Virginia Coalition

A longstanding tradition at Cottage Club, almost as revered as the bicker process or perching on the balustrade, is Virginia Coalition's lively spring performance. In keeping with tradition, the four-member rock band will return to Princeton for Cottage Club's Lawn Party on May 1.

Having played at Colonial Club last fall and at Cottage Club numerous times in the past, Virginia Coalition is excited to return to the University. Lead singer Andy Poliakoff said they love Princeton's atmosphere, especially in the springtime.

"People are not afraid to have a lot of fun at Princeton," he said. "The whole way our show works is we try to give off a lot of energy and try to inspire people to participate and go for it, and this pretty much works all the time at Princeton University."

He called Princetonians "gracious and chill" hosts who seem to work hard but play hard as well.

Though the band may be well-known to many on campus due to its frequent concerts, many might not be aware of exactly what Virginia Coalition is and what kind of music the band plays.

Virginia Coalition was formed when Poliakoff, Paul Ottinger, Jarrett Nicolay and John Patrick became friends in a music program at their Washington, D.C. high school. After forming the band, the group began to play regularly in local bars and clubs. Their lively show caught the attention of New York City-based label Buhammock Music.

The band has opened for a variety of performers, such as The Roots, Dave Matthews Band, Counting Crows, Guster, O.A.R., Blondie and Maroon 5, at college campuses, bars and clubs. Their eclectic style allows them to play well with such diverse performers.

It certainly is difficult to pin down Virginia Coalition's music style. The band's website calls it a blending of rock with soul, hip-hop with hippie, R&B with bluegrass. Poliakoff further categorizes the band's style as soul rock with rhythm that draws inspiration from artists such as Paul Simon, Peter Gabriel, the Beatles, 80s (not modern) Prince and Motown.

Though their music genre might be ambiguous, Virginia Coalition does have a clearcut message to spread. "I think for the most part what we physically do and what we express with our show is to have a belief in yourself," Poliakoff said.

The band also aims to connect with the audience's energy during performances. They have become interested in learning about energy theories of quantum physics and space, and delving into these subjects has greatly influenced their music and presence on stage.

"We just really believe in looking at people as energy and getting them to feel very positive, and kind of getting the energy of everyone on stage and in the audience together," Poliakoff said. "There are precious few moments in the modern world when everyone gets to feel universal and feel a commonality with other people. In the modern world, the concert is, for a lot of people, a very big release."

Besides discussing philosophic and scientific issues, Virginia Coalition has kept itself busy over the past seven years producing four albums. The band's first album, "The Colors of the Sound," attracted local attention, but it wasn't until the second album two years later that the group gained regional success on the East Coast and into the Mid-West.

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The band's third album, "Rock and Roll Party," was #18 on Billboard's Top Internet Selling Albums in February 2003 and, six months later, the band received the Reader's Choice Award for Best D.C. Band from The Washington Post.

Virginia Coalition released "OK to Go" in September 2004. To date, the band has sold more than 60,000 records.

According to Poliakoff, the revenue, fame and awards are encouraging, but he feels accomplishment mainly through performance. He is just as happy playing at a concert of 50 people as he is performing in front of 1,000 people as long as that concert feels meaningful, he said.

"In the music business, a lot of artists want to treat it as just business, but that's uncomfortable for me," he said. "In a concert, I'm just happy making a connection."

Poliakoff enjoys writing songs almost as much as performing them. He said lyrical expression can be cathartic since it allows you to express your thoughts and maybe sort them out, just as writing in a journal would. He also likes being able to communicate his intellectual ideas through music.

"I've been able to take some of the things that inspire me philosophically and put them into songs," he said.

The writing process is made easier for Virginia Coalition since each band member can play multiple instruments. Poliakoff explained that knowing how to play piano, drums, bass and guitar allows each to contribute much more to the group when they compose songs.

While he recognizes the benefits of focusing on mastery of only one instrument, Poliakov stresses the importance of developing a wide musical base. He said the one piece of advice he gives young people who approach him after shows is to just learn how to play as many instruments as possible.

Virginia Coalition's encouragement of developing multiple skills would naturally appeal to most overachieving Princeton students with a "do-everything" attitude. However, students should also heed Poliakoff's other piece of advice — "[live] in the moment like it could be your last."

Such an ideal may now actually be a viable option for upperclassman who have recently completed their theses and Junior Papers. The excitement from their newfound liberty will probably bubble over into this spring's House and Lawn Parties, promising Virginia Coalition a concert full of energy.