Lucas Carpenter does what so many young musicians find themselves doing these days: He checks up on his MySpace account.
“MySpace is a Godsend,” Carpenter said in a recent telephone interview. But don’t peg him as just another MySpace artist. Carpenter is a man on the rise in the music scene, cyberspace and beyond. The 24-year-old Pennsylvania native has been on the go since mid-June.
Currently in Boston, he and drummer John Brewton have been touring the Northeast, occasionally turning their duo into a five-piece band at certain stops. He is currently out promoting his third album, “Art Kids from the Country,” which was released earlier this year.
Carpenter explained that the title is an homage to his hometown.
“It’s all about having nothing to do and finding [that] you can create art rather than be bored.”
It’s been awesome getting to go new places, meet new people and introduce our music to them,” said Carpenter of his recent time spent on the road.
“I’m loving the coffee shop shows. People always associate bar shows with crazy crowds, but coffee shop people are all about the music.”
So what exactly might those affricated kids in coffee shops expect to hear from Carpenter and crew?
“We sound like, if Garth Brooks and Jay-Z wrote a musical together,” Carpenter said with a laugh. “In short, we’re eclectic pop-rock.”
It’s no surprise that the Berkeley College
of Music graduate would meld such diverse genres of music to create his own unique sound.
“I’ve learned to be a great musician you have to study the greats. I’m a fan of all genres. I have been inspired by the Beatles, Rusted Root, Third Eye Blind, Tim McGraw as well as hip-hop. I think Eminem is a genius,” Carpenter said. Carpenter began playing guitar at the age of 13 and started crafting his own songs by 15. With a fervent desire to dedicate his life to music, he even transferred to Williamsport
High School in the small rural town by the same name in Pennsylvania, saying it had a superior music program.
“Having teachers that pushed me to really
learn and appreciate every aspect of music
changed my life,” Carpenter said. His time at Williamsport High, as well as the prestigious Berkeley has made Carpenter an advocate for music education.
“Music allows you to grow and explore and create like nothing else does,” he said. “It is truly something that expands everyone’s horizons, whether you are playing it or listening to it. For young students who are musicians, it creates a community and an energy that they could only find in a classroom.” C
arpenter will be performing at the Grape Street Pub in Manayunk on Oct. 19 at 8 p.m.
Tickets can be purchased at the door the day of the show, but you must be 21.
Aly Semigran can be reached at ams@temple.edu.
Be the first to comment