In our last issue, my close friend and fellow Troubadour founder Dominic Marcella wrote a stimulating piece on contemporary composition. This is a response to his argument regarding the decline of contemporary music in the academic world.

I’d like to preface my response by noting one thing that my partner and I agree upon. What someone else thinks of the music you listen to does not matter. If you think it is valuable music, than it is. This would seemingly assert that the music you find void of value is, in fact, not valuable, which presents us with an obvious contradiction. As unpractical and unnecessary as it may seem, this provides many academics the excuse to attempt to define music, or at least discover the boundaries of music. Marcella offered his boundaries, and now I’ll offer mine.

Organization of sound by a human mind is a popular way of describing music. But this raises some questions. Take the following video for example.

Elephant Orchestra

In many cases, the elephants were given instruments and were allowed to improvise. The result was a sonic experience that any unknowing listener would mistake for a beautifully composed piece from an Asian ensemble. Should this not be considered music? What about the more natural processes? Whale calls, rolling waves, and the ambient noises of the forest are all considered emotionally provocative sounds by many individuals. Is a chorus of wind chimes music? Why shouldn’t it be?

My point is that there are only two qualifiers of music. First, it must be a sound or many sounds. This simply differentiates music from other forms of art. Second, it must elicit some form of emotional reaction from at least one individual. If one person thinks it’s music, than it’s music.

Music need not be performed in a group. The endless hours of fiddling alone in my dorm room on my Yamaha keyboard and my Warwick bass guitar are more important to me than any live performance I’ve ever seen. Those sounds are intimately involved with my psyche and my emotional being, and they artistically represent more of myself than any song I’ve written with any band.

Music can never be unsuccessful unless no one is emotionally affected. As long as one person has gotten something out of a musical experience, even if it’s just the lone performer, that music has successfully performed its function.

Music does not need to move anyone, if by move you mean all of the connotations of beauty that go with the cliché. If an encounter with death metal (not to stereotype death metal, which is not frightening by any means to many fans) has truly frightened an unsuspecting listener, than it has elicited an emotional reaction. Not a moving one, but a reaction nonetheless.

Music does not need to intellectually stimulate. Background music plays an incredibly important function in society. The term Soundscapes is now being used to describe an entire genre of music. As long as it adds to the scenario, even the simplest background music is as valid as a mathematical masterpiece.

At the same time, music can benefit greatly from mathematical and technical principles. Being brainy and dodecaphonic can in itself give a piece of music emotional charge. Awe over intellectual and technical ability is an emotional reaction.

Just because a certain piece of music did not move you as a listener does not mean it cannot move someone else. “Imaginary Landscape No. 1” moves me. To think that John Cage has influenced music to such a great degree, but to credit his actual compositions as experiments and not music seems contradictory. “4’33” is successful for this listener. The ambient noises can become very musical and emotional if interpreted as such.

Separating the traditional composers of the past from modern composers is also problematic. Why does tradition have to mean ancient past? Didn’t Cage compose in the past? He’s already composed, and his compositions already exist in history. So why can’t they be more of an influence for someone than Mozart? Conversely, people aren’t influenced by everything just because everything exists. If you don’t like jazz, you won’t be influenced by Gershwin, no matter how historically significant the composer was.

The idea that Cage plays a specific role for all listeners alike, different than Beethoven’s role, is highly subjective and simply incorrect. Webern gives me more emotional satisfaction than Beethoven or Bach. The following Webern string quartet is a delicate, provocative masterpiece.

If a critic suggests that people listen to Beethoven because of its emotional value and listen to Cage for entirely different reasons, than that critic is only looking at music as it appeals to them.

I will agree that not being open to all tools, including historical and traditional composers, is a deplorable act. Any composer should understand the value of all music. But actively choosing to only use certain tools is intuitive and natural. How would music have any diversity if artists didn’t pick and choose their influences?

By Cody Thomas

Shreyans Jha stands in one corner of the room, next to his Fender amp, which is propped up on a chair. He wears his Epiphone Les Paul very low, an ideal position for jumping around with a guitar. The New York University music practice room is extremely warm. Jha and the rest of Null Friction, however, are used to playing in the heat. The band hails from Madras, India.

