The Band Of Your Dreams: Chatting with Brig Aurora
Throughout the summer, rock bands from around the region competed in a “March Madness” style battle of the bands dubbed Summer Band Jam, presented by Gingerfox Productions and The Koh Show. The competition was fierce and energized the local music scene by providing consistent showcases of up and coming musicians at varying local venues. As talented and deserving as every band was, one band reigned supreme. Atl rock band Brig Aurora won over the crowd and judges as they beat out six other rock bands on September 2 at Aetna HH&L Banquet Hall in Newark Delaware. We sat down to chat with the band about who they are and what life after the big lights has been like.
(Photo credit Clayton Williams)
Jameson May- Rhythm guitar/vocals
Ryan Mikles- Keyboard/vocals
Chris Roethel- Lead guitar/vocals
Kody Diduch- Drums
Drew Barrett- Bass
How did the band form? Can you tell us about your origin story?
Brig Aurora formed during the height of COVID in 2020. Contrary to how most bands form by playing live together, we started by recording songs. We had no idea at the time we’d be making music we felt so passionate about and would still be playing three years later. The band initially started when Jameson and Ryan wrote our debut EP Cerebral Pendulum in Ryan’s bedroom. Jameson and Ryan met at Cab Calloway School of the Arts in Wilmington where they became close friends. Ryan then brought along his long time friend from 4th grade Chris Roethel who put the finishing touches on Cerebral Pendulum with his intricate guitar playing and crisp backing vocals. Months later they met Kody Diduch who brought his rhythm prowess to the group and opened up a realm of possibilities not previously possible.
Years later, when preparing for their debut show at the Grape Room in Philadelphia, their final puzzle piece came along; Drew Barrett on the bass. Drew brought stability and strong roots to the group that kept and continues to keep everyone together. Drew’s incredible musicianship and ability to pick up the songs quickly accelerated the trajectory of the band and opened doors that the core of this group could not have opened without him. There is a deep love between all members of the band, and we cherish each moment we get to play together.
‘he turned to Jameson and exclaimed, “This is what they sounded like! The band from my dream! This is Brig Aurora!”
Where did your band name come from?
The name Brig Aurora actually came from a dream. Jameson’s dad is an environmental and constitutional law professor who had studied the 1813 case “Cargo of the Brig Aurora vs. the United States.” Throughout Jameson’s childhood, his dad would always talk about a recurring dream he had of attending a live concert of a band called Brig Aurora. The dream always ended with the crowd cheering their name.
In 2020, when Jameson showed his dad the first demo of “Sinking Through the Sky” from Cerebral Pendulum, he turned to Jameson and exclaimed, “This is what they sounded like! The band from my dream! This is Brig Aurora!” Jameson told the rest of the band this story, and we decided it was the perfect name. We also feel like the name represents our sound, with the word “Brig” highlighting our harder and louder rock passages, while “Aurora” represents our smoother and softer folk sensibilities.
(Photo credit Clayton Williams)
Who are your biggest musical influences as a band?
Something that makes this group so special is the diversity of our musical tastes. When we come together to create, we all come from entirely different musical perspectives and backgrounds, which can pose its challenges but also helps us create an entirely different sound that none of us could fathom on our own. A few of the bands we can all agree on as influences would be Pinegrove, Coldplay, and Pink Floyd.
What was the best part of competing in a battle of the bands?
The best part of competing in a battle of the bands was that it gave us something tangible to work towards and inspired us to create new music with a sense of urgency. In the weeks between the first round and the final round of the show, we all locked in and wrote two new songs that have quickly become some of our favorites. It was also a blessing to be immersed in the Delaware music scene.
As I’m sure everyone is aware, there aren’t a lot of opportunities for musicians in Delaware, so the chance to network and meet many other like minded musicians is something we all are very thankful for. Gingerfox Productions and the Koh Show made a much larger impact on the scene than they may be aware of. One of the negative sides of competing in a battle of the bands is just that; it’s a competition. While we were incredibly happy to be sharing the stage with other great local talent, it was difficult to not compare ourselves to what we were seeing.
“But more than all of that, it’s given us some confidence in what we’re doing, and a reason to keep pushing.”
How has winning helped in your musical career so far?
While it’s difficult to know what the long term effects of this victory will be, it has given us some exposure and something tangible to celebrate. We’ll be featured on Hometown Heroes on 88.1 FM on September 17th, and will be headlining Hot Jam X on September 23rd. Winning the battle of the bands also has gotten us shirts printed by Spaceboy Clothing as well as a music video from Dreamhead TV. But more than all of that, it’s given us some confidence in what we’re doing, and a reason to keep pushing.
What can readers look forward to from Brig Aurora?
In the coming months we'll be sharing new music, releasing merch, and playing more shows. Readers can follow us on Instagram @brig__aurora and visit our website brigaurora.com for all updates.
Listen to Brig Aurora
