Page 17 - WilmU Spring Summer 2013

ig Tree is no shrinking violet.
The Berkeley, Calif.-based, Earth-friendly,
folk-pop quintet stopped intoWilmington
University’s Pra Student Center one
a ernoon to play a groovy set as part of
their East Coast tour. The University’s Green
Team, whose leader, TomHurd, is a devoted fan of the
band, invited Big Tree to campus to help celebrate Earth
Day.
Big Tree also talked about their unique mode of
transportation: a conversion van that’s been engineered
to run on recycled vegetable oil.
“We wanted to do something that was good for the
Earth, but we didn’t know quite how to do it,” said bassist
Luke Bace (yes, that’s his real last name). “We knew
some friends who have done [the van conversion] so we
decided to try it.”
The band raised $8,200 through fundraising website
Kickstarter and went to work. Two years and another
$1,000 later, they’re now able to use the “Grease Piece”
as their main mode of transportation for gigs and as a
way to educate people on the benefits of green living.
They buy used vegetable oil, which has been cleaned and
filtered, from a vendor in their hometown for $2 a gallon.
Big Tree formed roots at Sarah Lawrence College,
where three of the members a ended music school. For
five years they’ve wandered back and forth across the
country, making two full-length records and embarking
on tours spanning both coasts. Right Chord Music, a
marketing company, called the band’s sound “passionate,
cheerful and sensual simultaneously” and “rich and
full-bodied with vocal harmonies that carry you to far-off
lands.”
Big Tree consists of Kaila McIntyre-Bader (lead vocals,
keyboard), Anna Ghezzi (vocals, percussion), Luke Bace
(bass, vocals), Dan Pirello (guitar), and Ma Schory
(drums). McIntyre-Bader primarily writes the songs. Their
website is bigtreesings.com.
Big Tree was first invited to play at the University and
present their vegetable-oil-as-fuel demo in 2011.
TheWilmU Green Team and the Department of
Student Life organized the University’s Earth Day
celebration. WU
Rooted InHarmony
California band Big Tree makes big impression on campus
BY JAIME BENDER B
PHOTOS BY SUSANGREGG
SPRING/SUMMER