On November 9th, Gustavus Adolphus College will welcome the up and coming Minneapolis-based boy band Yam Haus to The Dive for a special student concert. 

Yam Haus consists of four members: Lars Pruitt on vocals and guitar, Seth Blum on electric guitar, Jake Felstow on drums, and Zach Beinlich on bass.

The four young musicians have been friends who make music together for a long time and officially started working on the band project two and a half years ago.

Now that their music ownership is down, Yam Haus has adopted a diverse combination of new approaches to promote their work.

The boy band has conscientiously worked on the road, played in a wide range of public venues, promoted their constantly refreshing merch line, and maintained a daily vlog channel on YouTube.

Over the course of their tour, they spent a considerable amount of time in their tour van brainstorming ideas to freshen their music, especially their live performances, which are unique, innovative, and lively. 

From their initial discussions (and also jokes) in their van rides to later work in the studio, the boys develop their unique intro and transition tracks for each of their performance.

In preparation for their shows, they focus on envisioning the atmosphere and the special moments that they will create for their audience. They aim to immerse their audience in an exciting yet complex and unique experience of music in every single show.

The young artists really put a lot of efforts in creating the atmosphere for their performance. They have certain expectations for the sounds and make sure that it is complex and raises the audience’s mood. Jake Felstow shared in the process of making an intro track: “I want it swelling, I want it to feel complex, not happy, not sad, just kinda give you the feeling of complexity and anticipation, and essentially a lot of layers to it.”

By their exceptional attention to details and intuitive musical talents, Yam Haus has spread their dancing and “grooving” virus with their music. Their collaborative creative process has yielded innovative and successful results.

The band filmed their music video for their song “Groovin’ (That Feel Good Song)” in the form of a social experiment. They posted on social media and directly invite whomever they met on the streets of Minneapolis to their “public dance party.” Within one day, they gathered a huge crowd to dance with them, in the making of the music video.

By throwing this public dance party, Yam Haus has reminded numerous music listeners of what it is like to be yourself, to feel the music, and to have fun.

The song “Groovin’ (That Feel Good Song)” has proved that music’s power to move people does not only reside in the lyrics but also in the rhythm and the melody itself.

Among the young generation bands, Yam Haus promises to convey meaningful messages and positive life outlooks through their musical work.

“Groovin’ (That Feel Good Song)” is among thirteen tracks featured in Yam Haus’s debut album, “Stargazer,” which was released this past June.

“Stargazer” exemplifies “their love for punchy pop, sensitive folk, classic rock and roll, [and] hip hop,” according to Music Industry News Network.

The synth-pop-rock quartet compose their songs together with a promise of excitement and positivity in mind. James Doe wrote on Music Industry News Network: “‘Stargazer’ is something that will make you clear off your baggage of anxiety, depression, stress out of the door forever, never looking back to it.”

Indeed, “Stargazer” hits listeners with “an exciting, refreshing, radio-ready, massively pop appealing swarm of sounds that make you move, make you groove, make you dance and ultimately lift your spirits and your mood up to the next level,” according to Joshua Smotherman on Middle Tennessee Music.

In their track “West Coast,” Yam Haus tells a story of a struggle through a down time, yet this story does not end in deep, dark, self-destructive, and unsettling thoughts, but a bright spark that lit up the musician’s mind again: music.

“But these days I’ve been stumbling into the dark/Trying to forget all the bitter parts/It’s heavy luggage that I put down ‘cause I finally see/That … I’ve got a reason to sing/And … I’m finally listening/And … I’m going back to the start/‘Cause I can’t hold onto what’s inside my heart…”

The singer of this song has used music to convert his struggle into a creative process of art and stand back up from his stumble. This experience is something that touches most young people and might even help them go through their own hard times.

Delivering well-crafted catchy tunes to listeners, Yam Haus never forgets to enclose their bright positivity. With their name YAM being the abbreviation for “you are me,” Yam Haus aspires to create a musical experience that includes themselves and their listeners as one.

The Yam Haus concert will take place in The Dive on Friday, November 9th from 9:00-10:30pm.

Free admission is open to all Gusties, who would like to enjoy a mixture of original and cover music and mocktails with friends.