Plymouth-Canton’s lively music scene is a blend of high school garage bands and the 18 and over music scene. Nick Brandon, P-CCS Director of Communications, was once in one of those high school garage bands, always envisioning having a center for his community. Even from a young age, he always wanted a place where non-traditional musicians and less common music styles could exist restriction free, whether those be restrictions placed by the classroom setting or parents.

Located in Downtown Plymouth within the new Plymouth Arts and Recreation Center (PARC), the In The Band Music Appreciation Studio consists of a fully stocked practice room with two complete drum sets, several guitars, keyboards, high-end microphones, amplifiers and a digital mixer sound system. This sound system allows musicians to actually hear the minute details of one another clearly through headphones. The space is decked out with everything a student would need to practice or just jam, and all they have to provide is themselves and their creativity. Run as a nonprofit, In The Band, on top of all these features, is completely free for the community. “The best thing about practicing at In The Band is the gear. None of us have this kind of stuff at home. Any kid who loves music should come here,” said Canton Senior George Rafka.

The studio also features a secondary listening room which is great for acoustic music or writing sessions. Brandon has also included two record players and a growing collection of vinyl records. The listening room is meant to be “a place where songwriters can come and be inspired, and where music lovers can come and listen to music the way it should be listened to… on a vinyl record,” said Brandon.

Last month, over 200 local music lovers gathered at the PARC for the In The Band showcase organized by Brandon, his brainchild, In The Band Music Appreciation Studio and other local artists he works with. Five acts out of the seven featured included P-CEP students; Hilltop Drive, MeAndTheDog, Jr. High Cheer Squad, Cup and Abby Sexton all hail from our halls. The show raised hundreds of dollars in support of In The Band.

The growing community of musicians and supportive creators, like visual artists in this area, has been uplifted by what Brandon has done at the PARC. While Plymouth-Canton Community Schools has an amazing music education program, In The Band provides a space for students to make and play music without restriction, and it offers help if students want it. In the future, In The Band hopes to offer even more mentorship and instruction. However, at In The Band, students will never have their music controlled or their artistic freedom constrained to a genre or style.

In this non-classroom setting, Joe Jankowski, Salem junior, has found it easier for him in a more personal way. “When I found out about it, [it] is what sparked me [to take] my music more seriously,” said Jankowski. “Beforehand, I just played in a rock cover band, but not I’m in a lot of bands of my own, [and] we write our own music.”

P-CEP students can also support In The Band and its student musicians by attending sponsored shows or simply taking genuine interest in their music which available on music streaming platforms like Bandcamp, SoundCloud, and YouTube. Mentorship creates better music, but supporters create better musicians.