DHS senior project creates ‘Best Unsigned Band in New Orleans’
On stage in front of hundreds of his fellow classmates, former Destrehan High School student Sami Khan performed his original power ballad, “100 Years,” for all of his graduating class to hear.
That was two years ago in May 2007 – the same year that Sami’s band, Keeping Crescent, was born.
“I needed a band to perform my song live before my senior class,” Sami said. “So the search began.”
When he asked family and friends to rehearse and ultimately perform with him, little did any of them know that the performance would give birth to one of the most exciting, original new rock acts in the New Orleans area.
“After the performance, we united into adding more songs into our catalogue,” Sami said. “And after years of hard work and a few member changes, Keeping Crescent is now well on its way to being the next big, regional pop band from the Crescent City.”
Within the span of a year and a half, the band has already played a plethora of shows around Louisiana – including gigs at the legendary Tipitina’s and the Howlin’ Wolf, and recorded at Balance Studios, owned by world-famous producer Dave Fortman. Fortman is best known for his work with mainstream chart toppers like Evanescence and 12 Stones.
The band was also named the “Best Unsigned Band in New Orleans” after Guerrilla Productions’ “Battle of the Bands.”
“Rather than follow any trend or conform to a pre-existing scene, our band allows the varying influences of each of its members to compliment, rather than clash with, each other,” added Sami.
When the band goes to work, Shafin Khan’s melodic guitar leads rip atop Jeremy Deibel’s classic-rock influenced riffs, while David Donnes’ hard-hitting drums push forward Sean Thibodeaux’s pulsing bass lines and intricate keyboard parts.
“And when these elements blend with my vocals and lyrics, it creates a unique sound,” Sami said.
Keeping Crescent classifies their sound as classic ‘90s rock combined with modern pop melodies and all members agree that playing live is one of the best band experiences.
“Performing in front of an audience is like flying,” said Shafin, who along with Deibel also hails from St. Charles Parish. “Especially when it’s a good show and the crowd’s really into it. There is nothing like that feeling of creating a unique soundscape and watching it connect with 500 plus people.”
As a unified whole, the band says that their ultimate goal in the music industry is to use music to move people in the right direction.
“Recently, pop culture and music has steered away from focusing on real goals and real agendas, and focusing more as a business and following the tendency of what brings in sales,” Sami said. “We hope to remind the world that music can still be catchy and listenable, while still maintaining wholesome messages within our lyrics.”
In keeping with that wholesome message, Sami will be the keynote speaker for this year’s St. Charles Parish Young Writers Camp.
Drawing on his extensive experience as a singer and songwriter, Sami’s presentation, entitled “Your Escape,” will educate future writers on the transformation of mood and emotion into meaningful song lyrics.
“My hope is that young people in St. Charles Parish and throughout Louisiana will desire to be musicians, poets and writers,” he said. “To express your thoughts on life, love and family through song is one of the greatest experiences a person can have.”
Keeping Crescent’s first record, also titled “Your Escape,” has even taken the band as far as making a live, televised appearance on WWL’s Eyewitness Morning News with Sally Ann Roberts and Eric Pulsen.
“We want our audience to know that music is our way of helping out, since we feel it’s what we can do best,” Sami said. “We want it known to the rest of the country that the Crescent City is simply overflowing with talent, and should be recognized equally with other entertainment capitals across the United States.”
To hear Keeping Crescent, visit www.myspace.com/keepingcrescent or search for the band on Facebook. Keepingcrescent.com will also be launched in August.
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