Woodgrove Idol introduced many rising singers and bands full of talent, including CRAB-G, a band that made their debut at the event. The new, classy rock band performed “Taking Care of Business,” originally sung by Bachman Turner Overdrive and electrified the stage, rocking out to solid drum beats and a major piano solo. CRAB-G tied with Woodgrove’s other rock band, Blank Slate, for second place. All five band members have musical backgrounds and each of them, a story to tell.
CRAB-G was thought up by senior Grayson Rawlings on the day the forms for Woodgrove Idol were due. Rawlings wanted to bring a band together for his senior year. They as a whole enjoyed the experience and are looking forward to performing again for Woodgrove and at other venues. Even though they are seniors and are graduating in June, they hope to stay together at least for the summer. CRAB-G is made up of Grayson Rawlings singing and on guitar, Rachel Pruzina on electric bass, Cooper Barton on electric guitar, Arthur Arvik on piano, and Brian Austin-Handy on drums. They get their name from…well, the first initial of their names.
Rawlings has played solo guitar and sang for several years, and he has performed for the Open Mic Nights at Woodgrove. His musical enjoyment comes from his father. He likes to completely immerse himself in the music when he is playing or singing. “I would like to stick together and do something over the summer. Arthur and I are hopefully going to continue after graduation as we’re going to the same college,” Rawlings said.
Arvik got into playing piano when he was also a kid, much like the rest of the band. His story might be slightly more unique than the others, as his parents had wanted his younger brother to play the piano. However, Arvik started playing instead and really enjoyed it. “I have been playing on my own with both piano and viola for several years now. It’s such an exciting chance to play with others in a band. Performing with my friends is just really fun,” Arvik said.
Pruzina comes from a musical clan, as her two older brothers play the drums and electric guitar. Not only does she play electric bass, she also has a talent with the upright bass, having played previously in Jazz Band and Chamber Orchestra. “Last year I got into jazz by watching bass videos in class. My biggest music inspiration is Stevie Wonder. It’s been such a blast, and I hope we stay together until college,” Pruzina said.
Cooper Barton’s music career started slightly later than the other members of the band, as he started playing guitar during the pandemic. He was able to collaborate with people online to further his musical skills. He also, similarly to the other band members, plays guitar, piano, ukulele, and bass. “I enjoy playing guitar because there’s a lot more freedom in it than a lot of other hobbies I have,” Barton said.
Austin-Handy started playing drums when he was younger. He joined CRAB-G to do Woodgrove Idol for Rawlings and the band. Austin-Handy was inspired to start learning drums from his music teacher, Ashley. He is planning on staying in the band over the summer, even though they may all be busy before the college season starts.
Because CRAB-G has a collection of instruments that are not limited to classical music (what musicians commonly call sticks and dots). They have a unique way to play together whether they are rehearsing or just playing ideas. One person will play a beat or strum a rhythm, and then others will start to join. Chords, which are a set of notes played together, allow more freedom within the music to have more creativity amongst the band. While the band is keeping any future events a secret, be sure to stay tuned for more updates of performances from CRAB-G.