40 Below’s chilling musical talent rises

Mason Wylie, Read and Watch Editor
December 1, 2017

Band-5
Photo by: Aubrey Kelley
With talent and practice comes opportunity. The band has been able to perform at many venues, including Ziggy’s restaurant in downtown Stillwater. “The things we get to do are so awesome,” senior Jake Olson adds.

This year, a returning band named 40 Below is planning to participate in this year’s Battle of the Bands later in January. 

The band includes six members: juniors Joseph Weckwerth, Sabrina Ness, Colin Bracewell, Daniel Cove, Jake Olson, Noah Harbinson and Jonathan Kraemer. All of the members have been invested in music for most of their lives.

Some members have been playing an instrument for their whole life. They were friends before the band and they decided that it would be fun to start a band. The members who didn’t play an instrument learned to play as the group went along.

“I am the guitarist, keyboard player, and backup vocalist. Sabrina Ness and Colin Bracewell are lead singers. Daniel Cove plays electric violin. Jake Olson is the other guitarist. Jonathan Kraemer is the bass guitar, and Noah Harbinson is on the drums,” junior Joseph Weckwerth said.

Even though a typical high school band would have all of its members from one school, 40 Below has members from other schools. Daniel Cove and Colin Bracewell are attending St. Croix Prep, while Noah Harbinson is at Mahtomedi.

“It’s hard to get practice times and schedules down with such a big group. Also new song choices due to different interest in genres,” Weckwerth said.

With their group of six, they experience difficulty when trying to meet up and it also is hard since some of the members go to another school. The band tries to get together whenever they can in order to practice and improve their work. Weekends are typically when they practice. Also, they all like different genres and play mostly every genre due to their difference in interest.

“We gig at a lot of different places like Harvest Fest, Rafters, Summer Tuesdays, but we play at Ziggy’s a lot because we have a good relationship with the owner. We like to build a good reputation in the community,”  junior Jonathan Kraemer said.

40 Below has been performing and gigging in local places, such as the Harvest Fest, the Fine Art and Musical Festival and places like Ziggy’s since 2015 when they started up.. In 2016 they had about five performances including the Harvest Fest, Dooks Monster Booyah, Ziggy’s and others.

“They are really awesome. They are a great band, and I like their choice and variety of their music when they perform,” junior Tony O’Keefe said.

O’Keefe has been friends with some of the band members since they started up in their 2015 school year. He also has been watching the band perform since then and has been to many of their performances.

“Some who have seen us play would probably say that we are the best band to ever live,” Weckwerth said.