This Tuesday, Ashland hip hop group TLA is performing in a special Mardi Gras musical event at Diversions in the Stevenson Union. The show, which begins at 9 p.m., will open with One Movement, another local hip hop group, and last well into the night, celebrating the Mardi Gras holiday.
TLA emcee Tyler Soward, a 2008 sociology graduate of SOU, is hoping for a good turnout to the show, which is being put on by KSOC radio.
“It’s going to be pretty much like Mardi Gras, except 100 times better,” said Soward. “When I spit raps, it’s like a choir of angels, it’s like warm butterscotch washing all over you.”
Though TLA has rotated group members a good deal, guitar player Sean McDermott, an SOU music business major, thinks the current lineup is a solid one.
“We’re finally settling on the actual group of people that are going to be in this band,” said McDermott.
The current lineup includes bassist Aaron Haun, 21, SOU English major, who will be playing his first official show with TLA.
“I’m excited,” said Haun.
All of the group members say they enjoy playing live, because they are able to expose their sound and abilities, as a hip group with a full band at every show.
“Normally when we see or play with other hip hop groups, they set up laptops, where we have the full experience,” said drummer Danny Quilici, 21, an SOU video production major.
“Hopefully TLA gets other hip hop groups interested in the live band experience,” said keyboard player Jotham Porzio, 21, also a video production major.
“I take it really seriously,” said Porzio. “Every time I hit the right key, it’s like dipping an Oreo in milk.”
“And he always hits the right key,” said Soward. Adding, “And as for me, I like playing live because I like people to dance around and act silly. It’s like I’m making love to their eardrums.”
The band doesn’t necessarily see Diversions as the best place for their music, and wishes there wasn’t such a strict no-drinking policy.
“I heard the SU used to have a bar in it, and pitchers were 50 cents,” said Quilici. “As long as they’re renovating Elmo’s they might as well put in a bar, build it out of ski racks for all I care.”
“Diversions doesn’t usually bring in the amount of people I want to play for,” said Porzio, “but it’s still a show.”
TLA has played with opening band One Movement several times before, and enjoys sharing a stage with the group.
“When I came here they were my favorite band in Ashland,” said Porzio. “I’m really honored to be sharing a stage with them.”
“We hope to one day converge with them and have a love child,” said McDermott. “We’ll call it One TLA.”
The band is encouraging everyone who can to attend the show, and support the local music scene.
“People need to support all the music that comes to Ashland,” said McDermott. “This town needs that support, so that other bands can spread out of Ashland and strengthen our music community as a whole.”
TLA may be serious about their music, but their sense of humor as a group is clear as well.
“It’s a man jam rap band,” said Quilici.
“Yeah, we should hand out toast at the door,” said Porzio, “because we got the jam.”
