Solskinn 2014 Preview:
Fargo

Like most high school relationships, most high school bands call it quits when the diplomas get passed out and the tassels get turned. As band members say goodbye, they move on to careers playing in different groups throughout college and—if they’re lucky—beyond.

Fargo, a four-piece out of Geneva, Ill., didn’t say goodbye. Comprised of Ryan Thomas, Robert Donile, Brandon Cantwell, and David Delgiudice, the band has decided to stay together throughout their years of higher education; like any long-distance relationship, they make the most out of their time together. And like the long-distance relationships we all root for, the band remains hopeful for big things in the future.

I chatted Ryan Thomas, the band’s primary songwriter and lead singer, last week in anticipation of their Saturday set at Solskinn about making it work when you’re miles apart.

While most middle schoolers spend their free time to riding bikes, playing video games, and working on their acne issues, Fargo members Ryan Thomas and Robert Donile used their after-school hours to work on their music. “Right when Robert and I met, pretty much from the start of our friendship, we were playing guitars together,” said Thomas. “Our idea of a good time in seventh grade was recording music with a computer microphone at Robert’s house.” 

Those recordings and practices eventually fledged into a fully formed band when the four members took a music theory class together in high school. And once things got moving, they really got moving: Fargo quickly took Geneva by storm, winning the local Battle of the Bands contest during their senior year of high school, just four shows into their career.

Their rapid success should come as no surprise, however, as their music appeals to listeners of all ages thanks largely in part to their vast range of influences—Animal Collective, Talking Heads, and Wild Beasts are all artists that have helped to shape Fargo’s sound. “We have this voracious appetite for all kinds of music,” said Thomas. “I can get excited about a Beyoncé song as much as I’ll get excited about a Sonic Youth song.”

Though Fargo’s four members spend the majority of their time apart, they’re always ready to collaborate when the time comes. The material they’re currently tampering with is slated to comprise their latest EP, which Thomas states is their best yet. “We get more and more serious about the band each summer,” he says, “and we’re starting to realize that the time we have together is maybe more valuable than we might have deemed it in high school.”

Besides staying up late all summer to hash out the EP, Fargo is also busy setting up a Midwest tour for next summer. And though they’re clearly taking big steps forward, Thomas remains stern that Fargo isn’t moving too quickly. “I’m not going to drop out of college and busk on the street corner or anything,” he said. “There’s a romantic element to the starving artist thing to some people, but I’d rather be really strategic about it and take a more cerebral than emotional approach when making my decisions.”

I wish Fargo all the best. 

Fargo will perform at Solskinn Music Festival on Saturday, August 16 at The Shitty Barn in Spring Green, WI. Tickets are only $15 and can be purchased here. Additionally, the band will be playing live on WSUM 91.7 on Friday, August 15 at 4 PM.

Full disclosure: Ryan Thomas is a senior writer for Jonk Music and he says there will be a party at his house after Solskinn for all who have read this article.