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Diversions WEEKEND PICK: So maybe you like men who wear glittery eyeshadow, fishnet shirts and tight leather jeans — don’t judge. If so, check out Blaqk Audio, the electro-heavy side project of AFI’s Davey Havok and Jade Pugent, at the 9:30 Club on Saturday. Tickets are $22, doors open at 7 p.m. and black nail polish is optional. Own it. ARTS MUSIC LIVING MOVIES WEEKEND FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 7, 2007 | THE DIAMONDBACK 7 BY COURTNEY POMEROY Staff writer Mick Coogan, Kevin Bayly, Danny Hoag and Jeff David are just a group of long-time friends from Prince George’s County. They all went to this university and spent time partaking in standard College Park activi- ties: playing flag-football, watching Terps games and, of course, partying. “We grew up party animals,” said Coogan, who graduated in 2000. “We formed a band so we could keep on partying.” Coogan and his friends are so adamant about their fun- friendly lifestyle that they even put “party” in their band name. The four formed The Dance Party three years ago, and now, their “upbeat, catchy and lighthearted” sound, as Coogan puts it, can be found on the band’s first album, Fric- tion! Friction! Friction!. To promote the album, which will be available online for wide release next week, The Dance Party will perform at the 9:30 Club in Washington tomorrow. Although the band members appreciate their growing pop- ularity, they don’t lead the lives of typical rock stars. Lead singer Coogan teaches English at Northwestern High School in Hyattsville, while guitarist Bayly, who graduated in 2004 with a history degree, is a graduate student at Catholic University. The Dance Party got their start a few years ago while some of the band’s members were still enrolled at the univer- sity. Often, the band performed at local venues — both to pro- mote their music and their own social lives. “We even played frat parties and stuff,” Coogan said. “This one that we played, I’m pretty sure no one knew who we were or cared why we were there, but we were set up by the line for the ladies room, so it was all good.” “We were checking out the ladies all night,” he added with a laugh. Since then, The Dance Party has seen success as a local band — the band has toured Washing- ton and other cities and was also chosen as one of XM Radio’s Radar Report bands of the week this past summer. But for Bayly and Coogan, the highlight of the band’s career to date was this summer when they were invited to be a part of the DC Voting Rights Tour. The tour, a collection of local indie rock bands traveling across the coun- try to raise awareness of Wash- ington’s lack of voting rights, was a great opportunity for the band, they said. “It’s great when all you have to worry about is waking up and playing for 40 minutes of the day,” Coogan said. Although the tour was a suc- cess, neither Coogan nor Bayly have any plans to make The Dance Party a full-time life choice, they said. But playing in the Washington area is always up in the air, both Dance Party members said. “[Washington] is a real mel- low, indie scene,” Coogan said. “And we are indie in a lot of ways, but when it comes to shows, we’re as over the top as possible. And some bands in D.C. just look at us like, ‘What are you doing?’” But according to Bayly, Dance Party fans really “get into the show” — and for good reason, Coogan said. “We spend practices before the show getting the songs down so they’re second nature and putting together a really good set so we can just tear it up,” he said. At the end of the day — as far as The Dance Party is concerned — Coogan and Bayly are content just to have music as a part of their lives. “We just love to play,” the two said in unison. “Well, we would also like someone to pay for a record be- cause it’s a very expensive process,” Bayly said. “But most- ly, we just want to wake up every day and play music.” But where is the College Park- based band going from here? “Well, I plan on riding this rock-and-roll train as far as it goes,” Bayly said. And now that the band has graduated from its college days, The Dance Party’s members have some advice for other as- piring bands or musicians still on the campus. “There are places to play like all over the city, and they want bands,” Bayly said. “Go to local shows and meet people, or just go to WMUC and meet people.” [email protected] INTERVIEW | THE DANCE PARTY Party like an alumnus Former university students gain popularity in indie-pop, up-and-coming local band ADAM FRIED–THE DIAMONDBACK The four members of The Dance Party — drummer Jeff David, guitarist Kevin Bayly, bassist Danny Hoag and lead singer Mick Coogan — all attended the university. Friend Taylor Thompson, on keyboards, will play with the band this weekend. PHOTOS BY ADAM FRIED–THE DIAMONDBACK Above, lead singer Mick Coogan of The Dance Party. Coogan teaches English at Northwestern High School. Below, guitarist Kevin Bayly, who is a graduate student at the Catholic University of America. WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT THE DANCE PARTY: WEBSITE: - www.thedanceparty.net ALBUM - Friction! Friction! Friction! available on www.cdbaby.com SONGS TO DOWNLOAD: - “Ultra Radical” - “Lipstick” SHOW: - 9:30 Club, Saturday, Sept. 8 - Tickets cost $10 - Doors open at 11 p.m.
