Beyond the Bros: Into the Basement…
Worcester Academy is home to several impressive student groups. One of which is Worcester’s contemporary band, The Basement Bros, with four members: Andrew Michelson ‘24 (guitarist), Mukund Balaji ‘24 (guitarist and singer), Peyton Darling ‘25 (keyboardist and singer), and Tommy Sun ‘24 (Drummer).
Since their formation in 2021, the Basement Bros have performed at a vast array of events, including assemblies, Pops Concerts, sporting events, and beyond. I know I can vividly recall their performances at both the December 2022 and 2023 Winter Concert Assembly where the band played “Let it Be” as the entire student body waved flashlights in the stands. Those performances were ones to remember and earned the Basement Bros school-wide appreciation. Since the performances, I have also come to find that when someone mentions a band at WA, people’s minds will automatically go to the Basement Bros.
Following the electric 2023 Winter Concert assembly, which is arguably the band’s most successful performance to date, the Vigornia decided to sit down with three of four band members. The members interviewed were Andrew Michelson, Mukund Balaji, and Peyton Darling. All three were amiable and their passion for music was evident throughout the conversation.
We began the interview by discussing the band’s formation. The Basement Bros first met at WA’s contemporary band club. Seeking a musical outlet, Darling and Michelson formed a four-person group alongside drummer Tommy Sun and another former contemporary band member. The group provided a space for these talented musicians to practice and produce music.
After the formation of this new musical group, the Basement Bros needed to find some music to play. Michelson described the initial struggle with the choosing of songs, and they would eventually settle on “Let it Be,” a Beatles classic. Now, the song is probably most associated with the band for Hilltoppers all around school.
Flash forward to the 22-23 school year, the departure of the band’s original fourth member made way for Mukund Balaji, the group’s talented guitarist and singer. Darling states that after Balaji joined, “everything just sort of clicked.” With this, the group was cemented and exists as we all know and love it today.
As a longtime fan of the band, I was particularly curious about how the group settled on their unique name. The answer turned out to be more straightforward than expected; Balaji and Michelson recall the “on-the-spot decision” regarding the group’s name. It was when the band was asked to submit their name to Mr. Breen a week before the 2022 winter concert assembly that they would settle on their now wildly popular name “The Basement Bros.” Another possible name was “The Men of Heydon,” but the group decided “The Basement Bros” was the more better option considering they are four guy friends who practice in a basement.
Another burning question is the group’s status for the 2024-2025 school year, considering three of the four band members are seniors. In a mere four months, Balaji, Michelson, and Sun will be graduating and, unfortunately, leaving WA and the Basement Bros behind. The group stated they had begun preliminary conversations about what the future holds but their primary focus has been on their current endeavors. Michelson added that following the three seniors’ departure from WA it is unlikely they will continue their involvement with the group however that does not necessarily mean the end of the Basement Bros. It is too early to know what exactly will happen to WA’s beloved band however one thing is for certain: the Basement Bros have a lot coming up before graduation.
In collaboration with The Simple Emotions (founded by WA alum Cam Blum), the Basement Bros have just launched their official merchandise. If the awesome design and variety of colors aren’t reason enough to get yourself a Simply Rockin’ hoodie or t-shirt maybe the cause merch will for which they will. The brand, The Simple Emotions, was founded to raise awareness for mental health, and the Basement Bros are committed to this cause; with the selling of their merchandise, they are actively seeking to raise awareness for stage fright. If you want to get your hands on a Simply Rockin’ Basement Bros Hoodie or T-shirt, visit this link: https://www.flowcode.com/page/thosebasementbros.
In other exciting news, the Basement Bros have just launched their official SoundCloud! On the Basement Bros SoundCloud, you can relive and re-listen to all the Basement Bros covers. The SoundCloud can be found using the same link inserted above.