Every April, the “Best of Blacksburg” awards are given out
to the people and places that stand out in this small town. The members of the
band Stars Fell On are no strangers to these awards, and this year, they won
“Best Local Band” for the second time.
The band consists of Mike Murrey (guitar/ lead vocals),
Anthony Harika (guitar), Casey Rafter (bass) and Dan Kehler (drums), all
Virginia Tech students. The band has been playing in Blacksburg since 2003, entertaining local
audiences with their blend of punk rock rhythms, harmonious melodies and
heartfelt lyrics.
In 2005, the group branched out from the local scene and had
a chance to perform at the professional level at the Taste of Chaos tour in Norfolk, VA.
There they performed alongside bands like The Deftones, Thrice, Story of the
Year and Atreyu in front of thousands of fans.
2006 also saw the release of their self-titled EP, a four
track sample of their unique sound available for sale at all their shows.
Stars Fell On front man Murrey was excited to learn that Blacksburg still
considers his group local favorites.
“It’s great. It’s cool that a bunch of people are still
liking our stuff,” Murrey said. “We’ve been playing in Blacksburg for four years now, so for people
to still be big fans, that’s pretty cool.”
Over those four years of playing in Blacksburg, the band has undergone a few
major changes in personnel. Murrey was a late addition to the band; however,
when the previous lead singer left, he began writing all the songs as well as
taking a more active role in the vocals. This lead to a gradual change in the
group’s personality and music.
“When I joined the band they were playing a lot of pop-punk
stuff,” Murrey said. “I was into a little more aggressive style of music. I
started doing some of the writing with the lead singer before he left. He
couldn’t return to school this semester, so I stepped up to lead vocals. Since
I write all the songs, it wasn’t hard to make the transition. We started to
play more alternative stuff. I guess we got a little more edgy.”
Stars Fell On claims that their influences are bands such as
Brand New, The Foo Fighters, Jimmy Eat World and 30 Seconds to Mars. They play
a passionate style of rock, which provides for great live performances in which
hard riffs and a charismatic attitude define their energetic style.
While their sound may be right where they like it, Murrey
acknowledges that his influences are constantly changing.
“I listen to so many different kinds of music that I am
frequently being influenced by something new,” he said. “I would say the
musical influence comes from other bands I listen to, while the lyrics I write
are more influenced by my personal life.”
The band likes to play frequently, trying to perform at any
venue on which they can get their hands. As for playing in Blacksburg
as opposed to Washington D.C.
or Norfolk,
Stars Fell On are comfortable in front of big crowds as well as small.
“Its incredible to play in front of thousands of people, but
I have just as much fun playing in front of a packed crowd in Blacksburg where
you know a lot of people,” Murrey said. “We all have a lot of friends who like
to come out to the shows. Our drummer, Dan Kehler, has been around Blacksburg for a while
and knows everyone.”
Graduation approaches for Murrey as well as Kehler, and the
future of “Stars Fell On” is uncertain. As their desire to keep performing
comes into conflict with the need to get real jobs or pursue graduate
education, this might be their last year together in Blacksburg.
Despite an uncertain future, the band is still enjoying
their shows and will continue performing in venues around Blacksburg as long as
they can.
