On September 3rd, Eastside alum and former Editor in Chief of the Monthly Ram Adriel Bolocon and his band of past and present Eastside students made their mark at the How Bazar market and event space. The band consists of bassist, Jibril Bachu, guitarist, Ahmik Paul, and drummer, Jason Gachette. The eager anticipation of fans across Gainesville was apparent with the myriad of social media posts and the nearly 60 person line trailing outside the How Bazar building on Sunday night. The crowd was massive and supporters were not only limited to Eastside students, but also excited teachers and proud parents. This vast crowd did nothing but provide an abundance of love and support to the band, adding to the lively ambiance.
The show’s opening band, Boat Stuff, is made up of talented young musicians, who were brought together in a band class at P.K. Yonge; the same class that inspired the creation of Breakfast 4 Dinner, the locally beloved all girls alternative-rock band. This past Sunday both groups showcased their major talents and killer performance skills.
Adriel’s performance began with the Steve Lacy hit, Bad Habit. The crowd cheered with excitement and enthusiastically sang along kicking off the show. Following, the band led into Buboy’s original songs; No Idea, Too Late, and his latest release; MOVIE STAR. The closing performance consisted of an incredible and complex rendition of Glue Song, by Beabadoobee including an astonishing guitar solo by Ahmik Paul.
Friends, family, and fans gathered around the performers and shared their appreciation for the band. Some asked for photos and while others bonded with band members over their love for music.
While speaking to the man of the night, we were able to bear witness to the impact of his community’s support. He was overcome with gratitude and described the experience as “surreal and emotional.” After commenting on the success of the show, in relief and joy, Adriel fell to his back and laid on the wooden floor with amazement, processing the moment. His accompanying drummer Jason Gachette also remarked that he felt “incredibly blessed,” and thoroughly enjoyed performing with his talented crew. Finally, Bachu, bassist and editor-in-chief for The Monthly Ram, shared:
“How Bazar has played an instrumental role in igniting a cultural and artistic revolution around Gainesville. Their events are truly impacting the scene here and we’re all so glad to be a part of it.”
When asked about his own work with How Bazar, Bachu responded; “For me, this show was kind of a dual project, as an interning booking manager for How Bazar this is the first event I have organized by myself and as an artist this is my first gig with my band. So when I saw the line forming around the block I was so excited and I already felt accomplished before the show even started. I was so happy to see a whole bunch of younger kids from the Eastside that were so excited to come support us (especially the band kids).”
Finally, while discussing his admiration for his fellow bandmate, Buboy (Bolocon), Bachu thoughtfully shared that; his favorite part about working with Adriel is his energy:
“He [Adriel] is navigating a lot of these things for the first time and he always brings such a big sense of excitement to new endeavors. Also, he just never stops. He’s always creating and always looking for new opportunities.”
Overall, the night was filled with joy and represented a magical celebration of young talent in Gainesville. The community and spirit of kindness and support for our peers that we have fostered here at Eastside, was evident in our cheers, screams, and claps. As a school and a plethora of fans, only great things are expected to come next from Buboy and his bandmates.
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Buboy’s Spotify profile as well as a way to watch the full show is linked below:
