A unique blend of drums, keys, guitar, trumpet, bass and cello echoed throughout the hallways of T.F. Green Hall Friday night. Within one of the hall’s practice rooms, energy soared high as The Sundials rehearsed their set — they practiced certain verses over and over again, making sure to hit every beat just right while taking the time to laugh with one another. After all, The Sundials had a big performance coming up — headlining A Night on College Hill.
The Sundials, now recognized as the band that kept attendees on their feet and dancing during ANOCH, are one of the more recent additions to the University’s music scene. ANOCH was the student band’s second performance on campus following its debut at Gigs on the Green in the spring, according to founding member Kieran Pandey ’24.
The Sundials first came together last semester when Pandey and Lucas Washburn ’24 decided they wanted to put together a performance for Gigs on the Green. At the time, Pandey, Washburn and their former band Falling Walrus had signed a contract with Small Victories Entertainment that prevented them from performing anywhere else in Providence in April, including at Gigs on the Green.
“So we thought, let’s just start another band,” said Pandey, The Sundials’ current drummer. Washburn — who is now taking a hiatus from The Sundials — then rounded up the band's additional members, and a new band was born.
Ava Schully ’23, the band’s cellist, remembers a two hour brainstorming session among its initial members that led to the band’s name. “Kieran came up with ‘The Dials’ based on crocodiles,” Schully said. “We didn’t think people would get (that), and we wanted something a little more fun too.”
Though the band tries to maintain that easygoing dynamic, Schully said that things are also getting serious for The Sundials. Headlining ANOCH was a huge step up from performing at Gigs on the Green, as the band went from “having four songs prepared to learning an hour-long set,” she added.
During their show Saturday night, the band performed covers of a number of hit songs, including “Empire State of Mind” by Alicia Keys and “Feeling Good” by Michael Bublé. With ANOCH’s crowd being the band’s largest audience to date, members of The Sundials had been focusing a majority of their efforts on making sure that performance went well, Pandey said.
“After this, we’ll take a deep breath, have a conversation … and figure out some fun stuff to do next,” Schully said, referencing the potential for the band to pursue original music in the future.
“We’re really early in our career as a band, so we’ve been building chemistry and our ability to learn songs so far,” Pandey said. “Writing songs could be the next step.”
For members of the band wanting to pursue a career in music, being “able to play with others, pick up songs quickly and understand group dynamics and maintain camaraderie … can (also) be valuable skills to have,” he added.
Pandey also explained that The Sundials’ future performances will include songs that are hopefully more similar to the band’s true style. “This was a dance gig, so we really had to cater to our audience,” he said. “In the future, we’d like to incorporate some of the songs we (played at ANOCH) … with others that are more relaxed.”
For now, the band is focusing on enjoying themselves while playing music and creating a strong bond.
Connor Purcell ’24, who plays the guitar for The Sundials, said the band offers him “a couple of hours of (the) week to forget about everything else, … hang out with cool people and play music.”
“I’m definitely really comfortable with these guys,” said vocalist Teniayo-Ola Macaulay ’25. “It’s just a safe space now.”
