Tandem, the musical quartet from Madison, will present at Bulldog Bash their style of rock ‘n’ roll mixed with a heavy Christian influence.
Tandem, a Latin word meaning “at last,” just seemed to fit the group’s image. They depict their sound as a conglomeration of Paul McCartney, Coldplay and Switchfoot. The group could also be labeled as pop-rock with a hint of indie substance.
They have two albums; their latest titled Chivalry, which was released in the summer of 2005, and their first album, Someday Is Now.
With David Leonard on the drums, Josh Maze singing lead vocals and playing guitar, Taylor Poole on lead guitar and Hunter Stewart on the bass, they create a sound that encourages others to worship.
After first meeting in high school, they have stayed together for four years. Just by playing at a friend’s house and at small events in the Jackson area, they have developed a fan base that continues to evolve. They have also made appearances at several churches throughout Mississippi in the past year including Tupelo, Brandon, Oxford and Pearl.
“We have great fans that give us much support. [They are] primarily in Mississippi with some in Louisiana and Tennessee,” said Poole. “This past summer, we traveled to Central Asia and the United Kingdom, so it’s neat to stay in contact with them also.”
Lately, Poole has been listening to Death Cab for Cutie, Mutemass, Pete Yorn and the Beatles. Some more of their influences include Travis, David Crowder and U2. At Bulldog Bash, Tandem plans on playing between 10 and 12 songs essentially off their album with a couple of cover songs.
Along with being featured in the Jackson Christian Family Magazine, Tandem has also had the opportunity to play with bands such as Coolhandluke, Jonezetta and Lovedrug. Other mainstream Christian artists they have shared the stage with are Todd Agnew, Sanctus Real, Jeremy Camp, Smalltown Poets, Tree 63 and Seven Places.
Since they love to travel, Tandem wouldn’t mind being in the shoes of Coldplay or B.B. King right now. Their ultimate goal is to continue playing music for the rest of their life. They plan on starting recording for a new album shortly.
“We’ve been talking to some record labels, but I’m just focusing on school right now,” Poole said. “We’re all very excited about what the future holds for us.”
Tandem plays at 9 tonight at the Bulldog Deli stage. They’ll also have merchandise for sale including albums and T-shirts.
Tandem2.tif: Christian band Tandem mixes pop rock with an indie influence to create its sound.