Rewind to last June when The Westin hosted the Maryland Green Awards in conjunction with that month’s Green Drinks. A young and vivacious yet cool group called The Walking Sticks played for the participants. Go back to the summer before that to Middleton Tavern’s “Annapolis Unplugged” on Wednesday nights. The Walking Sticks were there too. Metropolitan and Middleton Tavern aren’t the only venues that have hosted this group–The Walking Sticks have been popping up all over Annapolis in places like Rams Head, City Dock, and on the Eastport side of the 2013 tug of war. So who are The Walking Sticks and where will they be next? We caught up with these busy and budding big-time musicians to learn about their shows, their talent, and their inspiration.
As prefaced above, the group got their start at Middleton Tavern in 2011 and has been playing in Annapolis ever since. The Walking Sticks, comprised of Chelsea Lee and twin brothers Spencer and Max Ernst, also focuses on D.C. venues but Max says, “Metropolitan is my favorite place to play.” How appropriate–the group’s next Annapolis show is at this beloved downtown Annapolis venue.
Attendees of the Metropolitan show on February 21 can expect the usual enthusiasm and dreamy pop sounds The Walking Sticks put into every show. Those who attend can also expect a few new songs–so new in fact, that the group hasn’t even named the songs.
“We’re writing new songs with the Metropolitan show in mind that will inspire dancing and great energy,” Max says. Loyal fans of The Walking Sticks can still enjoy the original songs too, like “Send the Night,” the namesake of the band’s second album. Listen to the song by clicking on the song title above.
Coupled with the cool, young vibe at Metroplitan and The Walking Sticks’ synthesized music and strong vocals, the show is sure to be thrilling. The show is scheduled for Friday, February 21 at 9:30 p.m. Tickets cost $10. Dawn Drapes, an alternative group that plays around the DC/Virginia area, and Floozy, a young local band, will also perform that night.
Now you know about The Walking Sticks’ upcoming Annapolis performance, but who are The Walking Sticks? What informs their style? Their music? Their lyrics? We sat down with this lively, fun-loving group to learn more. What we found out, in a few words, was that these people are charmingly talented and are passionate about playing for you.
So tell us about the band–how it got started, what each person’s role is, etc.
“Max and I started it in 2011,” says Spencer, “We were doing folk stuff. We had found an old 80s synthesizer with cool sounds and experimented with it. And then Chelsea joined in 2012.” Spencer added that with Chelsea’s great vocals and the synthesizer, the group was led to classify their sound as “dreamy pop.”
All the group members contribute to the sound with their own keyboards, but each has a specific role too: Chelsea is the lead singer and performs on percussion, Spencer sings in the background and plays guitar, and Max sings in the background and plays bass. Max and Spencer even boost their instrumental skills on the side too, with their music school business called Fundamentals Music School.
As the group eats, breathes, sleeps, and even teaches music, it’s only natural they met in a music club in D.C. Brothers Max and Spencer have always played music and tried out several bands before solidifying themselves as The Walking Sticks, a name which came about in honor of the walking sticks their father made for hiking. Chelsea, on the other hand, focused more on vocals in her childhood years. Chelsea and Spencer started dating after meeting at the music club and the rest is history.
How do you come up with content for songs? 
“There’s not one thing we gravitate towards,” Spencer starts, “We try to write about experiences and subject matter that interests us.” The group explained that many of their songs, like “Send the Night,” are open for interpretation.
“We oftentimes write material based on lines or phrases that sound good to us and send a message,” Max explains. “The line in ‘Send the Night’ that sticks out is ‘What’s the meaning of American life?'” This line is certainly up for interpretation, if you ask us!
Chelsea adds: “I try to put myself in situations and then write about them. ‘A Day to be Crazy’ is about me and my friend and the possibilities of the day.”
The songs are specific to the group members but are somehow universal too, which is indicative of true lyrical talent even to the untrained ear.
You have two albums out. Could you give us a glimpse into each?
“The first is full-length and is Americana/folk/roots/rock,” Max posits. This album, entitled World So Bright features fifteen songs of Max and Spencer crooning to lines like “If the key doesn’t turn / and the children don’t learn / don’t be hard on yourself / that never helped” and “You and I’d be so good together/ If you’d give me one chance to make you smile” (“Baby You’re Beautiful”; “Falling Song”). This album, completed before Chelsea joined the group, is available on iTunes for $5.
The second album, Send the Night, is also available on iTunes (linked here) and for free on Bandcamp (linked here). This four-song album features Chelsea’s vocals on songs that speak of opportunity, important moments, and the unknown.
What’s your favorite part of being in a group?
“We know each other very well and are all good friends,” Max says. “Spencer and I have always sung but having Chelsea is special because she has big vocals and a badass presence on stage,” he adds. Spencer seconds this notion. For Chelsea, it’s about collaboration and the live shows. Brian Goddard, manager for the group since the beginning, adds that the group provides a refreshing learning experience for him against the backdrop of the music industry.
What do you hope for The Walking Sticks’ future?
Max explains that the group is planning a three-week tour to the South, where the group plans to hit cities like Richmond, Charlotte, Ashville, Nashville, and Atlanta. Aside from the tour, the group of course hopes to continue releasing original, inventive music. We hope so too, and we also hope they continue performing in Annapolis. It’s involved, passionate musicians like The Walking Sticks that Annapolis crowds thrive on and hope to hear at everything from festive Christmas performances on stage to summer bashes set up on the shores of Annapolis.
Learn more about The Walking Sticks at the Metropolitan show, on their FaceBook page, or on their site.
See you at the show!
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