The Stonewall Vessels
The Stonewall Vessels: How Five Boys From Columbia Became A Nationally Recognized Rock Band
“Vessel” is a term that describes a heart or body, and “stonewall” means a never moving object. What do you get when you put the two together? The Stonewall Vessels, a local rock band who agree that their title sums up their loyalty to one another: they are, quite literally, a “never moving heart.”
With humble beginnings in a small house in Columbia, Josh (guitar) and Luke (guitar) began writing and performing songs acoustically when they met Dee (vocals/guitar). The trio instantly clicked, and decided they needed to start a band together. It was then that they conceived of the “Stonewall Vessels,” and now, seven years later and two more members in, they’re busier than ever. In the last two months alone, they’ve played everywhere from New Brunswick NJ to Nashville, TN. Normally though, you can find them doing a set at The chameleon Club, Tellus 360, or Bubes Brewery. If you’re a Philly goer, you can find them at The Barbary, Bourbon & Branch, The Milkboy and more.
Last year, the band released their new album, “Through The Weird & Wild,” which was the record in which they first asked Ian to contribute to before he became a permanent member of the band. Right now, they are currently working on performing and touring to promote the album’s release, all while writing for their next one.
The group describes their music as decidedly rock. “We hate to pigeonhole ourselves into one specific category when we take influence from so many different things. We can describe our vibe as energetic, fun, lively, and aggressive at times,” they said. “Our focus on melody and song structure grips fans of all demographics. Our songs can be related to by fans of almost all genres of music.”
As for how they make music in the first place, they explained that their process is collaborative. They write their own parts or share them with one another, and then work on melding them into one. “Normally someone comes up with a melody or chord progression and presents it to the band,” Luke shared, speaking on behalf of the group. “We all work together to come up with the best parts we can and then structure the song together.”
But learning to work together that effortlessly wasn’t always an easy thing. They claim it took time to learn one another. “Knowing each other and anticipating everyone else’s next move is definitely something that comes with time,” Luke added. “Persistence, patience, perseverance and the rest will follow.”
As for what’s next for the group, they say they would love to join the professional circuit and be able to leave their day jobs. They’re also collaborating with Bubes Brewery to release a signature beer this summer. In the meantime, they’ll continue writing and touring, and sharing their music with anyone who cares to listen. Fans of the group can purchase their record anywhere digital music is sold or streamed. “Through The Weird & Wild” was also released on white vinyl, and can be found at Mr. Suit, and CI Records in Lancaster or Record Connections in Ephrata.
By: Brianna Wiest
