In an age of excessive music availability, there is something refreshing about a band that doesn’t rush to record and plaster its tunes across the expanse of the Internet. Performance takes a new meaning when music and lyrics are not at our fingertips. Experiencing a concert with strangers and friends alike becomes more about enjoying a sensory experience than about knowing the songs.
The music of the College of William and Mary’s own Gold Connections is only available live and in-person, which makes gigs an exclusive occasion to appreciate their “punk band that likes to weep sometimes” sound. Influences like Lou Reed, Pavement, the Beatles, Talking Heads and the Velvet Underground give these guys a unique but very relatable sound. Expository titles like “Icarus” demonstrate the thoughtful songwriting that goes into the musical repertoire of Gold Connections. Their songs encompass personal anecdotes, universal ideas and the tribulations of the college experience.
Will Marsh ’15 and Gabe Hunter-Chang ’15 have been playing music together since high school and teamed up with their bassist in spring 2013 to form Gold Connections. Will birthed the band name after listening to a Sonic Youth song that mentions this phrase in its lyrics, and it just fit. Since then, Gold Connections has come to mean a lot more to Will and the band.
Although they have no recorded material yet, an album is in the works. The guys hint that the record will grace the College’s audiophile community around the start of the upcoming fall semester. No other details have been revealed about title, cover or distribution devices, but knowing the precision with which they preform, this album will impress friends and fans. In case you’re hungry to catch them live, Gold Connections has a Facebook page where it shares all its gigs and performances around Williamsburg and Charlottesville, Virginia.
If you like music and people that like music, I recommend giving Gold Connections an ear or two. Fortunately for you, this quartet will be playing a 45-minute set of original songs written by guitarist Will Marsh at the WCWM Fest this Saturday. Emerge from the cubbies of Swem, hoist yourself out of the Units, and check out Gold Connections if you know what’s good for you.
