Rochester band Room 30 draws crowds, one fan at a time

Here is an article I wrote for the Rochester Insider on the talented local band Room 30.
Check them out at www.room30.com

Take a little bit of rock music, mix in two parts ska, add some funk and punk, a dash of reggae and you will get this year’s Ten Ugly Men Ugly Idol winner, Room 30.
“It’s nice not to be typecast as a certain type of band,” says Rochester Institute of Technology student Chris Hynes, 24, the band’s singer, songwriter and lead guitarist. “Our music is something different. It cannot really be classified.”
Since winning the Ugly Idol competition last July, Room 30 have had no trouble booking shows. They played over 30 shows this summer, and their fall schedule is filling up fast, including an October 14 show at A-Pub Live with Puddle.

Something New
Booking shows in a city that loves cover bands isn’t easy when you are trying to play original songs, but Room 30 find other ways to draw in crowds.

“Sometimes if you don’t play songs they recognize, you lose them,” admits Hynes, who seems to have come up with a solution. “Sometimes we will play a show with a cover band and that will get people in and then they’ll hear us and think ‘hey, these guys aren’t bad.’”

While Room 30’s music is definitively different, they also acknowledge the bands that have influenced their unique sound. Hynes, a fan of O.A.R. and Reel Big Fish, tries to infuse their styles into the songs that he writes, but he also leaves room for the band’s other members to put their spin on it.

“It’s fun because every song we’ve ever written we all put different elements into it,” says Hynes. “A lot of songs are written open so we can leave room for solos. When your audiences are the same in the same city, it’s nice to change it up a bit.”

Room 30 is psyched about their upcoming fall shows. For their A-Pub Live show they plan to play mostly originals, but Hynes says they may throw in a couple familiar songs for the crowd.

“We like to cover the Sam Cooke song Another Saturday Night,” Hynes says. “It’s one of those songs you don’t think you know, but then you hear it and you suddenly recognize it.”

Even when they are playing the occasional cover song, Room 30 make sure to add their own distinct flavor. Sometimes they will intersperse a cover song into an original to attract the attention of a crowd, which they have done with songs like Van Morrison’s famous anthem Brown-eyed Girl.

“It keeps the new audiences listening and the fans guessing,” explains Hynes.

One Fan at a Time
Room 30 are also wise to the fact that part of making a name for yourself is getting as much exposure as possible.

“Very rarely do we say no to a show,” says Hynes. “It’s one fan at a time. There may only be 10 people at a show, but if one person likes you, that’s good.”

Longtime fan Derrick Bazer, 22, appreciates the distinct sound that Room 30 brings to Rochester

“Most other bands play the same covers and it gets repetitive,” says Bazer, who has admittedly seen all but two of Room 30’s shows. “It’s nice to hear some new music. All of the fans like what they’re doing.”

Proving Hynes’ one-fan-at-a-time theory, Room 30 has a growing group of loyal fans who appeared at every show they played over the summer.

“Their music is very energetic,” says fan Jared McMullen, 23, who admits he rarely misses a show. “They work up the crowd a lot and the music is well-composed. It’s fun to listen to and be around.”

Room 30 also credit their loyal fans for their increasing popularity and success.

“If we were having an off night, they would drink a lot and make the bar a lot of fun,” says Hynes. “They helped us out a lot.”

With no booking agent or manager, Hynes has also taken up marketing for the group. “I carry CD’s around with me everywhere I go,” he says. “It’s that self-marketing thing — the one fan at a time mentality. I just stay after every show and talk to everyone I can.”

Coming Soon…
Currently Room 30 have just a three-song EP of their best-known songs — “Come My Way,” “Here’s to Snap,” and “Melvin” — but in the spring they plan to record and release a full-length CD.
They also want to start booking shows in other cities. Hynes would ideally like to see the group touring up and down the East Coast within the next year.
“Rochester has been great to us,” says Hynes, “But there is only so much you can do in one city.”

While three of Room 30’s members are still finishing up college, Hynes admits he would love for the group to make it big someday.

“We’ve got something going here,” says Hynes, currently pursuing a pre-law degree. “If it came down to it, I would love for this to be my full-time job.”

Meet the Band…
Chris Hynes, 24: Lead guitar and vocals, songwriter. Pre-law student at RIT.
Kevin Matthews, 24: Bass player. Psychology major at SUNY Brockport.
Ben Collins, 24: Drums. Employed full-time with the Sutherland Group.Wes Smith, 21: Saxophone. Student at Eastman School of Music.