Calpurnia, NYC

By Christina Morgan

If you’ve ever wondered what a sci-fi television show, Vancouver, and a band of teens have in common, it’s Calpurnia. Fronted by Finn Wolfhard (15), the group has curated quite the indie-rock sound. Along with drummer/guitarist Ayla Tesler-Mabe (17), drummer Malcolm Craig (15), and bassist Jack Anderson (17), the quartet is clearly one of the youngest groups to perform at NYC’s Irving Plaza. With heavy influences from bands like Pup, Nirvana, and The Beatles, Calpurnia is inspired by old souls when it comes to music taste, as well as their own original material. With songs like “Wasting Time,” “City Boy,” and “Greyhound,” the group channels a strong Twin Peaks vibe, especially since they had Cadien Lake James (guitar and vocalist for Twin Peaks) help produce their first EP.

It’s always an amazing thing to see such a passionate group onstage, and to be a part of that energy. One aspect of the show that really surprised me was the sheer amount of people who had come out to see and support the band. Every time their photo popped up on the ‘upcoming shows’ screen, without failure, an eruption of screams could be heard from the crowd, a constant ringing in my ears. 

But if there’s one thing that this band gets right, it’s their energetic and memorable stage presence. Not a single member abstained from jumping around and enjoying themselves while jamming through their set, taking full advantage of the time they had and the waves of grinning faces in the crowd. You could tell from the moment the first vocals echoed through the venue that this was just a group of best friends following their passion with an unwavering drive. By the end of the night, fans were spilling out into the streets, dizzy from the feeling you can only get from good live music. Calpurnia put on a performance that was nothing short of infectious.