Rock Band Shy Shape Hits New Brunswick
By: Kinjal Patel
The New Brunswick music scene has been changed by local indie rock band, Shy Shape, with their unique combination of doo-wop and classic rock.
With their audience capturing tunes- this band electrifies the basement show and bar scene here in the city, drawing both students of Rutgers University and locals to their many performances along the Raritan. The band is expecting to release their EP, “River City,” within the course of the year.
Front man, Michael Dugan, belts out his catchy vocals while Michael “Sully” Sullivan adds a sick rhythm on percussion accompanied by bassist, Andrew Laufer and guitarist, Hank Rosenblum manically shredding along. Taking over the basement show scene with their loud sound and enticing tunes, Shy Shape’s music is what to currently keep an eye out for.
The band members come from North and South Jersey and specialize in a variety of music, however it is in this lively city in which they come together to mix a fusion of rhythm and vocals in order to create a cutting edge sound. Dugan and Sullivan met in Sicklerville, New Jersey where they went to high school together while Rosenblum and Laufer come from Fair Lawn, NJ and also went to high school together.
The band began when Dugan met Rosenblum while he was playing piano in the lounge of his residence hall at Rutgers University. Dugan lives across the hall from roommates and bandmates, Rosenblum and Laufer. Coincidentally, he was in search of both a bassist and guitarist and asked the two of them to try playing some of the band’s existing songs. After the two were in their own respective bands.
Their interesting sound comes a variety of influences. Inspired by artists such as The Strokes, David Bowie and Man Man, the band combines various genres to define their own version of rock. Dugan, like Rosenblum and Laufer, started out in a heavy metal band but Sullivan’s former experience in a jazz band allowed for them to integrate the two sounds into a unique indie rock experience.
Dugan described the New Brunswick music scene; “The scene here is really unique, often times the crowds are mostly young people from the university but occasionally we find the rare gem of an older crowd who come out for something new to listen to!”
Their EP is going to be available soon for listeners to play repeatedly when they cannot get that sick melodious tune out of their head. Fans can follow Shy Shape on Facebook and Twitter and purchase to their show at the Fat Baby lounge in New York City on their website www.shyshape.com.
