Thom Beall (vocals/guitar/keys/more): I started the band in 2008 because I was sick of playing solo shows. I met drummer, Marcus while playing in a band called Bishop’s Garden. While on tour we decided to make our own record and after meeting Bri at one of the band’s CD releases it was decided that she would be the singer. Upon meeting Aaron at the coffee shop where he worked, his long beautiful locks of hair were enough to secure him a spot as the bassist. 

What's the story behind the band name?

Thom: The first show was billed as “Thomas Beall and The Tricera-Tops”. Because that name was horrible, the name was changed to “Cole Cash”, the name of a character from a comic book I was reading at the time.

What are your biggest musical influences?

Thom: Definitely Pedro the Lion, Hey Rosetta!, Kaki King, Muse, The National, Dismemberment Plan, Sunn0))), Soundgarden, Pearl Jam, Nirvana, Led Zeppelin, Sixpence None the Richer, Beyonce, and yeah, we love some Dvořák.

What artists (local, national and/or international) are you currently listening to?

Thom: COIN, Deaf Scene, Love Rub & the Chocolate Delight, Tall Heights, Now Now, Mazzy Star, Nina Simone, Daughter, and Tobias Russell.

What's the first concert that you ever attended and first album that you ever bought?

Thom: The first concert I attended was Candlebox. It actually had a huge effect on my desire to perform. I was in the front row singing along to every word and at one point Kevin Martin just gave me the mic during a song… I sang my heart out ‘til the very end and when I was done the crowd mobbed me. It was awesome. 

The first album I bought was an SR-71 record. Local celebrities for the win!

What do you love about DC's music scene?

Thom: I love the tight knit community. I love that it is hard to go to a show and not hear a great band any night of the week really.

What would you like to see change in the local music scene?

Thom: We have really appreciated the support from the under 21 crowd as much as that of our older fans. We would like to see more venues cater to that demographic. 

What are your plans for the upcoming year?

Thom: We are finishing up our first music video, working on our second full-length, playing a ton ‘til July, and writing some new songs. This year has been great so far… sky’s the limit.

What was your most memorable live show?

Thom: I cannot just pick one, but we love the intimate shows when we get a chance to connect with our fans through music and then sit down and talk with them ‘til 2 in the morning. Who could ask for anything more? On the other hand, The Metropolitan in Annapolis makes a great burger so that’s always a winner in my book.

Is there someone who has helped your band grow through support?

Thom: LuAnn Masterson, Beth Santin, Beth Harris, Kevin Jeffries, the Morsers, Stef Biondi, Izzy, Zinhle, Mike O’Neil.

Is there a piece of equipment you couldn't live without?

Thom: Bri couldn’t live without her voice… because… well… she’s the singer. I couldn’t live without his Electro-Harmonix Holy Stain. It’s pretty much in every song and nothing sounds like it. Marcus and Aaron are too resilient to be dependent on material things for life support. Props to them.

Thom Beall (vocals/guitar/keys/more): I started the band in 2008 because I was sick of playing solo shows. I met drummer, Marcus while playing in a band called Bishop’s Garden. While on tour we decided to make our own record and after meeting Bri at one of the band’s CD releases it was decided that she would be the singer. Upon meeting Aaron at the coffee shop where he worked, his long beautiful locks of hair were enough to secure him a spot as the bassist. 

What's the story behind the band name?

Thom: The first show was billed as “Thomas Beall and The Tricera-Tops”. Because that name was horrible, the name was changed to “Cole Cash”, the name of a character from a comic book I was reading at the time.

What are your biggest musical influences?

Thom: Definitely Pedro the Lion, Hey Rosetta!, Kaki King, Muse, The National, Dismemberment Plan, Sunn0))), Soundgarden, Pearl Jam, Nirvana, Led Zeppelin, Sixpence None the Richer, Beyonce, and yeah, we love some Dvořák.

What artists (local, national and/or international) are you currently listening to?

Thom: COIN, Deaf Scene, Love Rub & the Chocolate Delight, Tall Heights, Now Now, Mazzy Star, Nina Simone, Daughter, and Tobias Russell.

