- September 10, 2024
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More than 20 years (and nearly as many lineup changes) after its formation, Elysian Sex Drive — arguably Sarasota's longest-running band — will reunite this Saturday, June 7 at its preferred stomping ground, the Five O'Clock Club. Opening for the band will be ... well ... the band. Allow us to explain:
Elysian Sex Drive was formed in 1993 by DeLaran Withers with the intention of being a semi-anonymous cross-dressing side project to serve as an opening act for her existing band. Eventually, the band gained enough of a following that it became the main focus, and the original band fizzled out. Elysian grew to a four-piece, and the band held down house-band gigs at several bars in town, including their favorite, the Five O'Clock Club.
Throughout the years, members came and went, and for a while, Withers remained the only original member. Slowly, though, all the original musicians made their way back to the band, and by 2005, the group was reunited, with two additional members. Seeking a fresh start, the band reformed under the name Waking Giants and continued to perform in Sarasota, exploring different sounds along the way.
Recently, what started as a joke to host an Elysian Sex Drive reunion show has evolved into a reality, and in an ironic, full-circle twist of fate, Waking Giants will be the opening band.
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At the final rehearsal before the show, the band is sitting in a semi-circle on the floor of its dimly lit practice space admiring buttons they plan to bring to the show.
"Are we having a seance?" jokes Withers, as she walks into the room.
The other members chime in with their own jokes, and before long, they're all sprawled out on the floor rehashing old memories — the ups, downs and everything that's happened in between throughout their two-decade career together.
"Seriously," says Withers, "The first time we all were back together, standing in our practice space again, it was enough to make you want to cry."
The band reflects on its sound, which has grown and evolved right alongside its lineup changes and incarnations.
"It's hard to explain our sound," says Withers. "Because we're not trying to have any sound. Our music is just the way our feelings sound out loud. And our shows are an experience more than they are just a sound. People have told us how our music has had serious impacts on their lives, and that's what we hope for — to contribute as much as possible to a peaceful world."
"We've been through a lot together," adds percussionist, Pam Fetterman. "We've had a lot of hard times and profound changes together. If we've been able to work it out, I really do think that's representative of what we stand for — that there really is hope for a peaceful humanity."
