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John takes in a magical show on a chilly night, catching up with Vel Indica afterwards. Photos by Jana Tasich.
Winston-Salem - The air was chilly as roving packs of collegians and music fans braved the cold to hear the double threat of Vel Indica and Janus 4-14 perform at Elliot's Revue. Knees shivered and teeth chattered as patrons and musicians alike clambered inside the tiny bar on north Trade Street. They came in search of beer and warmth, but what they found was rock magic.
It was slow going at first as the bands started to warm up. A die-hard crowd of supporters and fans settled in as cigarette smoke wafted through the cramped space. Drinks were consumed, hookups were made, but as night progressed something truly magical happened - the crowd of dozens became a packed house.
The first to weave their magic was Vel Indica. As the trio of Patrick Ferguson, Kerrie Sheehan on drums and Ken Simonds on bass rolled through a quick set of songs including "While the Wolves Were Feeding", "All the Places" and "The Murdering of Sharon Crowe" a hypnotic gaze overtook the crowd as the band's moody sound infected the audience. As the Pink Floyd-influenced "sonic-folk" band continued to play through an hour-long set, few could imagine the already packed house would grow...and grow...and grow.
Walk-ins came in from the cold as Winston-Salem residents struggled to get away from it. In a space of a few minutes a crowd of 20 to 30 people ballooned upward. But the real magic came much later.
The air crackled with electricity as Janus 4-14 took the stage. Far from being rock wizards, the foursome of Chris Bernard on vocals, bassist Brad Nichols, Shane Mauck and Chris Charter seemed like unlikely candidates for diviners. Yet despite the Mt. Airy residents decidedly mortal frames, the band charmed the audience with a diverse set of pop-punk songs including "Veruca Salt The Band", "It's Too Late", "Unsure Hands”, and "Said It Now".
Rumored to be in attendance was one Mitch Easter. The legendary producer of R.EM. and Suzanne Vega was said to be producing Janus 4-14's debut record, but there was little sign of him as midnight drew near.
As the concert drew to a close patrons filed out and the chilly night reclaimed them. But one thing would be forever certain - they would never be the same.
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Interview with Vel Indica
As local bands go, Vel Indica is perhaps the most eccentric. Not just because of the name, but also its plethora of musical styles. From rock to experimental, noise to folk, the trio of Patrick Ferguson on vocals, Karrie Sheehan on drums and Ken Simonds on bass make sure the music is anything but stale. The result is an eclectic sound that recalls the best of Pink Floyd, R.E.M., and Bob Dylan. It helps that the band has a good chemistry too, but as we found out in a brief interview with the lead singer, serendipity has a much to do with good music as drum and guitar solos.
Magazine33 caught up with Ferguson outside Elliot's Revue in Winston-Salem, and discussed the band's origins, method for writing songs - and future projects.
33: When did the band meet?
PF: 2008. A lot of us played in other bands prior to meeting. We met Karrie [the drummer] during an open mike performance at The Garage. Things led from there, and the band gelled in earnest two months later.
33: What's your method for writing songs? Do you have a set concept or idea or just do it on the fly?
PF: We improvise a lot of our sets. Most of us have a good read on each other, so we play each other off really well and work on our chemistry. Our sound has grown tremendously in the past two years as people come and go and more instruments are produced. It's almost like an orchestra now. Our sound varies from rock to experimental noise--it really depends on our mood at the time.
33: Would you describe yourself as a band or an orchestra?
PF: Definitely a band.
33: Do you use equipment such as MusicMaker to record music?
PF: When we record music at all, we use a hand-held recorder to get it down and mostly so we would remember what it sounds like. Doug Davis [The Plaids] occasionally produces for us also, so we get some help from as well.
33: What are your musical influences?
PF: Dylan, R.E.M., Pink Floyd. As for local artists, I'd say Janus 4-14, The Plaids, groups like that. I 
mostly consider what we do to be ‘sonic folk’, so the folk-rock blend really work for us.
33: Final Question: Are there any side projects you're working on in addition to Vel Indica? Learning new instruments?
PF: I perform a lot of solo work on the side under my name. I don't know about instruments. I am not a drummer by any means and I wouldn't know how to play anything other than guitar. I'd love to pursue an acoustic project, though.
Born in an age of legwarmers, boomboxes, and MTV, John Winn still remembers a time when mixtapes were cool. The product of a musical family, from an early age he showed a precocious interest in rock 'n' roll. Finding the world of an ink-stained wretch much cooler, John traded his Fender guitar for a Bic pen, traveling the world interviewing musicians and non-musicians alike. His work has been featured in Racket magazine, Times Square.com, and Buzzy Multimedia, among others.
