Good music, good vibes and a captivated crowd — that was the theme of The Arcadian Wild’s show Saturday night at Two Old Hippies.
This indie-folk group was formed in October 2013 when three Lipscomb students came together. Sophomore music major Sarah Wood from Pueblo, Colorado, junior music major Everett Davis from Avon, Connecticut and Lipscomb graduate Lincoln Mick from Jacksonville, Florida, make up the group’s original members. In the fall of 2014, the group welcomed a new member, freshman music composition major Isaac Horn from Jonesboro, Arkansas.
Several Lipscomb students came to the show, which featured a mix of new songs and some from the group’s first EP.
“My favorite part was watching them express their artistry through their music,” sophomore Kelly Morrell said. “You can tell they put a lot of work into not just the lyrics, but the instrumentation – you can tell they are very passionate.”
Although the group classifies itself as indie-folk, each member brings a distinctive style to the mix.
“I think we’ve all been really influenced by a lot of different people, which makes our sound so unique because we all bring completely different writing styles to the table and different styles of playing,” Wood said.
The group’s influences range from artists like The Avett Brothers, Regina Spektor, The Lumineers and The Tallest Man on Earth.
Audience members agreed that the group’s sound and songwriting is unique.
“I really enjoy that they write all of their own music,” freshman Zoey Dodge said. “It’s all really original and inventive.”
Two Old Hippies is just one of the many venues they have played in Nashville.
Last summer The Arcadian Wild played a tour, traveling to Arizona, Colorado, Wyoming and California. The group has also played at several restaurants, homeless shelters, schools and Christian youth rallies.
Davis said the biggest venue they played at was Mercy Lounge in Nashville – an especially exciting moment for Horn.
“My first show ever was the biggest show they’ve [The Arcadian Wild] ever played in,” Horn said. “I had never played a show in front of people other than a talent show and my very first time was at Mercy Lounge.”
The group is planning another tour for this summer, hitting venues in Washington, D.C., Connecticut, Chicago, New Mexico and more.
“A year ago we had no idea that we were going to be where we are now,” Wood said. “We can’t even imagine where we’re going to be in another year, which is exciting and scary.
“I think it’s so neat how much faith we have in what we’re doing.”
The group is currently working on its first official full-length CD, featuring 12 new songs.
“I think all four of us are very interested in exploring this together and doing something that is meaningful to us, but especially also meaningful to other people,” Mick said. “Music exists for the purpose of connecting people and creating common ground and common experience.”
The group’s newest work, “The Colorado EP,” is now available on iTunes. More about the band can be found on its website.