What does it take?

Godwin contains various student interests, from academics to arts. Recently, a student band named ‘Pocketwatch’ has caught the student body’s attention. The question is: when did it all begin?

The story emerges at a music school in the summer of ‘23 filled with students passionate about making music with others. Godwin juniors Davis Hollister and Ayush Pal formed this group with their bandmates, Nate Niblock, Michael Sweeney, Josh Wiseman, and Brian Blazewick. who all live in different areas of Virginia. 

“We all have ADHD, and somehow, we all chose music to be the thing we obsess over,” said Niblock, the band’s drummer. 

And thanks to their strong bond, the distance doesn’t affect their practice time.

Before setting up a practice time, they set a target to plan what they want to accomplish during their time together. Then, they meet up in person on a long weekend or during a long break from school to write out their music in only a few days, which is incredibly time-restricting for many artists in the industry. 

Nevertheless, their assortment of influences keeps their creative juices continuously flowing. From Stevie Wonder to Coltrane, one thing is definite: they have a distinctive sound.

The truth is that Pocketwatch’s music is continuously changing, especially with its newest member, Josh Wiseman, the band’s new saxophone player. This incorporation broadens their horizons with their newest unreleased single, which is a jazz fusion. The funny thing is this is a complete 180° twist from their original sound as a 70s funk band. 

What’s more, their live audience loves their untraditional music from the top 40 playlists on the radio. Their support shows in crowds, compromising up to 200 viewers. Their latest show drew audience members from Williamsburg, Richmond, Chesterfield, and Fairfax. 

These large crowds get stressful, so to deal with any pre-show nerves, the band avoids playing the day off to relax and conserve energy for an all-out performance at night. “Performing is insanely exhausting, so we try to have fun doing it,” said Pal. 

Their gigs have been outstanding hits, but their music has yet to be available to listen on streaming platforms. Their audience is quickly growing, so who knows what’s next in store for them?