Ever wanted to go to a house show? Talk to a band after their set even? By now, most Temple
students have heard at least a whisper about an upcoming house show within the DIY scene here.
The house show scene near Temple has been functioning and alive for a long time; my dad even
played shows here back in the 90’s. However, in recent years, Philly’s scene has been blooming
in so many new directions. I had the opportunity to sit down with an incredible band formed here
in Philly known as Prill, to deep dive into the DIY scene from their perspective.
If you’ve been lucky enough to see Prill perform in person, you’d remember their striking stage presence. Partially because they are a six-person band with three guitarists, a cellist, a bassist, and a drummer, but mostly because they have fun performing and you can really feel it. They laugh in between songs, add magical bells to their instruments, and whistle like they’re in an open field calling the cow’s home. They create a beautiful experience, and the whole scene is taking notice.
It seems like forming a band is impossible or far out of reach, but it was natural and fluid for Prill. “The band’s infancy began as a small idea between me and Oli and slowly grew to become what we know now to be Prill,” said Prim, the band’s guitarist and vocalist.
“I don’t really have much experience, like recordings on my own in a big way,” said Oli, the lead vocalist and guitarist who can be credited as the heart of the band. “And I had already known Prim for a while, and they were kind of pushing me to record something. And I was just like, ‘No, I don’t want to,’ and then one day they came over and we recorded three songs.”
This experience led them to perform their first show as a four-piece at Fear and Loathing in late March of last year. Oli and Prim recruited their friends Asa (guitarist) and M.C (cellist) to play with them and the rest fell into place. Hana (bassist) and Danny (drummer) came later after Oli met them at a show.
Danny’s first experience playing with Prill happened minutes before a show. “We had a conference at the juice bar in [Oli’s] house kitchen about it,” he said. “It was 20 minutes. And the drum set was super bad. And I was on a kitchen chair.”
After it was all said and done, that was it: Prill was formed as we know it.
While Prill has been performing at shows for almost a year, the members have been a part of the scene since their arrival in Philly.
“I was anywhere between 14 to 16 years old going to West Philly house venues and discovering the music in the city,” Prim recalled.
Meanwhile, Hanna started going her freshman year and loved the experience of going to the shows and participating in the art-making aspects. The community aspect isn’t ignored by other members of the group.
“I feel like I’m part of something because I’m going to these [shows] and I really know these people now,” Oli said regarding how she felt to be in the DIY community.
It’s easy to understand why the DIY Scene can seem intense or difficult to become a part of and asked the band members what their experience has been like.
“There are groups more accepting than others,” Hana said, understanding the apprehension. “I’m sure it can get cliquey but that happens in any niche.”
However, on the other side of that sense of intimidation are people and places in which they have felt comfortable and accepted.
“I think people end up being really nice,” Danny added. “I feel that there’s like a general understanding of, we’re all exerting all this effort.”
The band members also gave suggestions for venues to go to if someone is interested in going to
shows and wants to find an accepting space, like Silk City and Abyssinia.
“As a collective, we’re a bit newer to the scene, but it’s places like [Silk City and Abyssinia] that have welcomed us into a new community separate from our usual house show circuit,” Prim said.
Clearly, there really is space for everyone to be themselves and be a part of the community. Venues like those create safe spaces to explore what this world has to offer.
Prill’s musical style has been described as “ambient medieval folk,” but Oli had a harder time putting Prill’s style in a box.
“I know that we’re a folk band, at least,” Prim simply said. “Prill is a thing with its own identity.”
This band’s uniqueness is seen through their singles “Calf, Forever” and “Kiss.”
When asked what to expect in upcoming releases M.C hinted to “more weird sounds, more layers, more cello, more warmth, overall, more angelic.”
In a magical world, Danny and Oli agreed recording their album in an open field or a cabin sitting all together in a circle would produce the “Prill Vibe” they are striving to create.
As the DIY scene grows so does the community within it, and Prill is a testament to this. Their story shows that community is life changing, and that the DIY scene can offer amazing opportunities for connection if you are willing to put your art out there.