Author's note: I asked Bicycle Inn what their theme song would be, to which they answered "The Zelda Lost Woods theme (Ocarina of Time)" so, when you read this, that should be playing in the back of your head the entire time. If you aren't familiar, look it up. The article will still be here.
Formed out of Boston, Massachusetts, Bicycle Inn is certainly making a name for themselves in their local music scene. The band consists of Noah Aguiar on guitar/vocals, Declan Moloney on bass, Josh Carrascal on drums, and (as the newest addition) Dylan Ilkowitz on guitar.
“Our live sound was in need of a lead guitar presence that was felt on the record, but left out on stage,” the band stated, regarding their decision to add a new guitarist. “Dylan has been a long time friend, so we hit him up...and now he takes up more stage room.”
The band’s discography tracks back to 2016 with the release of their debut single, “I’m Fine, She’s A Wreck”, on bandcamp. This was followed by their first EP, Reruns, which the bands describes as “based off of our lives, and re-living pieces of our past”. Most recently, the band released the album Opening Doors For Strangers, consisting of five tracks from “Clear My Head” to fan favorite “I’d Understand If You Told Me”. Of their songs on the album, the boys reported that “Losing was our most emotionally rewarding to write, but I’d Understand If You Told Me was probably the most fun”.
Their sound has come a long way since their first release. “We’re starting to find our direction and sound we’ve been looking for. As we write new things, we move within that flow. We try our best to let who we really are come out with everything we release. So as we’ve progressed, you could say we’ve found more of who we are”. They identify as an emo band, a genre that in itself has evolved and changed over the past decade.
The band defines the style as “being aware of your emotions and organically portraying those emotions to others through a vein of music which depicts whole-hearted honesty and transparency.” There is a certain degree of stigma that comes with being an emo-defined band. “Sure, emo bands stay roughly in the same music circle, play similar twinkly chords but really, it can be that one song that you can sit back, and become someone else for 3 minutes, hear their story, and understand where they’re coming from or what they’ve felt.”
Crowds that attend Bicycle Inn’s shows often go for that reason exactly, and the band finds that some of their favorite memories are of having those audience interactions. When looking back on some highlight reel moments, vocalist Noah recalled their first show at Congress House in Lowell, MA. “It was the very first time we ever heard the lyrics to Clear My Head sung back at us. It was so loud that I got off the mic and teared up.”
That sense of relatability and connection has always been important to the boys of Bicycle Inn. They have found a way to provide an intimate experience while performing that involves the audience, and is one reason why they have listeners coming out to local shows around New England. “We love having a community to always come home to. It’s filled with wonderful and diverse individuals that are always ready and willing to support and accept.”
“Our music is only made with the intention of sharing and connecting with people. Our stories, emotions and songs are real parts of our lives; windows into who we are. If someone can hear them and feel like maybe they’re not alone in their struggle or situation, then that’s a win for us.”
Written by Caroline Moll
Cover Image by Renee Newman