New to Gainesville’s music scene is Just Neighbors, a rock band composed of Justice Diamond (guitar/bass), Dan Lohr (guitar), Jarrett Haines (keyboard/guitar/bass) and Reid Casey (drums). While they are new, the band is quickly making an impression on locals and are becoming regulars at clubs and bars around town. I sat down with Diamond to talk music and what’s next.
Kirsten Chuba: How did you guys get started?
Justice Diamond: Dan Lohr and I began playing together a few years back, and we were looking to put something together. We met our old singer and current bass/guitar/keyboard player, Jarrett Haines, through mutual friends and started jamming last summer. Jarrett knew a drummer from his previous band and brought him in. The first few jam sessions clicked and Just Neighbors was born.
KC: How would you define your sound?
JD: Our sound would probably fall under the post-rock/math-rock genre but we draw influences from all over, including jazz and funk.
KC: What has your show schedule been like?
JD: We have played a handful of shows around Gainesville at the High Dive, The Jam (RIP), and we are playing (Friday) at Loosey’s.
KC: Do you have any records or EPs on the way?
JD: Something big is in the works, stay tuned.
KC: You guys are one of the newer and younger bands playing right now. How has that affected you?
JD: As a new band, it can be difficult to figure out the direction to take and what you want to accomplish. After a year, we’ve recorded an LP, headlined shows and watched our sound evolve to what it is now. It’s been a lot of work, but it feels good to look back and see howmuch progress we’ve made. That’s one advantage to being in a new band: allowing your sound to evolve and watching hard work pay off.
KC: What do you think about the Gainesville music scene, especially for local bands?
JD: The Gainesville music scene has been a hub for great music for a long time now. Today, the scene is home to dozens of venues, national music festivals (FEST, Suwannee, etc.), and live music every night. There is a lot of opportunity out there for local bands of any kind of sound. That is what makes the Gainesville scene so unique: the variety of music being made and the outlet to actually play it. If you want to see Just Neighbors in action, they will be playing at Loosey’s on Friday alongside three other local bands. Doors open at 9 p.m. with a $5 cover.
Know of any other local musicians or artists I should check out? Send Kirsten an email at kchuba@alligator.org.
