Photos by Celisse Jones
When I saw how packed Crescent Ballroom was for Jared & The Mill’s Friday concert, I knew this band was more than just a hometown favorite.
The room was filled wall-to-wall with ecstatic fans who wanted nothing more than to hear the Phoenix locals play all night. Almost the entire crowd knew the lyrics, and they sang along to every song, screaming any chance they got. This band is well-loved here in Phoenix—anyone at that concert could tell.
Jared & the Mill, formed in 2011, consists of lead singer Jared Kolesar, who also plays acoustic guitar, lead guitarist Larry Gast III, drummer Josh Morin, bass player Chuck Morriss III, banjo player Michael Carter and Gabe Hall-Rodrigues on the accordion and keyboard.
The band members started out as childhood friends, Morriss said.
“Michael and Jared have been best friends since they were kids, same with Josh and Larry; they’ve known each other forever,” he said. “And then Larry and I’s dads are best friends and we kind of all came together and decided to do the band thing.”
For Jared & The Mill, playing at Crescent Ballroom wasn’t just another tour stop. Having a Phoenix gig means playing in front of the people that have been their fans since the very beginning.
And that fan base is growing. They have 2,079 followers on Twitter, 2,815 followers on Instagram, 5,340 people who track their concerts on Bandsintown, and 11,383 followers on Facebook.
The band’s first tour stop was March 12 at The Sayers Club in Los Angeles, and their last show of the year isn’t until Sept. 25. Being away from loved ones that long is hard, but it helps them keep their priorities straight and remain humble and focused.
“It allows you to trim the bulls**t. You don’t really have time for people you don’t love, don’t have time for fake friends,” Kolesar said. “When you come back…you realize what matters most to you.”
Contact the author at crust1@asu.edu. Contact the columnist at Emily.Liu@asu.edu
