Four high school seniors from Aliso Niguel High School made their debut as a garage band at the FTG Warehouse on Feb. 2, drawing a large crowd of fellow students and music lovers.
The band, called “The Grove,” consists of Garrison Grajek (12) on vocals and guitar, Mason Beal (12) on rhythm guitar, Alex McClory (12) on drums and Alex Pizarro (12) on bass. They have been practicing together in Grajek’s garage for the past six months, covering songs from various genres and writing their own original tunes.
“We all share a passion for music and we wanted to express ourselves through our songs,” Grajek said. “We also wanted to have fun and make some noise.”
Grajek has been playing guitar for many years now and feels passionate about his musical endeavors. “The Grove” is just one of his many musical performances. In his junior year, Grajek helped perform with the club “Playing 4 Change.”
The band performed a 45-minute set at the FTG Warehouse, a popular venue for local and emerging artists in Santa Ana. They played a mix of covers and originals, ranging from rock to pop to indie. Some of the songs they performed included “Everlong” by Foo Fighters, “Buddy Holly” by Weezer, “Golden Hour” by JVKE and a few original pieces from the band itself.
The audience, mostly composed of students from Aliso Niguel High School, cheered and sang along with the band, creating a lively and energetic atmosphere. Among the fans was Daniel Nasiby (12), an Aliso Niguel choir student who praised the band’s performance.
“They were amazing. They sounded professional and they had a lot of charisma on stage,” Nasiby said. “They really connected with the crowd and made us feel like we were part of their music.”
The band said they were thrilled with the response they received from their first show and they plan to continue playing and writing music together. They hope to record some of their songs and release them online, as well as perform at more venues and events in the future.
“We are grateful for the opportunity to play at the FTG Warehouse and for the support we got from our friends and fans,” Beal said. “We love what we do and we hope to share our music with more people.”
The Grove is one of the many examples of the talent and creativity that Aliso Niguel High School students have to offer. The school has a strong music program that encourages students to explore and develop their musical skills and interests. The school also hosts various concerts and showcases throughout the year, including orchestra concerts held at the school and concert band.
Grajek is optimistic about future venues opening up for the band as well.
“I feel like this is just the beginning of something really strong for many people. Not just the members of the band, but also other students around the school community. By showing strong examples of student initiative, we can encourage more students to pursue their own interests in unique ways. I feel not enough students step out of their comfort zones and I hope I can encourage them to become more confident and involved.”
