By Randy Mancilla and Tomas Palmieri
Senior and Fart Hearters vocalist Gabrielle Pineda said, “Playing in front of our friends at my house whenever people come over or practicing in Karl’s garage are some of the most fun times we have together as a band.”
Fart Hearters are a local band composed of Granada Hills Charter (GHC) seniors and alumni. The band is inspired by the 1990s shoegaze scene. Shoegaze utilizes heavy distortion and reverberation in its sound as well as specific body language. As the name implies, when shoegaze musicians perform they tend to keep their heads down looking towards their feet as they play their ethereal subgenre of indie and alternative rock.
The band consists of three GHC seniors and two 2022 alumni. The seniors include vocalist Gabrielle Pineda, rhythm guitarist and vocalist Gabriel Veliz, and drummer Karl Dia.
The alumni that make up the rest of the group are lead guitarist Luis Contreras and bassist Alex Palacios. Members of the group enjoy other shoegaze bands such as Whirr, Nothing, and Beach House.
Fart Hearters originally formed with the aid of Pineda’s father when he set up an instrument set in their home. Friends and family would get together to play music as Pineda’s dad would strum the guitar, eventually leading to the group playing together casually more and more. Members of the current crew began to practice individually sharing songs they picked up on their own, eventually leading to the creation of the band we now know as Fart Hearters.
“My brother impulsively came up with the name, joking that if we ever started a band the name had to be Fart Hearters. We found the name really funny so that’s what we’ve decided to call ourselves,” Pineda said.
Although the group may not have any intentions to make the band any more serious than it currently is, they relish in the entertainment of playing together and the laughs that follow. They currently focus on playing covers but are considering the production of their own original music for the future of their band.
Fart Hearters recently had their first concert in which they played a backyard performance for a birthday on September 23. They are currently planning another concert to take place in November during Thanksgiving Break at an event called “The Grand Spank.”
Fart Hearters shoegaze-inspired style is both unique and genuine as the band always makes sure to have room for entertainment and humor created by their shared love and appreciation for music. They continue to practice and prepare for their show in November. Be on the lookout for more information regarding the date and location.
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