Street Sounds: Find Vienna

Philadelphia’s Find Vienna finds inspiration by clapping to the band’s own beat.

Venturing off the beaten path, Philly-based band Find Vienna has an edgy way of delivering pop-rock in a new, refreshed fashion. With sweet lyrics placed over biting beats, Find Vienna’s latest extended play, “In Your Favorite Colors,” pitches eight tracks that dominate the listener’s ear.

The band’s front man Pat Mencel bears sweetly sharp vocals that mesh with soulful bass, a climbing of electric guitar, potent percussion and even a cadence of hand-clapping.

“We really pride ourselves on creating something new and fresh every single time we sit down with a new tune,” drummer Mark McGuire said. “This band has such a wide variety of influences, yet it still agrees upon the general direction of the band. Every member of this band wants to top his last performance with something better, something more original. That is what ultimately sets this band apart from others.”

Each of the members’ individual talents give the band backbone. Find Vienna has earned awards such as Best EP, Best Lead Singer, Best Drummer and Best Band from local radio station 93.7 WSTW. Yet, looking passed what’s on paper, it seems the guys are most inspired and find motivation amongst themselves.

“Pat is a phenomenal writer, and he continues to blow me away with his talent and continued improvement,” McGuire said. “Ian is also very talented, and he and pat have just begun to collaborate. I’m very much looking forward to the product that results from those two.”

Throughout the past four and a half years, Find Vienna has been experimenting with their skills. “We have grown tremendously,” McGuire said. “We started out as a bunch of kids lost in the music world. There were no mentors to show us the way. Everything we did was by trial-and-error. We learned firsthand what to do and what not to do, [and] it made us all grow up and be accountable for our actions – if we messed up, we paid for it, literally.”

Although the band has had some huge obstacles to barrel through, the members never seem breathless. Find Vienna’s live performance holds an on-stage vigor that draws a crowd in thirsting for more. While touring with East to West, Find Vienna has lured in countless fans and has shared the stage with bigwigs, like the Script, Neon Trees and Mae.

Nonetheless, it was only time until the guys heard their songs played during juicy scenes of MTV’s hit show “The Real World.” While Find Vienna has made such strides, the band will continue to climb.

“There is no sense of complacency, no signs of content,” McGuire said. “This band wants to steadily improve beyond what is imagined to be possible.”

Overall, Find Vienna’s innovative spunk is one that keeps the band moving forward and its music moving fans.

“People say they want something badly, but there is a difference between wanting something, and actually going after it and getting your hands dirty,” McGuire said. “This band isn’t afraid to get its hands dirty. In fact, it’s what this band lives for.”

Maria Santilli can be reached at maria.santilli@temple.edu.