It’s the night of the talent show, The Bags are practicing their playing in lead guitarist Will Albers’ cramped room in the basement. Workout equipment is pushed to the side, the members are sprawled out, wires running across the floor. Smiles light up all the teens’ faces as they bob their heads to the music. Seemingly unphased by their upcoming performance, they jump and dance throughout their playing.

Everyone in the room can feel the power of the bass, as it seems to vibrate your entire body. Even though the talent show is later that evening, the high schoolers work out the song they’re going to play, “Master of Puppets” by Metallica, and bounce ideas off one another. “It’s all gonna be done with experimentation, honestly,” Albers tells his bandmates.

The members Connor Higlen, Jack Galloway, Sophie Stafford, and Will Albers came together through a shared love of rock. “Playing music with other people just forms such a strong connection…” Galloway said when asked what had made him want to join a band. “I was looking for a band, so I reached out,” Higlen said, simply.

Meeting together to play is not always an easy feat, however. For high school students, the ever-looming pressure of academics is still present in their lives. “For me, I’ve completely disregarded school in the past to practice,” Albers said, highlighting the importance of music in his life. When it comes to these musicians, their goals and aspirations typically surround their hobby, and take precedence over their school life. “I find myself more connected to music,” Stafford said. She explained that she is able to feel excitement and determination through the hardships of playing the bass “it is easier to have a personal experience with it.”

While it can be hard to balance, being in a group that are all in the same situation is beneficial. “My bandmates are in school too, so they’re flexible,” Galloway said. Knowing that their fellow members are also making this difficult choice makes it less of a hardship.

Playing music together also benefits the members in many ways. Higlen stated that “it’s incredible to see the growth, especially after weeks of practice.” The four all agree that finally hearing the band play together cohesively is an amazing moment, Albers even describing the experience as bordering on religious. “The most rewarding part of being in a band is the feeling you get after everyone puts their parts together and it ends up sounding amazing” Stafford said. 

After their win at the talent show, the members are optimistic for the future. “Everyone did really well and I didn’t think we could win, but our act was different than any other act in a long time, so I think that’s what made us win,” Galloway said. 

One thing is for sure, these students will not lose their passion for music any time soon. When asked about their goals as a band, each member describes wanting to go on to create original songs. “We don’t turn into a lousy jam group of covers. We make something worth remembering,” Albers said.