Born in a Lancaster County barn, this inter-dimensional, time-traveling, shape-shifting, genre-bending musical trio have been impacting the melodic landscape of the east coast since 2007. The music of The Sketties is not entirely unlike a hair dryer whispering sweet and gentle melodies in your ear, lulling you into a dream-like state, before dropping into the tub and electrocuting your soul. Thematically running the gamut of human emotionalism from one song to the next, the lyrical content is, at times, sardonic, aggressive, and paranoid, while at other times uplifting, optimistic and hopeful. The Sketties will sweep you off your feet and absentmindedly drop you back into reality.
Originally a five-piece, the band played its first show just three weeks after forming, and since then, has performed more than 200 shows touring up and down the east coast in clubs, bars, coffee shops, festivals and live radio shows. As a five-piece, the band released a full-length album called ‘Up?!? Yes!!!’ (2009) and a five-song EP called ‘Wigwam Mansion’ (2010). The songs “Drakulya’s Curse”, “When the Lights Go Out”, and “Bugs That Kill” were featured in independent films and video shorts. Both “Get Out” and “Be Gone” have been featured in back to back volumes of the ‘Music for Everyone’ benefit compilation albums.
Jon Wechter: Guitars, Vocals, Keys
Ben Hartfranft: Guitars, Vocals, Percussion
Jesse Porter: Drums, Guitars, Vocals,
Influences Include:
Neil Young, David Bowie, Radiohead, Beck, Modest Mouse, Built to Spill, Queens of the Stone Age, The Beatles, Beastie Boys, and Ween
Sounds Like:
Early Pink Floyd, Early Radiohead, The Pixies, Mr. Bungle, Devendra Banhart
- Up?!? Yes!!! – 2009
- Wigwam Mansion – 2010
- New Release Soon – 2012
Break.Stop.CutLive at Utica Fest
“The Sketties music is like taking two pieces of jellied toast and smashing them into each other to have a gooey mess of rock and roll goodness to get your grandma shakin in her pajamas.”
– Jonny at Zradio – Zradio
“Upstream” is a clever composition of sounds and has given a new meaning to counterpoint. While managing to complete a melodic and catchy progression, they seem to amaze us with the use of their instruments. We are happy to have such original music on our station.”
– Erik Wilhelm Sturm – Founder/Director Bohemio Radio
“The wonder of it all is that the entire musical carnival takes place inside a pop-song big top, resulting in the Talking Heads and Oingo Boingo swimming laps together in a pool of acid.”
– Jeff Royer – The Fly Magazine
“The Sketties honestly don’t sound like any one band. There are elements of other bands that you can put your finger on, but their roots are as untraceable as iocane powder.”
– Jeff Royer – The Fly Magazine
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