The last note of “Basket Case” by Green Day lingered in the air of the McAfee Center stage late last August as rolling applause slowly replaced it during a concert sponsored by the MAGIC organization.
Soaking in the applause were three sophomores and one freshman who make up a band called Pollen Prone. It was their second performance since the band’s formation last May.
The group had its beginnings roughly a year ago when sophomore guitarist Alec Guan realized his friend, sophomore Alex Ge, plays the drums. After asking around in his classes, Guan was able to recruit a vocalist, sophomore Shirina Cao. To complete their band, they just needed someone to play bass.
While asking around, Guan realized how hard it was to find a bassist. However, after much searching, he discovered that freshman Mason Cheng, a tennis teammate outside of school, actually also plays the bass.
Although the process of getting the members was relatively easy, finding the time to practice and perform has proved to be a challenge. While it was easier to meet during the summer, they are now only able to meet once a week, with more practices occurring during the weeks leading up to performances.
The other major challenge has been finding times to perform together. The band also has to consider how to transport their instruments, particularly the drumset, which is often an inconvenience in both practice and performance.
“It’s sad that we can’t attend as many performances as wanted,” Ge said. “In a perfect world, I would like to attend every rally, but I’m also content with our current pace.”
Despite these obstacles, Pollen Prone already has three performances under its belt: a food truck gig in the beginning of the school year, the MAGIC concert in August, and a December night rally performance. Despite their initial nerves before playing, the band performed well in their first performance during the food truck fest. Their experience allowed for smooth performances at the MAGIC concert and December night rally.
Not everything went as planned, though, as the night rally did not have enough time and forced Pollen Prone to cut one of their two songs out of their set, voiding a lot of the hard work and practice the band put in for this performance.
In the spring, they plan to focus more on academics, especially as AP tests approach. As a tentative plan, they hope to perform during graduation or participate at the Saratoga library’s Battle of Bands.
Whether it’s practicing together or performing onstage, the four members agree playing together has been a great experience.
“I’ve always wanted to form a band,” Guan said. “It’s just a fun experience. I’m no longer that bedroom guitarist, you know?”
