What? On Making Waves in the New Paltz Music Scene

Hot off the heels of their summer tour, New Paltz-based band What? are making themselves known in the Hudson Valley music scene and beyond. Beginning with open mic nights at Snugs, the band’s “Funk Fusion Dance Party” took them further upstate in a series of shows and music festivals.

What? is a six-membered band composed of Ryan Perrone, vocals and instrumentals; Dan Steen, guitar; Jeremiah Mahoney, bass; Alex Endres, drums; Jared Nelson, guitar and keyboard and Owen Moore, saxophone. The band blends funk, ska and rock to create a sound entirely their own—reflected in the ambiguity of their group’s name. Over the summer, the sextet’s tour took them places they’ve never gone before, and to music festivals like the Summer Hoot at the Ashokan Center, Fencepost Fest in Broadalbin and Fledge Fest in Vermont.

But the band started with Perrone and Steen, then in their first year at SUNY New Paltz, decided to get some friends together and play at whatever venue would take them. The town’s vibrant house show scene set them up for notoriety amongst students with a love for local bands.

“Our first start was just us signing up for open mics around town, just as a consistent little group, and we would jam out wherever they let us, and people would like us and validate us. So we wanted to keep doing it, so we kept doing it,” said Perrone.

Since those humble beginnings, the band has kept a loyal following across all of the towns they’ve toured. “Especially locally, we have a decent crowd that comes to a lot of our shows,” said Steen. “I know [people] through us playing our music.”

Even outside of the New Paltz area, word of What? spreads into areas the band never could have expected. “We’ve found our way into little unheard of towns,” said Steen. “Littletown, N.H. is not a place I knew of, but every time we go back we get some of the same people at our shows and they’re always like, ‘I told my friends to come. You guys are the coolest coming in here.’”

Part of What?’s success, outside of their vocals and musical ability, is their pure likability as a group. Their passion for music shines through in each of their performances, and the genuine friendship they have between each other is clear.

“We all live together. A big part of it for me is, I love these guys. I feel like that’s the biggest aspect of it,” said Steen. “I don’t want to go on the road and travel with a bunch of people I’m not friends with.”

But still, What? is only beginning. Their goals aren’t lofty — they want to afford a van, they want to be able to quit their day jobs and make music full-time. With an upcoming fall tour, they’re hoping to make these dreams a reality.

“We owe who we are today to the New Paltz music scene, and specifically to all of the places that have allowed us to find who we are musically,” said Steen.

What?’s upcoming tour dates can be found on their Instagram page. They’ll also be hosting their annual Halloween show at Snugs on Oct. 31.

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