Kids These Days aiming to succeed in music industry

By Sofi Kerpan &
Alison Bellechase

They tweet, text, and wear tight jeans. What’s with Kids These Days? Senior, Lane Beckstrom, Div. ???, can answer that question. As the bassist in local band, Kids These Days, he and his bandmates won the 2009 Congress Theatre “Next Big Thing” Battle of the Bands, and were even given a chance to open for Drake this December. Booking agents for Drake’s show reviewed Kids These Days’s material through myspace and facebook upon suggestion by a mutual contact and booked them the spot.

Unfortunately, the Drake gig,(scheduled for Dec. 26 at the UIC Pavillion), was bought out by another band and has since been cancelled entirely.

The band has a large fan base of CPS students and is often praised for their unconventional, yet collaborative sound.

“[It’s] a really good mixture of jazz and rap,” said Nathan Alvarado, Div. 035.

The up-and-coming ensemble features seven students who met mainly through their enrollment at The Merit School of Music. They formed the band in late 2008, and feature diverse sounds in their music, including the trombone, trumpet, saxophone, bass, guitar, vocals, and rhymes.

“The only way I could think to put it is hip-hop/soul/jazz. I guess if you break it down those are three main elements in our music, “ said Beckstrom.

Lane students seem to enjoy their combination of instruments.

“It’s something new and reminds me of Coltrane mixed with the Roots,” said Sean Pfeiffer, Div.030.

“I think that they have a pretty mature sound,”  said Zeljko Andjelic, Div. 027.

Though originally a drummer, Beckstrom taught himself electric bass at age 12. In addition to formal music education, he has been a member of the Lane Tech Jazz Band and Jazz Combo throughout his high school. He hopes to pursue music beyond high school.

“He could definitely make it [in the music business], and I don’t say that about very many people,” said guitar teacher, Mr. Sweet.

Beckstrom and Kids These Days aim to further the band’s exposure.

“We’ve been practicing, working on new material, working on getting

gigs, and there’s a plan in the works to take the band to Europe this

summer,” said Beckstrom.