\/p>\n
“We were both fairly comfortable writing songs and singing, so we decided to give a go at this kind of dual song writers in one band,” John said.<\/p>\n
“That’s kind of the philosophy of the band; some what where the name Half Circles comes from.”<\/p>\n
After enlisting drummer Danny Yoder, the music gained an up beat tempo and the EMU web designer brought a rock edge to the band.<\/p>\n
“When I was in high school, I was in a band and I was really into loud hard rock … that was what I learned the drums on. And, since I’ve gotten older, I have sort of mellowed out more.<\/p>\n
“I really enjoy music that has minimalist drums. So, I think I have a little bit of both…”<\/p>\n
But, the most unique addition may be the only woman in the band.<\/p>\n
“I think Amanda more than anything adds a different element to us because besides that we are a four-piece band.” Baker said.<\/p>\n
“But [she] plays bells, melodica and flute. It just makes our stuff more interesting,” Baker added.<\/p>\n
Jon said having two singer-songwriters also sets the band apart.<\/p>\n
“We do write a lot of songs together, but we have multiple perspectives in one band, which, I think, stops it from sounding like all the same songs.”<\/p>\n
The band’s songs – such as “Serpentine” and “Birds” – and current album cover, which features a bird flying out of an egg held by the tail of a snake, symbolizes the opposing forces of two singer-songwriters in one band.<\/p>\n
While both come from the same musical egg, they have taken two different paths.<\/p>\n
According to Baker, “It kind of went with our half circles imagery of having these two opposing forces.”<\/p>\n