Over the last four years, Null Friction, with Jha as their front man and singer, has quickly become one of the most popular independent acts in India. The power trio of 20-year-olds (Jha just turned 21) has played in some of the country’s most important musical events, like the June Rock Out, an outdoor festival with thousands of spectators. They have been written about more than once in The Hindu, India’s national newspaper, and have also seen widespread radio play. They have been featured on the popular Indian podcast Sound of the Indian Underground and recently broke the top 10 most-watched music videos in India with their collection of still-frame photos that comprise the video for “Madras,” the first single off their eponymous album.

“It feels good when you’re walking through the supermarket and a guy randomly comes up to you and says, ‘I saw you guys last week, your show was awesome,”’ said Jha. He has also received emails from fans from all around India. Some fans even ask him for copies of his transcribed music so that they can learn the songs themselves.

Jha and his band mates, however, have recently reached an exciting crossroads. All three members are juniors in college, and all three are attending school in North America. Jha is currently a student at New York University, and his band mates go to school in Boston and Ottawa. Like most other college bands, the members of Null Friction have been forced to balance their studies with their music. On top of that, though, they also have to deal with the distance. Keeping the band together has been a challenge, but the rewards have been immeasurable for Jha. The band has just recently had the opportunity to play their first American show at Sullivan Hall in Manhattan.

“It feels good to be playing with Null Friction again,” said Jha. “It’s not about playing in New York or the middle of nowhere.”

The members of Null Friction met in high school, where they were classmates together. Jha and bass player Abhishek Singhal met first, and they added drummer Ansh Sanyal later. The band developed a strong sense of friendship during high school, and breaking up at the beginning of college never seemed like an option.

Jha describes the band as mainstream rock, and the sound is reminiscent of 90’s grunge. Null Friction factors in an emphasis on hard rock, which is balanced with a strong attraction towards catchy song writing. Jha says his guitar parts may have been most influenced by Tom Morello of Rage Against the Machine. When it comes to singing, though, his influences are a little more diverse. Jha draws influence from classical Indian music, and also lists Kurt Cobain, Chino Moreno, and Maynard James Keenan as vocal influences.

Another noticeable trend that emerges during the band’s practice involves Jha’s fascinating facial expressions. For most of practice, he wears a puzzled, frustrated look to match his low-hanging instrument. The tension in Jha’s face, however, always seems to resolve in the same genuinely enthusiastic smile. This occurs only after Jha has rigorously doodled with his guitar in search of the perfect riff for the current song.

“Shrey is the intellectual one,” says Sanyal, the drummer. “Abhishek is reserved, mellow, and soulful. I’m aggressive, and Shrey is the intellectual.” Sanyal also describes Jha as a perfectionist, which he says is important in the writing process for the band.

The three members have, so far, succeeded in keeping the band active. They have a Skype conversation once a week, and have even managed to practice occasionally. “The more important thing to a band is being friends,” says Jha. Null Friction’s first show at Sullivan Hall in February proved successful, and the venue invited them back for another show this St. Patrick’s Day. “It was a lot of fun,” said Jha.

“What’s been helpful for us is that we’ve always had a goal and we’re always working towards something,” says Jha. The band, however, keeps its sight on short-term goals. “We don’t get a chance to think about the long-term.” For Jha, it has become less about the long-term goals and more about just doing things with the band. “We spend 2 hours on a train to practice for 10 minutes, or do pointless things like that. But the pointless things come together and end up some of your most important memories.”

One pointless thing in particular sticks out. Jha remembers a show the band played in a small town in South India. Null Friction was scheduled to play for an hour but went on for only 10 minutes. The motivation, according to Jha, was simply to piss off the people running the show and to see if they could get away with it.

As for being a student so far from home, Jha concedes that it contributes to his music. “When you’re home you feel comfortable and you have all the resources of being home,” says Jha. “When you’re away from home, you’re always slightly stressed, and that definitely affects the music.” Plus, Jha feels as if being away has helped him focus his influences from back home. “When you’re there, you’re being bombarded with it, but when you’re here it’s like wearing gloves and you can select what you listen to,” says Jha. “There are less Indian influences, but they’re more focused.”

