It's About Time: Pocket Watch

Meet Pocket Watch! A groovy group of 8 ladies who throw down some of the most righteous funk beats I have ever heard.  The band consists of:

Haylee Donnelson - Vocals
Jessica Anderson - Drums
Emily Olson - Electric Bass
Emma Pederson - Electric Guitar
Toni Lindgren - Electric Guitar
Lucia Sarmiento Roccatagliata - Tenor Sax
Christine Palmer - Trumpet

I've been hearing a lot about these ladies lately... as this is Christine's latest musical project and we share the same office. The mystery has been building for a few months and finally I had the chance to see them play ~ last night. Pocket Watch filled the corner stage at the upstairs bar of Moto-I in Uptown. They have talent in spades and, well, they have fun! It's contagious. By the end of the night there were people dancing in every space not covered with a couch or a table. Tonight, they'll be playing a bigger venue with full instrumentation. Come dance with these ladies tonight at The Nomad... they'll be on around 10:30. I'll see you there! 


Thursday, September 18th
Pocket Watch @ Nomad World Pub
501 Cedar Ave , Minneapolis
10:30pm 
https://www.facebook.com/events/1506339209610566/




I asked Christine to give me the inside scoop: 

How long have you been playing together? 
Pocket Watch is brand spankin new.  I think Jess started to ferment the idea for the band around May of this year, and began to get a group of women together to raise some roofs in the Twin Cities.  The group was pretty much set by July, we found we had a solid groove, and we hit the ground running.  Many of the band members are current students at McNally Smith College of Music in St. Paul, rounded out by some raw talent from the Twin Cities music scene.

What's the story behind the band name?
Although I wasn't there from the very start, I know a lot of names were thrown around.  Naming a band can be an arduous process, but Pocket Watch just stuck.  It's catchy, endearing, and we do have a great pocket as a band.  :)

You've already been on TV?
Our first gig was a live spot on WCCO (CBS Minnesota)!  We were advertising an outdoor women-in-music festival in St. Louis Park where the band would perform later in the day.  It was a ton of fun and great exposure for us, but morning news means a sound check before most humans should be awake...

What's next?
Tonight we're playing a set at the Nomad World Pub in Minneapolis - 9pm doors, see you there!  We also just recorded our first studio video last week, so be on the lookout for that to be released soon!  This is a great recent funk tune that we modified a bit to make our own.  We're also hard at work on originals and developing our own unique voice as a band.  Lots of fun stuff in store, so stay tuned.  :)

Describe your sound.
Our sound is still in its early stages of development, but inspiration abounds in funk, jazz, and R&B. Groups like Lettuce and Dumpstaphunk are definite influences... hard deep grooves, tight mobile horns, and vocals that shift from sultry and mesmerizing to unbridled powerhouse.  No matter what, you will want to move your feet!

Find out more: 
http://instagram.com/pocketwatchband
https://www.facebook.com/WatchingThePocket

Photo by Daniel Brakke