ACRN.COM

[Photo courtesy of Kelley Lach]
By Kate Tocke, Public Relations Director

Sunday Creek brought their folky flavor to ACRN’s Y’allternative Bash on Saturday, March 23. Sunday Creek are a five piece band located in Athens comprising Abby Golden (vocals), Peter Rhynard (cello), Connor LaCroix (bass), Anna Crabtree (banjo), and Gabe Morgan (vocals and guitar), and they truly gifted us with their magical stage presence. I was lucky enough to sit down with the kind souls before they hit the stage and dove deep into their musical inspirations and what the future has in store.

[This interview has been edited for length and clarity.]

Kate Tocke (KT): How did you all get to know each other and what made you inclined to start a band?

Peter: This is a great story.

Gabe: It’s a long story. Peter and I were roommates.

Abby: Random roommates!

Gabe: We barely played music together. I knew he played cello and I played guitar but we just didn’t do anything about it.

Peter: The extent was us harmonizing to Stevie Wonder songs together. That’s it.

Gabe: One year goes by, and we meet Abby and Anna. Then we go to Nelsonville Music Festival, and then we said ‘wouldn’t it be funny if we started a band?’ and then we did it. At first we were called Quintessential because there were five of us, now there are four. We did a few shows at Donkey and it all took off from there. And Anna learned how to play the banjo for the band. 

KT: Wow.

Abby: And Connor learned how to play bass for the band. 

KT: So where did the name Sunday Creek come from after Quintessential?

Abby: Sunday Creek is a local creek that is nearby. 

Peter: You got Sunday Creek, you got Monday Creek. It’s part of the extended creek family. Sunday Creek was suggested by Gabe because it’s just a local thing. But it’s something that Rural Action has a lot of hand in because it’s been subject to a lot of acid mine drainage. What pulled me over onto the name, was that people were going to look up Sunday Creek and we are never going to blow up, until we do, then people will see the Rural Action stuff and get on board with that. 

Abby: Local name, local gain!

KT: I love it! You guys very much fit the Y’allternative vibe – where do you gain inspiration in expressing your folk music style?

Abby: All over the place.

Peter: Andrew Bird.

Abby: Big Thief.

Peter: Our souls. Our artistic wonderful hearts.

Abby: We all just lean towards lots of folk music. 

Connor: A lot of bluegrass background stuff. I really like Pinegrove. 

Peter: The moon.

KT: Those are great answers, what is your favorite thing about the Athens music scene? 

Connor: I like that the Athens music scene supports the Athens music scene. 

KT: So well said!

Connor: It’s a very grass root, very communal. It’s a reflection of the town. 

Abby: That’s a great answer! 

KT: Hell yeah. Where do you guys gather your vibes and energy when you are on stage performing? 

Abby: From the audience. There are also so many fun people. It’s interesting and fun to pick out different people and play with them. As well as everyone on stage having a blast – it’s hard to not have a blast when Peter is like a mad scientist rocking on the cello.

Peter: I have my pre-show bagel. 

[Pulls a bagel out of his pocket]

KT: What is your favorite song to play live? 

Abby: The new one we are releasing tonight! There is no title at the moment.

Peter: And we are debuting it tonight. Not going to lie to you, it’s kind of fire. 

Connor: Yeah, it’s pretty good. 

Gabe: But a song that is already out, got to be “Montreal.” 

KT: My last question for you guys, what does the future have in store for Sunday Creek? 

Abby: Well if people don’t know, we live in a huge Victorian house and so we are hoping to have a couple house shows before the end of the semester. Either in our basement or huge backyard. And possibly a Union show if they pick us up. 

Gabe: The future though after this year is disillusion because Connor is leaving and Abby is leaving, so we are making something new next year.

Peter: Monday Creek.