The up-and-coming jazz fusion outfit topped Earth Radio and other regional favorites to top the August chart at WYCE (88.1 FM). Learn more about the band and listen to tracks from all the releases.
Candid Antics: Making fans forget their old name with fun performances on stage. (Photo/ Erin Skrzypek)
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Changing a band name can prove dicey — especially when it comes to confusing fans, venues, media outlets and promoters.
But Grand Rapids’ Candid Antics has not only embraced its new moniker since switching from Pocket Watch earlier this year, but taken it right to the top: The jazz fusion band’s debut studio album soared to No. 1 on the Local Spins Hot Top 5 Chart for August, representing the regional/local release that received the most airplay last month at WYCE (88.1 FM).
“This means the world to us. We feel that we’ve gotten so much experience and help from the incredibly talented individuals in the West Michigan music scene, so it feels good to be able to contribute to the growth and add our own piece to the legacy of the Grand Rapids music community,” said Tommy Pancy, saxophonist, keyboardist, frontman and emcee for the up-and-coming band formed a little more than two years ago.
Of course, the group — which also features drummer Zach Dubay, bassist Dale Bales II, guitarist Chris Murphy, keyboardist Jarret Holtslag and fiddler Keala Venema — had to overcome an unexpected branding hurdle earlier this year when it received a “cease and desist” communication from another PocketWatch, forcing the Grand Rapids band to come up with a new name.
While the development “was a bit of a buzzkill at the time,” Pancy said he believes in finding a “silver lining in every situation,” so the band came up with Candid Antics at the suggestion of band photographer and media coordinator Erin Skrzypek, selected from a slew of alternate names.
“We’re seeing this as an opportunity to strengthen our identity and enhance our brand. After some discussion, we had decided that, above all else, we want our shows and our image to be fundamentally fun. So that’s what we’re focusing on in our on stage performance, our social media branding and our general approach to songwriting,” Pancy said.
“The word is starting to get out more and more, but I definitely still run into fans of Pocket Watch that still ask what we changed our name to. But we knew going into this rebrand that there would be some growing pains and we’ll keep trying to push through until the old name is long forgotten.”
Candid Antics Live: They play Eastown Streetfair on Saturday. (Photo/Erin Skrzypek)
Inspired by everything from Snarky Puppy and Mars Volta to Robert Glasper and Earth Radio, the band recorded its No. 1 record at Third Coast Recording Co. in Grand Haven after winning the 2023 Walk the Beat competition.
“All six of us have fairly different musical backgrounds from early jazz to metal to traditional Irish so when we write a new song, it starts as a pretty bare skeleton until we’ve run through it and everyone has had a chance to add their own influence to it,” Pancy said. “Usually after about 4-6 months they start to reach their final form.”
As a follow-up, the band has a new single in the works, along with a music video. Candid Antics also has several upcoming performances, including 2 p.m. Saturday (Sept. 7) as part of Mulligan’s Eastown Streetfair lineup, Sept. 13 at Liquid Note in Otsego opening for The Verve Pipe and Sept. 26 at Grand Haven’s United Methodist Church. Read more about Candid Antics formerly known as Pocket Watch here.
Interestingly, one of the bands listed as an influence — progressive neosoul favorite Earth Radio — took the No. 2 spot on the August Hot Top 5 Chart for its latest album, “If the Earth Could Speak.”
That was followed by new releases from In the Valley Below, Joey Gaydos Jr., Noah Mercil & Ben Steer, and Major Murphy. Listen to tracks from all of the albums via the Spotify playlist below. And check out previous Hot Top 5 Charts here.
LOCAL SPINS HOT TOP 5 CHART ON SPOTIFY: August 2024
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