Two acoustic guitarists and one hand-beating drummer form the Boston-roots trio that will showcase their talents at the Newport Music Hall tomorrow night.
Guster, made up of Adam Gardner, Ryan Miller and Brian Rosenworcel, is a percussion-rock band with a very unique sound.
The group met at the 1991 Tufts University freshman orientation and automatically hit it off talking about music. They originally formed under the name Gus and started playing their high-intensity music at various college bars and student parties. Gus changed to Guster early after finding out an impostor had copied their name. They released their first demo album “Parachute” in 1994, graduated the year after and released their second demo “Goldfly” in 1998.
After “Goldfly” was released, they signed with Sire Records and created their first CD under a label, “Lost and Gone Forever” in 1999. The album was produced by Steve Lillywhite, who has helped with acts such as U2 and Dave Matthews Band. Guster’s second major label album is due to be released sometime this summer.
The group spent the fall and beginning of winter opening for the Barenaked Ladies on their recent tour. They also played an additional opening set on Feb. 15 in Madison Square Garden, a huge venue for any band.
Through their relentless touring they have built an enormous fan base, which is why they have decided to postpone writing new songs for their upcoming album.
Instead, they have announced they will go on a short six-week tour of college campuses across the country. They say they are playing the colleges to give back to their fans, not to promote their new album.
The tour began on March 25 and will continue until May 5, with stops scheduled in places as far east as Vermont and as far west as California, but they will be opening and closing in Pennsylvania. They have proven they love performing live and touring so they can better acquaint themselves with their fans.
One break in the tour will be taken on April 19, when the Boston Music Awards are presented. Guster is nominated for Best Rock Band and Best Album with “Lost and Gone Forever.” The awards are hosted by MTV VJ Dave Holmes.
