As the spring semester begins, the stress of getting into a new routine can be a lot to deal with. Add on the frigid temperatures Athens has seen for much of January, and it can be easy to stay in. One band strives to wash away that sadness and bring in the fun.
The Fibonacci Fellas have had a place in the Athens live music scene since October 2022. Blending comedy and punk rock, the trio regularly packs venues with fans ready to mosh and dance.
Drummer Sam Mader, a junior studying music production, said the band loves the support it has gained from the fans.
“It's just super involved,” he said. “I think the fans make the show, it's all about them. It's so much fun when they give us energy.”
With the high energy of The Fibonacci Fellas’ music and stage performances, fans have the opportunity to let loose in ways they normally would not, even at other concerts. Almost every song the band plays is accompanied by mosh pits, jumping and dancing. Even on stage, the trio makes it a point to be as engaging as possible.
“We love seeing the audience getting into things, and we love doing some call and response,” he said.
Vocalist and guitarist Ben Nowak, who graduated in 2023 with a degree in music production, said behind the energy and over a year of performances, he still struggles with nerves before a show.
“It always starts off as awkward, and then as time goes on, the audiences are always so nice and flattering,” he said.
Nowak said the bandmates rely on one another to make sure a show ends up how they want it.
“We have a consistent thing where we'll play a show, and it'll always be like, ‘Was the show good or was the show bad?'” he said. “Typically, when the shows are good, it's when Sam plays really well and we forget everything else. We just run around on stage.”
Bassist Henry Price, a senior studying music production, said he doesn’t let a bad performance affect him.
“Whether it goes good or bad, playing in this band is fun,” he said. “If I'm doing well or if I'm doing poorly, it's always a good time.”
With all three members coming from a background of punk, rock and metal, as well as starting at the time Rent Free was a staple in Athens music, The Fibonacci Fellas knew from the start that their goal was to make loud, fast – but most importantly fun – music. Price said his musical background started well before he came to Ohio University.
“I really loved punk and metal music,” he said. “I took guitar lessons for a while, and then I started writing and making things up … I've been playing for quite a while now, probably about a decade.”
Nowak said his history with music came from a rather unexpected place.
“When I was in grade school, they were trying to teach us not to do drugs,” he said. “They had a steel drum band come in. I genuinely really wanted to play the steel drums, and I thought my way into that would be through the school band. So I did that.”
To date, the band has released a two-song single, “The Fibonacci Fellas are Back!,” as well as two EPs, “CREAMS” and “BITTERS.” There are also plans to release a new single in the future. All their releases can be found on Spotify, Apple Music, Amazon Music and YouTube.
Mader said the names of the EPs come from the differences in tone and writing.
“We thought one was a little more nice sounding, and one was a little more edgy sounding,” he said. “Ben said we need something like creams and bitters. And I said, ‘That's a great idea.’”
The Fibonacci Fellas have one upcoming show Feb. 16 at The Union, 18 W Union St., with further details to come. The band said it can be found on Instagram at @thefibonaccifellas.
