The four members of Cornwall’s Apricity are slowly drifting apart. It’s not because of creative differences, but rather a desire to pursue different career paths.
David Stingle (drums), Gia Flores (guitar), Jade Lee (vocals), and Josh Keller (bass) got together five years ago through a mutual friend. All were seventh graders at Cornwall Middle School at the time.
“Josh and I have been best friends since sixth grade,” Stingle said. “Jade and Gia have known each other since elementary school. I played a lot with Josh and his dad, who’s a teacher at the middle school. It inspired me to start a band.”
Although the four had a desire to create music, transitioning to a cohesive group took some work. They didn’t know what genre(s) the band would play, but a similar taste in music led them to focus on alternative rock.
Coming up with a band name proved to be challenging, but Lee eventually suggested, “Apricity” which means, “the sun’s warmth on a winter’s day.”
“We interpreted that as ‘hope,’” said Stingle.
No band would be complete without a repertoire. In the beginning, the members found it hard to agree on musical selections. But as the they became more comfortable together, they developed a list of 75 to 100 songs they could perform.
Stingle said all members had to agree to a song, but if one person felt strongly about not doing something, it was quickly abandoned.
From there, the band either learned a song as it was originally recorded or they spent weeks making it completely their own. Apricity even released an album, “Harper,” containing five original songs. The album can be found on Spotify, Pandora, and Apple Music.
Balancing school and rehearsal time proved to be difficult. Sometimes the band would go three weeks without practice, but if a show was scheduled within a month, they would get together at least twice a week.
Shows averaged about one every month. Apricity has played at the Cornwall Fall Festival, Montgomery Day, 2 Alices Coffee Lounge, a campground at Bethel Woods, as well as smaller garage shows. Most recently, the band performed at the Cornwall Public Library. The concerts typically drew between 75 and 150 people.
Stingle recalled their first show at Montgomery Day. There was an uncomfortable moment between songs so Keller’s father stepped on stage to tell a joke: “Why is Peter Pan always in flight? Because he never lands.”
“We were awkward 12- and 13-year-olds and we didn’t know how to fill the space,” Stingle said. “Josh’s father came up and told that joke, so we’ve told it at every show since then. I’m sure the crowd is sick of it.”
The members of Apricity graduated from high school this year, and sadly won’t be performing as much as they used to. Scattered and focused on higher education, Stingle anticipates the band will only schedule concerts during vacations. Eventually, however, the band will just drift apart.
“It was always sort of expected,” said Stingle.
In the beginning, the four had a bigger vision for the band, but they quickly realized they would eventually pursue different careers.
Stingle and Flores will continue to perform and record music as a duo as they attend college. Stingle gives drum lessons and is working to build his own recording company. Keller is studying to become a commercial pilot while Lee is focused on dentistry.
“We are coming to a close as a band, but it’s been absolutely the most prominent experience throughout my high school career and probably the same for the other three,” Stingle said. “It’s just been a lot of fun.”
