OAKHURST – It was a good afternoon at Yosemite High School, when award-winning Pop/Rock band Goodnight Argent performed a solid set in the gym.
YHS was just one stop of many on the group’s High School Homecoming tour, sponsored by entertainment television channel axs.tv (pronounced “access).Goodnight Argent played in Oakhurst on Tuesday, Jan. 15, fresh from a performance at House of Blues in Hollywood.
The 5-member band out of Washington produces “strong, sterling, guitar-driven pop songs,” according to their press. Judging by the compelling hooks and sing-along choruses echoing through the YHS gym, plus the positive reaction of new-found fans here, the hard-working musicians in Goodnight Argent are headed for great, big things.
Comprised of front man Chase Manhattan, keyboard player Shane Santanna, Jeff Stachofsky on guitar, Evan Taylor on bass and Zac Burrell on drums, the group recently snagged grand prize in the John Lennon International Songwriting Competition (pop) and they’ve picked up awards from both the Billboard and the International Songwriting Competition. Their single, “Battleground,” is a hit, and other songs include “Vagabond” and “Ignorance is Paradise.”
Chase Manhattan explains where his muses land, genre-wise: “I love listening to pop music, but every once in a while I have to go to a deeper record just to feel that connection. What I hope to do is bridge those two worlds.” Students at YHS seem to believe the band has hit the mark.
Goodnight Argent (the name an homage to late hours spent in their Argent Street recording studio) played for over an hour to a packed gym of enthusiastic students. The event was an all-school assembly, organized by the administration after representatives for Goodnight Argent (GNA) contacted the school, according to school activities director and Leadership teacher, Tammy Thacker.
“It’s great to be able to do fun things for the student body,” said Thacker. “Our students are so well-behaved, we like to give them rewards now and then. Goodnight Argent was a fun reward!”
Freshman Clara Briley was one of many girls and boys waiting in line after the show for autographs and stickers promoting the band, and the friendly group took pictures with anyone who asked.
“It was really nice to have such a fun reward because everyone has been working really hard,” said Briley, still flushed from the excitement. “The songs were good and high beat so it was fun to dance to them. A lot of the girls got really into it and were making signs and stuff.”
After wrapping up a great performance, GNA posted on their website, “We had an awesome time at Yosemite High School today. The crowd gave us some amazing energy, and we are crossing our fingers that we can come back sometime soon!”
Hard working musicians playing for hard working students? Thanks, Goodnight Argent! Come on back!
For more information, and free downloads, check out www.axs.tv and www.goodnightargent.com
