Meet the band of four Earthlings taking on San Luis Obispo’s indie music scene: Earthship. Biology senior and lead singer Caitlyn Shank, microbiology senior and guitarist Spencer Grant, graphic communication senior and drummer Lauren Gibson and interdisciplinary studies senior and bassist Will Murphy have acquired adoring local fans through their “diet punk with a splash of indie” tunes.
Earthship first began jamming together back in March of this year. In collaboration with Art & Soul — a monthly craft fair dedicated to gathering local artists and connecting the LGBTQ+ community — they were able to perform their first show at Queer Prom on May 20. The event was filled with drag performances, local vendors and other musical groups.
As the new school year kicked off and students flocked back to San Luis Obispo, so did their show list. Within the first week of the academic year, the band played in downtown San Luis Obispo with Maya Allaire at Milk Room.
Earthship’s music does not follow a “strict genre” and is often inspired by nature, according to Gibson.
“We are all really drawn to nature and it just comes out even if we don’t want it to,” Shank said.
One particular creature that has caught the attention of all band members is Shank’s light brown, small mutt, Sofia. She serves as the inspiration behind their song “Doggus Boggus” and is a permanent feature of band practice.
“If I’m playing, sometimes I’ll go up to her and she just stares at me, unblinking,” Grant said.
The band explained their emphasis on collaboration with songwriting and performances.
“We all seem to usually be on the same page in general, it’s just the perfect amount of pressure,” Shank said. “We all want to dedicate our time and want to present something good, but at the same time, there isn’t pressure on each other.”
On occasion, band members will even swap their instruments during a performance, allowing the song to produce a different sound; “We have all talked about going in a circle and switching instruments,” Gibson said.
As for now, the band has been working its way into the indie music scene through their monthly performances centered around “fun for the audience.”
The band has performed alongside other, older local bands around San Luis Obispo, such as Kiwi Kannibal and Couch Dog.
Lily Tenner | KCPR
“Doggus Boggus” is not their only original piece. During recent performances, they have played “The long and winding roadhead,” which Shank said is one of their best songs. They have written a few other songs, “Phish’n Trip” and “Wonderland,” which are in the process of recording and producing.
Earthship is dedicated to creating “music for the people,” while honing in on unique lyrics and upbeat performances — giving the people of SLO something new to dance to.
The band has yet to record and produce music on listening platforms, however those interested can keep up-to-date on shows at their Instagram, @earthship.slo, website and SoundCloud, the next one being Oct. 7 at Bang the Drum.