Music elitism may very well be a disease running rampant through the metal community. Many metalheads refuse to acknowledge the value of pop music. While this is a huge mistake, it is undeniable that the underground nature of metal presents some excellent advantages. When The Black Dahlia Murder performed at Santos Party House this past March 20th, they gave their audience a show Lady Gaga fans could never hope for.

Exhibit A surfaced before the band even took the stage. Rhythm guitarist Brian Eschbach mingled with the audience while the opening bands played. This set the tone for a very intimate evening.

When the band took the stage, they immediately began acknowledging fans with handshakes and fist pounds. Singer Trevor Strnard even accepted snacks from one enthusiastic female fan. As in most metal shows, as soon as the music started all sense of personal space disappeared. Anyone within the first 20 feet of the stage had very little control over where they were standing, as the crowd swayed violently back and forth. Strnard and Eschbach fed off this energy and frequently got as close to audience members as possible. When Strnard spotted fans that seemed familiar with the lyrics, he regularly grabbed them and screamed the words into their faces.

Crowd surfers had no security guards to catch them and usually ended up on stage next to the band. Many of these fans took the opportunity to sing into the microphone along with the welcoming Strnard, clad in his usual red gym shorts, shirtless with his “heartburn” tattoo splayed across his stomach. While Strnard and Eschbach commanded the attention of the entire venue, bassist Bart Williams and drummer Shannon Lucas stayed casual by keeping away from the limelight (aside from a brief rendition of the opening to Rage’s “Take the Power Back).

The climax of the show came with only two songs left. The band performed “Miasma” as if it were the last time they ever would. Eschbach screamed the lyrics back at fans, sweat dripping from his long hair and eyes clutched tightly closed.

When the show finished, the band humbly packed their own gear and chatted with fans. No contrived encore followed, but none was needed. The audience was sufficiently satisfied

“Paparazzi” was an interesting choice for a cover, considering the venue. When L2 performed the Lady Gaga song at the Bitter End this past Dec. 30, it paid homage to the pop star in more ways than one. For those who do not know, Lady Gaga performed at the Bitter End a handful of times during her brief enrollment at NYU.

That celebratory spirit contributes a lot to L2’s stage presence. A more commanding attribute of their performance, though, may lie in their ability to complement each other. They are sisters after all.

“In real life, I’m more outgoing,” said Jessica Labbadia, 17, a high school senior and the younger of the two. “On stage, Melissa is more outgoing.”

L2, formerly known as the Labbadia Sisters, was formed by Jessica and Melissa, 20. They currently live in Norwalk, CT but have recently made an effort to establish a presence in Manhattan’s heralded music scene. The duo has also graced the stage with well-known pop acts like Ryan Cabrera and Anberlin. It’s safe to say L2 has picked up steam since their humble beginnings.

“Music has been a part of our family since we were so little,” said Jessica. Indeed, Melissa was involved with musical theater at 3.

“We sang together at home, writing music,” said Melissa, referring to their childhood together. The sisters decided to combine their passion for music around middle school age, forming the first incarnation of L2. The sisters began performing consistently when Melissa was only 15, starting with school band nights that slowly evolved into NYC club gigs.

L2 has, admittedly, gone through their fair share of different styles. Recently, the girls have tried to add something new to their pop-rock sound. “We’ve added dance beats,” said Jessica. “It sounds like Katie Perry meets Lady Gaga.” Melissa went on to list more influences; Kelly Clarkson, Pat Benetar, and Joan Jett all included.

Incidentally, with the new sound came newfound success. Recently, their shows have been so well attended that they decided to start hosting meet-and-greets. “The coolest was when we were recognized on the street in New York,” said Melissa, who credited their New York street team as a big part of the process.

The increasing popularity has been a result of hard work, but it doesn’t mean the sisters can start to take any time off. Melissa decided to postpone college in order to do more work for the band, and things have been stressful for Jessica at times, considering that she is also dealing with her last year of high school. “But it’s what I want to do,” said Jessica. “It’s worth the late nights.”

“It’s our life, and we’re used to doing it,” said Melissa.

“It is sad, though,” joked Jessica. Melissa chimed in to help finish the sentence, saying, “When there’s no time to bake cookies for Christmas.”

