The cold February wind sweeping across the Protector Brewery parking lot couldn’t dim the spirits of the crowd as they watched the band Hangman, bathed in vibrant blue and red floor lights, rock out on their makeshift stage.
Bassist Johnny Levine (12), lead guitarist Ryan Bond (11), and drummer Jameson Powell-Espiritu (10), led by singer Ellie Walton (11), had been performing classic rock songs mixed with a few of their own originals since 6 p.m. for the brewery’s patrons, Feb. 19.
Despite going to different schools and having only played together for 10 months, their love for music and performing created a strong connection between the four.
After first meeting at the School of Rock, Westview’s Levine, Bond and Walton from Poway, and Powell-Espiritu from Mt. Carmel began to hang out at Bond’s house and play together.
“We all loved music, so we thought, ‘why not give our own band a shot,’” Levine said. “At first we played a gig maybe once a month, but it was a start [since] we’re actually playing somewhere. But then, more and more places started calling us and now we’re performing three times a month.”
They couldn’t have gotten to this point without help. Levine said that the members’ families have been extremely supportive of their music and have taken over the role of managers for their kids, handling the more behind-the-scenes tasks like figuring out the logistics of gigs, getting them into studios, and helping with social media.
“Honestly, we would not be where we are without them,” Levine said. “I’m really grateful and really happy that everybody is supportive and they band together as much as they do.”
After playing their first gig and playing their own music that they wrote, Levine said that it felt surreal to him.
“In School of Rock you perform pretty often, but it’s not in a solid group of people,” he said. “It’s not the same three or four people for every single song you play. And this was pretty much our own stuff and when we first performed, that was us. It gave us this sense of identity.”
The role that music plays in Levine’s life has only grown since he first started playing Guitar Hero as a little kid and became interested in pursuing guitar lessons. Now, as a senior, he’s decided that he wants to stick with bass and make music his career. According to Levine, he’d love to stay with the band and has been considering California colleges along with Berklee College of Music.
“We’ll try [to stay together],” Levine said. “If I get [into SoCal colleges], I might consider staying local, just to continue with the band.”
No matter what, Levine knows that he will continue to improve his music skills and that a part of him will always remain with Hangman.
“I’d love to keep doing other passion projects of my own because personally I’d love to do a lot more heavy metal,” he said. “But, I can’t just ditch them, we’ve done a whole bunch of work together. I’ve done a bunch for them. They’ve done a bunch for me. I can’t just drop off the face of the Earth from them. That’s just wrong.”
Levine has found a home in his band and wants to continue playing with his friends for as long as he can. The dedication that Levine has put into his music over the years has opened many possible doors in his future, whether he chooses to play classical or rock.
“This is something I’m actually proud of,” he said. “And it’s something I want to protect and keep pursuing as far as possible.”