What's the first concert that you ever attended and first album that you ever bought?

Thom: The first concert I attended was Candlebox. It actually had a huge effect on my desire to perform. I was in the front row singing along to every word and at one point Kevin Martin just gave me the mic during a song… I sang my heart out ‘til the very end and when I was done the crowd mobbed me. It was awesome. 

The first album I bought was an SR-71 record. Local celebrities for the win!

What do you love about DC's music scene?

Thom: I love the tight knit community. I love that it is hard to go to a show and not hear a great band any night of the week really.

What would you like to see change in the local music scene?

Thom: We have really appreciated the support from the under 21 crowd as much as that of our older fans. We would like to see more venues cater to that demographic. 

What are your plans for the upcoming year?

Thom: We are finishing up our first music video, working on our second full-length, playing a ton ‘til July, and writing some new songs. This year has been great so far… sky’s the limit.

What was your most memorable live show?

Thom: I cannot just pick one, but we love the intimate shows when we get a chance to connect with our fans through music and then sit down and talk with them ‘til 2 in the morning. Who could ask for anything more? On the other hand, The Metropolitan in Annapolis makes a great burger so that’s always a winner in my book.

Is there someone who has helped your band grow through support?

Thom: LuAnn Masterson, Beth Santin, Beth Harris, Kevin Jeffries, the Morsers, Stef Biondi, Izzy, Zinhle, Mike O’Neil.

Is there a piece of equipment you couldn't live without?

Thom: Bri couldn’t live without her voice… because… well… she’s the singer. Thom couldn’t live without his Electro-Harmonix Holy Stain. It’s pretty much in every song and nothing sounds like it. Marcus and Aaron are too resilient to be dependent on material things for life support. Props to them.

Ryan Hunter Mitchell (singer/guitarist): Danielle and I wanted to start an all-girl surf band, but after striking out on girls, we decided to let guys in the club. Dan wanted us to play a party at his house, but our drummer at the time couldn't do it so Dan filled in himself and it just worked. Al and Dan had played together as U.S. Royalty's auxiliary percussion/keyboard section, so when we needed a guitarist, we looped Al in and he was a perfect fit. 

What's the story behind the band name?

Ryan: We thought it was a fitting name for an all-girl surf band. 

What are your biggest musical influences?

Ryan: I'd like to say Tom Waits but I'm not sure it comes off in our tunes. I am a huge Kinks fan. We like to think of ourselves as a shitty version of the Kinks.

What artists (local, national and/or international) are you currently listening to?

Ryan: Future Islands out of Baltimore are a great band. Uku Kuut out of Estonia, I just found some of his albums they're great. El Rego from Benin is great soul stuff, the guitar sounds on his records are rad. 

What's the first concert that you ever attended and first album that you ever bought?

Ryan: I probably saw some awful local pop punk bands for my first concert. My first tape was the Offspring's "Smash" but my first CD was the Grosse Point Blank soundtrack, which I won in a Foosball tournament.

What do you love about DC's music scene?

Ryan: DC has a lot of great bands and a lot of cool house shows and house parties but maybe a lot of bands are too worried about the local scene and the "local sound". It'd be nice to see people get over that. 

What are your plans for the upcoming year?

Ryan: We have a busy couple months ahead of us. In about a week, we're releasing a teaser of a new song we recorded in Puerto Rico in January. Then we're touring from Baltimore and DC down to SXSW in Austin starting next Thursday. We're playing the Sweetlife Festival at Merriweather in May... Not sure after that. If we have time hopefully an album this year. 

What was your most memorable live show?

Ryan: We're pretty good at making sure we can't remember our shows. But we played with the Fresh & Onlys a little while back and the now-defunct venue Red Palace in DC. They were great. 

Is there someone who has helped your band grow through support? 

Ryan: Is this a set up for a god reference?

No. Is there a piece of equipment you couldn't live without and why?

Ryan: I got this 1960's Sears Silvertone amp from a pawn shop that has a kinda fuzzy tremelo. It's a pain in the ass to lug around and it's always falling apart but I just can't get rid of it.