L2 made one thing clear. They were committed to their music. The most telling sign may have been the freezing cold back room the girls were enduring at the Bitter End. For them, playing in New York was well worth the price. “We love New York,” said Melissa. “It’s so alive.”

While the City is a satisfying place for the girls to broaden their horizons, their goals are much more ambitious. “We would love to tour,” said Melissa. She added that the final piece of the puzzle would be to land a record deal.

While Jessica admitted that she thinks about using her musical abilities to pursue other careers (both girls are still involved in musical theater, and Melissa just finished up her lead role in the off-Broadway performance of “Cleopatra” this summer), Melissa had a different take on the process. “I want to go at music full force,” she said. “Instead of a backup plan, that energy could be used towards the ultimate goal.”

When “Do What You Do” was released for 2008’s “The New Game,” it was easy for Mudvayne fans to dismiss the album. Hell Yeah, Chad Gray and Greg Tribbet’s side project with Vinnie Paul, was still on their mind, resulting in a single with bigger, cheesier rock-and-roll tones. Many Mudvayne fans missed out on a solid album with a lot of good material.

Mudvayne’s most recent self-titled release is a page out of the same book. “Scream With Me,” the album’s first single, is interchangeable with “Do What You Do,” and it instantly disappoints any fan clinging to the raw, technical sounds of the first three albums. After a few listens it’s not so bad, but it’s certainly not enough to get anyone excited.

The opening moments could easily ignite the loyal fans, but “Beautiful and Strange” and “1000 Mile Journey” are only mediocre in comparison to older Mudvayne. The album hits a low with the fourth track, “Closer,” but immediately picks up with “Heard It All Before” and “I Can’t Wait,” Mudvayne’s heaviest material since “Determined.” “Beyond the Pale” shows that the band can embrace the Hell Yeah influence and still make some good music. The album finishes strong with “Out to Pasture,” reminiscent of “Skrying,” and “Burn the Bridge,” plus Mudvayne’s first acoustic song in five albums, “Dead Inside.”

Gray’s vocals are still not what they used to be, and Martinie’s bass playing does not pick up until half way through the album, where it is as good as ever. The album, though, is certainly heavier than Mudvayne’s last release, and fans that stick with it through the first five tracks may just come to find Mudvayne’s career is not as much of a train wreck as it seems.

The opening song of any show can usually tell you a lot about the rest of the set list. When Chevelle opened with “Sleep Apnea” at Irving Plaza this past Feb 9th, a show primarily consisting of songs off the recently released “Sci-Fi Crimes” seemed inevitable. The pattern, fortunately, did not hold up.

Pete Loeffler, front man for the band, admitted that they had not played in New York for a very long time. The crowd was excited to hear any set at all, but the energy started out low and the opening moments were plagued by half-hearted sing-a-longs of lyrics yet to be memorized. The crowd’s energy picked up during “Vitamin R,” and by the time the band was ready to play tracks off of “Wonder What’s Next,” probably Chevelle’s most beloved album, the audience was already sold. “Family System” came five or six songs later than most expected, but it was well worth the wait.

Loeffler even decided to adjust the set list twice, acknowledging the crowd’s preference for older and heavier songs. Loeffler demonstrated a superb ability to control the crowd despite being significantly less energetic than the stereotypical hard-rock front man. Like a calm and collective captain, Loeffler led the crowd through spectacular renditions of “An Evening With El Diablo” and “Emotional Drought.” Loeffler did not need to jump around. The audience was energetic enough on their own, making the crowded floor disappear under a constantly shifting wave of fans.

The band remained as mystic and distant as they do on their recordings, keeping the same odd, roughly interpreted intimacy they feature in their albums. The band almost seemed surprised by the amount of energy they were receiving from the fans but used it to create a commanding and memorable performance.

This past October 24th, as part of the CMJ festival, the Temptress hosted about 500 fans (probably a few more than the boat is supposed to hold) for the festival’s only metal show. The show featured Virginia grindcore band Pig Destroyer, who played between New Orleans bands Goatwhore and headliners Eyehategod.

