Moshing, head-bumping and crowd-surfing can be found in Gainesville with the band Red Letter Day.
The math-rock band consists of all UF students. Sam Reasor, a 19-year-old computer science major, is the lead guitarist. Eduardo Giralt, a 20-year-old sociology major, is the rhythm guitarist and singer. Caleb Ross, a 20-year-old advertising major is the drummer. Kyle Wampler, a 19-year-old exploratory major, is the bass player and singer.
Red Letter Day formed when the bandmates found themselves bored and wanting to create music when the COVID-19 pandemic first began.
Ross and Reasor met in high school and were in a cover band together. They always had plans to start making music again when they both got to UF. Reasor met Wampler and Giralt at UF and asked them to be in his band.
The distinctive name “Red Letter Day” came to be when the band members all went to a party and were talking about how they were struggling to think of a name for their band. A girl listening in came up with the name “Red Letter Day” and it “just stuck,” Wampler said.
Red Letter Day released their debut single, “Dying to Stay,” on Oct. 5.
The single’s lyrics — “you always know what you hate until it’s gone” — express the feeling of knowing something isn’t right for you, but missing it once you don’t have it anymore.
“That can be anything. Anything that you're used to having with you. And you're used to saying, ‘Oh, this is just bad for me,’” Wampler said.
Ross also said the song can be interpreted as an addiction, whether that’s an addiction to a substance or an addiction to a person.
The band collectively describes their music as “heavy,” and they take inspiration from several other artists, with the majority of artists being other rock bands.
Reasor said the bands he leans into for inspiration when writing Red Letter Day’s songs include post-hardcore bands like Dance Gavin Dance and Issues.
Reasor described the sonic differences the band used in their debut single compared to music he has made before. In “Dying to Stay” there are 13 beats per measure, compared to most songs where there are four beats per measure.
Red Letter Day is hoping to release a full album by the end of next year. Their next live show in Gainesville will be on Nov. 23 at the Fox Lounge.
Contact Alexis at acarson@alligator.org. Follow her on Twitter @Alexis_Carson99
Alexis Carson is a third-year journalism major and staff writer with the Avenue. In her free time, she loves watching horror movies and going to concerts.
