RBC are ready for spotlight

The RBC are ready to rock Long Island. One of the area’s hottest new bands, with roots in the South Shore, the group fuses reggae, dub and punk rock into its mix of music that is grabbing attention on the local music scene. The band is planning for a big summer that will include two major local shows.

The RBC were started by three Hofstra University students in 2005, who were all involved with the university’s radio station WRHU. Two of the members – Andrew Gedacht (vocals/guitar) and John Carey (bass/backup vocals) – are Hewlett High School graduates, who have been friends since childhood. The third original member is drummer Mike Celano, who grew up in Merrick and was introduced to Carey and Gedacht on WRHU after he just departed a heavy metal band. The newest addition to the band is Jimmy McGerald, a Bay Shore native who joined the band last August. McGerald plays the melodica and has brought his passion for jazz music to the group.

“We try and take the elements of all the music that we are inspired by...like early reggae, dub, early studio reggae music, 80s punk rock and we bring it into our own,” said Gedacht, who graduated from Hewlett High School in 2002 and Hofstra University in 2006.

The band will be playing several local shows in the coming months, highlighted by the Huntington Music Festival on May 29, the Great South Bay Music Festival at Shorefront Park in Patchogue on July 10 and East End GreenFest in Mattituck on July 24. All three festivals will feature multiple bands with different musical styles. It is an atmosphere enjoyed by the South Shore natives.

“I love the festival feel. Because a lot of jam bands play festivals it allows us to improvise a lot,” said Carey. “We can just let lose and really be jammy and the people out at festivals are very appreciative of improvisational music where it is not structured in a way like typical song writing.”