Bet you don’t know about Kaua‘i’s hard rock scene. Well, it’s time you do, because Purple Van, one of Kaua‘i’s handful of hard rock bands, will leave you energized, cultured and screaming for more. Purple Van’s music is best described
Bet you don’t know about Kaua‘i’s hard rock scene. Well, it’s time you do, because Purple Van, one of Kaua‘i’s handful of hard rock bands, will leave you energized, cultured and screaming for more.
Purple Van’s music is best described as ‘70s hard rock with a metal twist. Band members include electric guitarist and vocalist Rich Gwin, drummer Pete Sedleniek, and bassist Camille Page.
It was an in-your-face, intense, musical odyssey Friday, Feb. 18 at Tomkat’s in Koloa, when Purple Van performed. The band played a collection of original music throughout the show and also featured a UFO cover titled “This Kid’s” as well as a Queen cover, “Sons and Daughters.”
Gwin’s psychedelic solos on his Gibson Flying V, a 1967 re-issue, and powerful vocals led the band to glory as Page remained calm and focused while the fury of the music played on. Sedleniek tested time with lightning fast drumming and, at one point, a panoramic movement back and forth across the drum set with a dramatic throw of hands to finish.
A notch or two deafened as Purple Van played on, the audience was in line with a seemingly unspoken rule of the hard rock experience to happily endure sound to its fullest, loudest, and fastest possibilities.
Sound technician, Omashar, who performs keyboard on the east side, kept the sound balanced and stood by to make adjustments as needed.
Purple Van looks like a tribe of surfers who have found another passion in life through music. After speaking with the band during an interview, I learned that Gwin, Sedleniek and Page met through surfing on the west side.
The band started about four or five years ago with Gwin and Sedleniek jamming together at Sedleniek’s house in Kekaha.
“We just started playing shows about a year ago when Camille joined,” Gwin said.
Gwin, who initiates songwriting for the band, is an ear trained musician, who received only a few formal music lessons as a teenager. “A lot of it had to do with playing with other people who were good, and I latched onto what I learned with them,” he said.
Though Gwin gives credit to Sedleniek and Page for making songwriting a group experience, Sedlniek was quick to point out that it is Gwin who starts the process.
Sedleniek’s interest in playing drums began at age 12 when he started taking lessons. Since then, he’s always had a drum set and has played in garage jam bands. “My first drum teacher was a total jazz guy, a big band guy. I switched in high school to a rock teacher,” Sedleniek said. This was a positive change for Sedleniek, who prefers rock, and could relate to his new teacher.
Page, whose powerful composure while playing bass, added contrast to the dramatic and lively stage presence of Sedleniek and Gwin, took a lot of piano lessons as a kid. Self taught with guitar, Page learned to play bass through Gwin. Page’s quick plucking, tapping and sliding on the bass were executed with skill.
Page, mother of two, and Gwin, a new father, explained how they are able to play in the band while maintaining their young families. Gwin said he juggles it altogether and Page said, “Once you have kids you run such a tight schedule anyways … we get a lot accomplished when we get together.”
You can see Purple Van perform at 9:30 p.m. on March 17, St. Patrick’s Day, at Trees Lounge. If you want to hear more hard rock, listen to DJ G3’s metal show on 98.1 from 6 to 8 p.m. on Sundays.
