Frog Rocket Hops into the Bellingham Music Scene

Despite being a new band their “SALTY” (Surf, Alt., Indie) sound can be heard all around town

05.30.24

By Jenna Millikan

On Saturday morning, five guys lug their instruments, chords and a bag of oranges into the Fairhaven Commons. Students may not know about the tucked-away recording studio on the first floor or that while breakfast is served in the dining hall above, Frog Rocket is recording their first album.

“We’re the first band to be recording an album in the new studio,” Jack Sovelove, the lead guitarist, said. “There’s gonna be a lot more cool music that comes out of the studio, but it feels special that we’re gonna be the ones to christen it.” 

Frog Rocket began with Noah Randazzo, the vocalist, and Brady Nehls, the drummer, almost a year ago. Since then, the band has taken the Bellingham music scene by storm. Randazzo describes their music as “SALTY” (Surf, Alt., Indie).

Though the band was formed through Craigslist and Reddit connections it was clear each member belonged there after the first practice.

“Twenty minutes into [the audition], I was like, ‘Do you want to be in the band?’” Randazzo said about hiring the bassist, Eli Yost. “I’m so happy [Yost] didn’t turn out to be a murderer.”

The band recently made waves on Western Washington Univerity's campus when they won the Battle of the Bands at the Underground Coffee House in March, securing them a spot at Lawnstock this summer. 

Lawnstock is Western’s end-of-the-year music festival, hosting many popular Bellingham bands. However, the road to getting there was not easy.

“The whole time up until we went on, I kept looking over at Randazzo and he was just in the corner white as a sheet, just motionless," Sovelove said.

“Me and Jess tried to give [Randazzo] a pep talk, ‘just pretend you want to be here for 30 minutes’ and [he was] like ‘urgh,’” Nehls said. “I was like, ‘We are so cooked.’”

Despite their lead singer running a fever leading up to the show, Frog Rocket pulled off a winning set.

“As soon as we stepped out on the stage and the lights were there, I was like, ‘Showtime,’” Randazzo said.

While the tight-knit Bellingham music scene can be hard to break into, Frog Rocket brings a unique sound to every show. Whether they're slowing it down with their breakup ballad “Poems” or raising the crowd's morale with Randazzo’s rap in “Aries Girl,” there is something for every listener.

Frog Rocket has played at many local music hot spots, from The Blue Room to Make.Shift.

“My favorite moment that we’ve had is the Makeshift show," Randazzo said. "Before we even started soundcheck, the whole basement started to flood."

The show must go on, and Frog Rocket was able to put on a mosh-pit-worthy show in a marshy environment.

“Rubin and I were bucketing water out of the area with trash cans for half an hour,” Sovelove said.

 Regardless of where they are playing, they keep their pre-show ritual alive and well.

“Our most consistent ritual is going to The Horseshoe Cafe and getting some greasy Horseshoe food and drinking some beers and just getting really silly,” Sovelove said.

Whether you're an existing fan or brushing up on the Lawnstock lineup, you can keep up with the band on Instagram. If you get one of their songs stuck in your head, keep a look out for their debut album late this summer.

“My big goal of putting a band together and playing music was to just have a physical record of the things that we’ve done,” Randazzo said. “Whether it’s one song or 18, I’m excited either way.”