Alumni band Pink Neighbor to perform debut album at The Loft

Next Friday, September 18, Pink Neighbor (consisting of Grinnell College alumni Katie In ’13, Erik Jarvis ’12 and bassist Carlos Ferguson ’92) will be playing in The Loft Theater as part of a four-show release tour for their debut album, “Time Beach Universe.”

Their website describes the album as having “an array of psychedelic-pop hooks and cinematic soundscapes.”

“Time Beach Universe” is the fourth release by the band, following two EPs and one cassette tape. It is also their first release to be recorded in a professional studio.

In explained, “It’s been a choice on our part to learn recording techniques – we both are songwriters, and we’re also interested in the studio side of things and production, and so that’s why we get into doing things on tape.”

Jarvis said that the material on “Time Beach Universe” is the band’s best. “That’s kind of why this album is happening. We took all of our best songs,” he said.

The band’s repertoire for the performance will be a combination of songs from the album and newly written songs, as well as “some old stuff that’s not recorded, but that people in Grinnell know and like,” according to Jarvis.

The other stops on the tour will be Des Moines on the 6th of September, Omaha on the 7th, and Iowa City on the 14th.

In said, “It’s kind of like the home version of a series of shows, which we’re making because it’s our community and we have friends also playing – we’re bringing in special guests to share the stage.” The guest musicians for the Grinnell show are Betty Moffett, Mark Laver, the Grinnell band Yeardley, and Saketan Anand ’21.

Jarvis and In are both active members of the Grinnell arts scene. When first starting the band, they were artists-in-residence with the now-defunct Grin City Collective, and they are both members of the Grinnell Area Arts Council.

In said, “Rather than move to really big places, we’ve chosen this community-focused route, and that’s what the vibe of Pink Neighbor is – a community band.”

Jarvis added, “The DIY spirit of Freesound and Grinnell Concerts and really just all of Grinnell College – the way students are supposed to just run their own ship – I think that’s been pretty influential to how we view this project. Like, you don’t need permission; you just go do it.”

The full album will be released on September 13, and three tracks (“Green Night Lights,” “Out on the Block,” and “Words Are Never Enough”) are currently available for download on pinkneighbor.bandcamp.com.

Tickets to the show at the Loft on the 18th are free for students and $10 for adults. They can be reserved at https://www.grinnellarts.org/tickets/pink-neighbor-album-release-concert.