Assorted Stone isn’t afraid to rock

Consisting of four music students and four instruments, local band Assorted Stone is damn good considering their four-month, eight-gig existence. The band’s founder, Ben Krogen, a junior from Boston, says that his inspiration for starting a pure rock band came from reading Aerosmith’s “Walk This Way.” From there, it took six months and auditions to compile the bands current guys: Andrew as lead singer, Neil on drums, Evan on guitar and Ben on base. The boys vibe off each other and any onlooker can tell that they love it.

Named from a conversation about Disney Movies, Ben’s lack of ability to correctly pronounce Sword in the Stone resulted in their moniker. Despite the inspiration from a childhood classic, Ben and the guys promise that they have a hard-edged sound in comparison to other local bands.

“We have appeal because we are the only real rock band,” says Ben. As the vocalist, Andrew says, “We aren’t afraid to rock.” Although the boys do other freelance gigs, the band gives them an opportunity to play their type of music, something that they appreciate after long hours of practice and juries in their rigorous music program.

As for the future, they will break for the summer and convene in August, on a regular student schedule. Determined to shake up the local Miami music scene, Ben says they’d like to just get their name out there: “We’d like to just get people accustomed to our sound, our name.”

With a line-up, a name and some practice the guys have been playing shows all over the Miami area from Sandbar in North Miami to hard-rock venue Churchill’s. On Saturday the band takes the stage at the best rock bar in town, Churchill’s Pub. The guys will play for a few hours, showcasing their talents while performing a mix of covers and original stuff. Grab a drink and listen to some good music before exams and finals officially start.

Joanna Davila can be contacted at j.davila1@umiami.edu.