Pinpointing where Jukebox the Ghost is based is easier said than done. The band came together here in D.C. when Ben Thornewill, Tommy Siegel and Jesse Kristin joined forces while attending George Washington University. At one point, the group relocated to Philadelphia, but, in reality, two of three members now live in New York City.
So, where does Jukebox the Ghost call home?
| Onstage |
| Jukebox the Ghost |
| Where: Black Cat, 1811 14th St NW |
| When: 9 p.m. Saturday |
| Info: $15, mainstage |
“We started in D.C.,” said Siegel, during a recent phone interview to discuss the band’s upcoming show at the Black Cat this Saturday. “It’s where we cut our teeth. The reality of it is we tour so much that we really just live in a van.”
Touring JTG has certainly done. Siegel says they’ve done 150 shows a year the last few years. The band has opened for the likes of Barenaked Ladies and Ben Folds; has played Europe; and last year played the huge Lollapalooza festival in Chicago.
“Things are going well,” Siegel said. “We’ve just been touring our asses off. There are no signs of stopping. We’re just going to keep doing it as long as we can.”
JTG’s success has grown brick by brick the last few years, and is not the result of some grand plan. Three years ago, the group released the well-received album “Let Live and Let Ghosts,” which featured such catchy tracks as “Good Day” and “Hold it In.”
In September of last year, the group released its second full-length effort, “Everything Under the Sun.” This most recent album features a number of influences, including the Beatles and New Order, and some very danceable tracks.
The two albums and hundreds of shows played are just part of JTG doing their thing.
“We’ve always been stumbling into things,” Siegel said. “It was only when people were coming to shows that we were like ‘Oh, we can do this.’ It was never like us driving to make it happen. It sort of felt like we fell into it, in a really good way.”
JTG has toured extensively since “Everything Under the Sun” came out last year, and the group plans to record this summer and see what live performance opportunities present themselves.
“We realized our path may not be as a ‘buzz band,’ but the age-old model still applies,” Siegel said. “If you tour, and people like it, and if you just work really hard, you can make it. You have your own destiny ahead.”
And a small part of that destiny includes a return performance at the Black Cat this weekend.
“It feels that way more than any other city,” Siegel said when asked if this weekend is a homecoming. “Our fans in D.C. are amazing. It really feels like home. It’s exciting to come back there.”