“We saw this show and we were like, ‘we have to play this show with Eyehategod on a boat,’” said Scott Hull, guitarist of the band. “I mean come on. It’s on a boat.” While few of the musicians and fans could find the right words to describe what was so special about a show on a boat, everyone seemed to agree that the setting made this far better than your average metal show. To add to the perfect surroundings, a few bolts of lightning decorated the skyline only hours before the show began.

From the dance floor, the Temptress seems roomy. The wooden floor, acting as the stage, is surrounded by a second floor balcony. Carpeted standing room with a very low ceiling circles underneath the balcony, and an outdoor deck was open as a smoking area away from the show. Add a couple hundred fans and all that personal space quickly disappears, especially for the band.

“I felt like I was playing in a war-zone,” said Hull. During Pig Destroyer’s set, fans pushed the band off the floor and backed them against their amps. The couple dozen eccentric fans in the front lines got a very intimate show. After only a couple of songs, though, no one else on the boat could see the band underneath the flailing limbs of the pit. The few lucky fans missed out on vocals, since the PA was situated a few feet behind them. JR Hayes, the band’s vocalist, was still vaguely audible over the amplifiers.

“It was crazy,” said Hayes, who rarely needed to make eye contact with fans despite commanding tremendous stage presence. “I’ve never played a show like this before.”

That would be saying a lot, considering how much popularity has come with the band’s newest studio release, Phantom Limb. Pig Destroyer, however, has established a reputation for not playing a ton of shows. The members have noted various reasons for the lack of gigs, an uncommon occurrence in the metal world, and the influx of fans has not prompted the band to change their ways.

“It’s not about playing a ton of shows, it’s just about playing the good shows,” said Hull. “And it’s about hanging out with the fans at the shows we do play.” The band certainly did just that, though it may have been because of the tight confines of the venue. Nevertheless, when the majority of the other musicians were nowhere to be seen, Hull and Hayes joined drummer Brian Harvey (Blake Harrison, samples, was feeling a little seasick) on the deck and in the audience talking with fans.

Playing on a boat was certainly a new experience for the band, but playing in New York was a little more familiar. “We love playing in New York,” said Hull. “We’ve always had good shows in New York.”

“Well, except for the first one,” Hayes corrected. “Our first show in New York was at the Knitting Factory, and there were only, like, 12 people there.” Hayes laughed as he told the story, while Hull struggled to recall the gig.

The band has come a long way from that first New York gig, though, and Pig Destroyer is now considered one of the leaders in a very strong subgenre. “We’re sort of a third generation grindcore band,” said Hayes.

Pig Destroyer has not been afraid to venture elsewhere in their career, even releasing a one-track doom metal EP called Natasha (sonically, a polar opposite of grindcore). “I wanted to create an auditory experience,” said Hull, the primary writer on the specific project. “I want you to put it in your DVD player with your 5.1 surround sound and sit in the middle of the room.”

The intricate musical and lyrical details are not limited to Natasha, and really come to the forefront on Phantom Limb. “With Phantom Limb, we got to jam out on these songs for two months,” said Hayes.

Jamming out on grindcore songs is an interesting notion, considering the typical length of a track is about a minute. There was an advantage to the song lengths for the fans on the Temptress, though, as the forty-minute set featured more songs than most would expect. The quick-hit style had many exhausted early in the set, but the audience and the band seemed to respond by using the sense of weariness to fuel more energy and movement. A dim red spotlight peered through the thicket of raised arms, causing shadows to jump wildly on Hayes.

Later on in the evening, Hayes found himself leading the cast of 500 again, this time in a very different way. As the Temptress pulled in, Hayes stood at the front of the deck with a cigarette, looking straight ahead at the Manhattan skyline, the Intrepid brightly lit up just to the left of the dock. Fans had been approaching him all night, but at this moment no one seemed to want stand within 10 feet, leaving the musician to sing along with Eyehategod’s set, faintly sounding from a set of speakers, in a light drizzle.

Pig Destroyer has found itself, despite increasing popularity, at a point of satisfaction. The members know a higher pinnacle can be reached, but enjoying the present seems more important and goals remain short term. “We just spent all summer building a studio,” said Hull. “There’s no new material yet, but we’re ready to get back to work.”

For Hayes, however, there is one long-term goal. “I just want to play with Slayer.”

