On Oct. 31, Zoogma will bring its individual musical stylings to State Theatre in Starkville for a special Halloween show. The band, originally from Oxford, Miss., will play two full sets during the show, which starts at 8 p.m.
Formed in 2007, Zoogma consists of Preston Boutot (keyboards), Brock Bowling (guitars, production), Justin Hasting (guitar, synthesizer), Matt Harris (drums, SPD-S) and Ryan Nall (bass guitar, bass synthesizer). The guys of Zoogma will reach Starkville in the middle of an extensive tour. This fall, they have played in various locations from Chicago to Florida. Ryan Nall said the tour has been huge so far, but it will continue to get even bigger.
“Our tour’s been pretty expansive so far. We’ve been everywhere from Austin to Chicago. We’re headed to Fort Lauderdale the weekend before Halloween and then up to Starkville. We’re going to do, pretty much, the entire country,” he said.
While touring, the band has gotten to meet some of its musical influences, including members of The Grateful Dead. The band said the people it has gotten to meet have been one of the most rewarding parts of touring so far. The band played just under 20 music festivals this summer, including Wakarusa and Camp Bisco.
For the guys of Zoogma, touring the country is an adventure. Bowling said the band and its team have gotten to see landscapes of the country and make new friends in places they would have never gotten to see had it not been for Zoogma. Bowling said being with the right people makes the tour worthwhile.
“It’s fun. We’re all best friends. We get to hang out with our best friends, and go meet new friends. And people enjoy it, so that’s good,” Bowling said.
Although they enjoy touring, being on the road presents challenges. The band members said maintaining relationships with friends and family back home is hard. Bowling said it is difficult to balance life, home, sleep and diet.
“We’re trying to not get fat,” Bowling said.
The band gets its unique name from the Greek word “Zeugma,” which means to join. When Hasting found the word on an assignment while a student at Ole Miss, he liked the way it sounded. The band agreed, and “Zoogma” was created.
Zoogma’s sound is an original blend of genres, fusing together rock, electronica, hip hop, jazz and world music. Its distinct sound can be accredited to its varied list of musical influences, which ranges from Pink Floyd to Will Smith.
Every Zoogma performance features a light show run by lighting technician Jerry Dale Blackburn. The concerts are fast-paced and high-energy. Hasting said the band relies on the audience.
“We like real, loud audiences that rage. We like people to get as crazy as they want to get. A lot of our music feeds off the energy the crowd gives us,” he said.
Fans of Zoogma appreciate the work the band puts in to its live shows. Freshman psychology major Savannah McGhee said Zoogma shows are an experience.
“They get the crowd really involved with the music. Instead of everyone dancing toward the stage, everyone faces each other and dances with one another. They have an eccentric way of pleasing the crowd,” McGhee said.
Zoogma has been working hard for almost four years, and it said it aims to constantly improve. The band accredits its success thus far to its determination.
“One of our biggest strengths is just being persistent and we work hard. We don’t only play a couple of shows a month. We’re trying to perfect our craft,” Nall said.
After the show in Starkville, Zoogma will continue touring. The band will end its tour with a blow-out New Years Eve show at Newby’s in Memphis.
Between meeting some of their musical idols, making new music and avoiding obesity, Zoogma’s members stay busy, but their main goal remains making fans happy.
“We want to travel more. We want to get new people introduced to the music and showcase what we’ve been doing on the road,” Nall said.
For even more Zoogma, check out the website, zoogma.com, where all of the band’s music is available for free download.