Words by Zachary Franck

As the year comes to a close, bands look back on all that’s taken place over the last 12 months. Young bands look forward as they gear up for 2018, Space Bacon is one of those bands. On all accounts, they’ve had a seriously productive year. They packed out venues that once were near empty, they played stages that they’ve dreamt about for years, and their fan base has substantially grown along the east coast. They played new markets and reaffirmed old ones. They mastered old compositions and debuted new ones. Madison House picked them up and has helped propel them to the next level. It’s been a steady climb over the past year and everybody that’s been paying attention can see that. It’s more than evident that Space Bacon has established a brand that is catching on in the northeast jamband scene. They’re exactly where they need to be and they’re ready to finish the year strong. If you aren’t on board at this point, I’d like to extend an invitation before the year ends.

When I asked keyboard player Chris Gironda if they had accomplished all that they set out to this year, he answered, “There’s always more to be done. We set out to make 2017 big, in 2018 we'll do the same. No doubt, there were definitely some defining moments this year, like finally playing The Capitol Theatre with Umphreys, or rocking a sold out Brooklyn Bowl with Spafford. But the real test is carrying that energy with us on the road into these headlining gigs like Garcia's on Friday, December 15 - giving people the immersive two set experience, taking casual fans and turning them into diehards, and expanding the Bacon movement."

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During the foundational stages of a band, there’s usually a venue or two that helps mold their sound and style in front of a crowd. Garcia’s has done exactly that for Space Bacon, it’s been a proving ground as well as a test site for compositions and improvisation alike. Keyboard player Chris Gironda and bassist Kevin LeGall are both originally from Westchester so it makes sense as to why Garcia’s would be such a vital venue for Space Bacon. Hometown friends have continued to show their support and have helped create a buzz and following in New York and surrounding states. The band is more than grateful to have Garcia’s as a platform to showcase their musical progress over the last three years. This Friday, December 15 will be the 18th time that Space Bacon has played Garcia’s. The band has been prepping to make Friday one of the most memorable shows yet. I cannot wait to see what they pull off, all I know is that they’re going to pack out Garcia’s with help of Horizon Wireless, and you should definitely be there.

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Space Bacon is ecstatic that they get to play their final show of the year at Garcia’s. When I spoke to guitarist Jack Willard about Friday, he said, “To start, I think Garcia's is the first place we ever had a proper sound check.  It's also the first place we worked with a sound wizard like Mike Renna.  When we switched to our current line up in 2015, it was the first venue we played. The milestones are endless, but most importantly, Garcia's gave us a shot when we were nobody, and helped us cultivate our most loyal fans today.”

After the first time I saw them live, I knew that Space Bacon had the “it” factor – they’re characters and people are naturally drawn to them and their music. I’ve watched them continuously grow over the last few years and it’s been interesting and rewarding, to say the least. Harrison of Horizon Wireless feels the same way that I do, he told me, "Out of all the bands I've seen while working and playing in this "scene" over the years, Space Bacon is the only one that I've traveled hours to go see, even though they're from the same area as me. They've come a long way in their songwriting as is evident with "Prologue" and "Rosandras Tide," and even their full band improvisation has gotten tighter." Their song catalogue has increased and their improvisation has gotten tighter, but their mission statement has relatively stayed the same.

Have they started to play more shows outside of New York? Yes. Have the stages gotten bigger? Yes. But the band that was formed in a basement on Arthur Avenue in the Bronx has always aimed to do one thing - to move people, physically and mentally, through live music. They have a raw yet polished approach that can lift you up and slam you into the ground. And they’re only getting better. Make sure that you’re at Garcia’s on Friday to see them play their last show of the year with Horizon Wireless. Don’t be late.