That is not to say there is no good material on World Painted Blood. Sure, tracks like “Unit 731” and “Hate Worldwide” are boring attempts to recapture the old thrash charm. Songs like “Snuff,” though, prove to be new approaches to that same thrash tradition.

A good majority of the songs experiment with techniques not typical of Slayer. The singing in “Beauty Through Order” and the grindcore-esque riff of “Public Display of Dismemberment” might turn some fans off, but the experienced musicians actually do a great job pulling it off. Songs like “Human Strain” and “Playing With Dolls” build on the Christ Illusion sound and show that the band has mastered the styles of contemporary metal acts.

There are some huge weaknesses in the album, though. With a couple exceptions, the lyrics seem more mindlessly violent and stereotypically metal than the intelligently crafted words on the last album. While Slayer has been susceptible to these types of lyrics before, they have always done a good job balancing the different faces of the metal community. World Painted Blood tries too hard to bridge the mindless metal persona with developing music ideas that alienated some fans on previous albums. Had Slayer released an album that purely built on Christ Illusion, it would have been well within their reach to master a sound that they had only begun to explore. Instead, they chose to appease Slayer fans with little appreciation for growth, and likely failed because of the unavoidable developments in the bands music.

The Great Misdirect has all the technical wonder of Colors, while lead guitarist Paul Waggoner continues to play astonishingly precise riffs and solos. The improvement comes with the tone of the music. The Great Misdirect combines masterful technicality with a creepier, darker tone that seems more like Opeth than BTBAM. The opener “Mirrors,” for example, is the same light intro idea the band implemented with Colors. While the track is considerably jazzy, it takes on a somber mood that sets up a theme of eeriness.

The Great Misdirect also utilizes repeated parts, something the band has always avoided. There are even a couple of sections that sound like choruses and verses. This may be tough for a traditional BTBAM fan to cope with, but the new sense of structure seems to lend the songs more cohesiveness.

The albums second track, “Obfuscation,” starts off with the same tired material from previous releases. After a couple of minutes, an unbelievable bass and drum groove snaps the music out of its slumber, and the album never looks back. This may be the rhythm sections strongest material yet. Bass player Dan Briggs really shines, and shows virtuosity that has seldom surfaced before.

The intro to “Fossil Genera” is another spectacular example of the bands versatility, combing folk piano with a brutally heavy riff. “Swim to the Moon” keeps that vibe going with a synth intro that sounds like a jug band.

With every release, BTBAM seems to mature more and more. Eventually, the band will set a bar they simply cannot match. But for now, another rising seems in order.

Just behind the door is a long, concrete hallway; the main passageway and backbone of the Sweatshop. No, this is not that kind of sweatshop. This Sweatshop is one of Williamsburg’s most coveted secrets, considering the growing music scene in the neighborhood. This Sweatshop is a music practice space. For nearly seven years, the Sweatshop has provided the musical communities of New York with a cheaper, more convenient practice alternative. And you cannot have music if you do not have space to practice, making the Sweatshop one of the vital organs in New York music.

“Run by musicians, for musicians,” said Rob Alfonso, one of the three owners and managers of the Sweatshop. “That’s our motto.” Alfonso and co-owner Z Jadwick initially played in a local band together, but the band broke up in 2001. Consequently, that was how the Sweatshop started.

The space was originally a monthly room rental and was primarily filled with bands looking for private practice space. Whenever a band moved out, Alfonso and Jadwick would try to help the landlord by taking the space and renting it out to friends’ bands. “It wasn’t originally a business model,” said Jadwick. “But it was a basement. What else were we going to do besides play music down here?”

“It kept growing on its own,” said Alfonso. Once they had access to all of the rooms, opening it as a business seemed like the next logical step. As for the name, the musicians shared the building with an industrial clothing factory until early in the business’ inception.

The band has long been broken up, but Alfonso and Jadwick have remained behind with the space. Although, not too far behind. Alfonso and his wife, Vanessa Dobre, also co-owner and manager, now live in Rockaway, and Jadwick currently lives in New Jersey. “He’s actually closer to here by driving,” said Alfonso, following with a deep laugh.

