A mix of city boys from New York City, Nashville, D.C., Boston and Peru met as students at the University of Miami and are currently members of the alternative pop/rock band Like The TV Show.
Dexter Scott is on vocals, Mick Utley performs keyboards and acts as main composer, Will Mills plays guitar, Jonathan Draper is on bass and Jorge Balbi is on drums. These musicians met a year-and-a-half ago through random acquaintances and went on to form the group. Dexter, Mick and Jorge are music business majors. Will is studying music engineering and Jonathan is studying ecology. Despite their eclectic interests, the band members blend well with each other stylistically and creatively.
“I wanted to start a.band, so I waited till I met the right people to make great music. We just started jammin’,” Dexter said.
Like The TV Show has played at a variety of venues, from benefits at the Rathskeller to clubs in the design district such as PS14. Mick said the band has also played at a lot of events on campus like Thirsty Thursdays at the Rathskeller and Patio Jams.
The band played at PS14 in early October and attracted fellow students and other members of the community. Playing a short but sweet set, the band was well-received.
Bringing in their unique styles and musical tastes, the band’s sound is influenced by everything from Debussy to Desmond Child to Miles Davis. “Most of the band does not only listen to rock and pop, [but] we’re open to every style and approach,” Mick said.
The unique part of Like The TV Show is the combination of musical craft with pop music. The band members are UM music students and incorporate what they are learning into their music. The band strays from the norm by highlighting distinct aspects of each instrument. By building a song around a single bass line or accenting melodies on the keyboard, the studied musicianship of each piece becomes evident. “We try turn it into a finished product as organically as possible…to make it both catchy and interesting,” Mick said.
The band hopes to reach a wide range of listeners. “We enjoy making music for as many people as possible,” Dexter said. “I get my inspiration from people, relationships, sitting back and people watching, putting things through my own filter.”
But the band also acknowledges the problems with piracy and the media just “trying to make a buck,” Dexter said. “There has been a turning point where consumers now have more power. It’s benefiting the fans.”
As for the future of Like The TV Show? “There are plenty of opportunities out there, and we’ll take them all. This is where our time and energy is going,” Dexter said.
You can see Like The TV Show at: Happy Hour at the Rathskeller on Nov. 13
Padma Sarvepalli may be contacted at p.sarvepalli@umiami.edu.