The business is no longer about providing a practice space for their friends. Since 2003, the owners have focused on providing their customers with a place they can appreciate. Looking at the Sweatshop’s busy evening and weekend schedules, literally a half dozen giant calendars on the office wall, it seems like they have accomplished their goal.

“The equipment is good quality, and that’s key,” said Mark Kirby, a drummer from just a few blocks away who has been using the Sweatshop since it opened. “They always change the drum heads, which a lot of places don’t do.”

The Sweatshop’s most intriguing quality for its customers might be the great range in price. The cheapest room costs only $15 an hour and fits a four-piece band comfortably, while still providing two guitar amps, a bass amp, a drum set, and a PA. Most of the rooms cost $20 an hour and are a little larger. The owners even let individual drummers practice at the discounted price of $12 an hour.

The main attraction, though, is the $35 showcase room. Atop a small, lit stage sits a Yamaha drum set, decorated by the Sweatshop logo on the bass drum, with three guitar amps and a four-foot tall bass amp. At the foot of the stage is a small lounge area with two broken-in couches. “We throw some parties in hear,” said Alfonso, casually reclined next to Jadwick on one of the couches. “This couch comes out and the bar comes in.”

“The showcase room is the coolest room,” said Melissa Labbadia, a singer for her band L2. “It’s big and it has the stage setup.” Melissa and her sister Jessica Labbadia, also a lead singer, practice at the Sweatshop with their band at least three times before every gig. “It’s kind of gritty, which gets you in the rock mood,” said Melissa.

“The walls are covered with bands’ advertising and you can hear the other bands practicing,” said Jessica. “It gets your ready to practice.”

“And the name is very appropriate,” added Rich Labbadia, the sisters’ father and manager. “There’s no air conditioning or anything.” Alfonso has even lent his guitar playing to L2 as a member of the band, who describe their sound as pop-rock with an edge. “It’s a very comfortable setting,” said Rich.

“The couches are really comfy,” added AJ Javier, another guitar player, sporting a baby blue fender strat, who has played with L2 in the past. “The half stacks for guitar are top of the line, but it does take some fiddling to get your settings.”

“This place has open and warm owners,” said Tom Gehlhaus, who has worked for the Sweatshop for two-and-a-half years. Gehlhaus, who is also a drummer, was born in Queens but grew up in Florida. Now he lives in Flatbush in the Bronx. “It’s really great because there’s practice time available,” said Gehlhaus, who met his current band while they were practicing in the Sweatshop.

“We support their careers as drummers,” said Alfonso. The other two regular employees also play drums and frequently take breaks to go on tour. “We want to give them freedom to be a musician.”

The impact of the Sweatshop is starting to be felt outside of the Williamsburg community. Popular bands that frequently practice there include I Am the Avalanche, The Queen V, Karen O of Yeah Yeah Yeahs, and The Smashup. Jason Bittner, drummer of Shadows Fall, even filmed an instructional drum video in one of the Sweatshop’s practice rooms.

As the Sweatshop’s influence grows, the neighborhood remains unaware of the musical community brimming literally underneath their feet. “I live upstairs, and there’s no noise,” said the manager of San Marco Pizzeria, who would only give his name as Sal Pizza. The pizzeria sits just around the corner, and the employees appreciate the business the musicians bring. “They come in all the time. They even hosted a show this past summer for the neighborhood. It was great.”

A music practice space would seemingly by trouble with the neighbors, but the Sweatshop has received almost no noise complaints. “Most people in the neighborhood don’t even know we’re here,” said Jadwick.

As the Sweatshop gains notoriety, the owners look to start supporting the local music scene in other ways. Dobre listed numerous concerts and music programs that the Sweatshop sponsors, including Gotham Rocks and BEA Rock Camp, a Brooklyn camp for young musicians.

The owners all hope to adapt the Sweatshop to provide for the changing world of music. “We’re always trying to implement new ideas,” said Alfonso. “We want to add an audio-visual aspect. We want you to be able to shoot a video and get it edited right here.”

For now, they remain happy with providing their clients with a quality experience. “We rock the block,” said Dobre.

Now is an especially good time to check out the Sweatshop. They’re giving a ten percent discount to anyone with a valid NYU ID for the month of February. You can learn more about the place by checking out their website, thesweatshopnyc.com.