The Yavin 4: The Force Meets Geek Punk
Out for a walk on a perfect day
No one carries weapons and they all feel safe
But something is looming up there in the sky
Just out of the reach of the naked eye
Everybody's laughing and they're having fun
And everybody gets along with everyone
But a sudden flash of light, everything is gone
Goodbye, Alderaan
Those are the lyrics to "Goodbye Alderaan," a blazing pop punk anthem sung by Indianapolis-based geek band The Yavin 4. To say these guys are underground would be an understatement. I LIVE in their city and just recently heard about them! Despite their obscurity, these guys are pretty talented! Granted, there's a bit of a nerd curve as every song is about Star Wars and the band performs in full costume, so don't expect your friends with low midi-chlorian counts to immediately jump on board.
Some of the songs have the typical fandom you'd expect. There's a song about Boba Fett being a badass, and to be honest, I'd be shocked if any Star Wars band did not have a reference saying that exact thing. On the flip side, these guys take their fandom deep, dedicating an entire song to bounty hunter Amanaman, who was a briefly shown character in Jabba's Palace in Return of The Jedi.
He's the guy on the left, if you didn't know.
A personal favorite track of mine, "Arfive Defour," is a track dedicated to a droid with a want to bang, but he needs his motivator replaced. It's the right mix of creativity, ludicrousness, and originality that this genre deserves, and The Yavin 4 owns it.
In addition to "Arfive Defour," my personal favorites on this album also included "Goodbye Alderaan" and "Queen Amidala."
I really like what these guys are doing. With the con scene growing, we need more acts like these to fill out panels! I'm sick of seeing podcast after podcast of guys I don't follow nor know taking up numerous slots! Give me some fun and dancing! Hell, with as many cons as there are now, a geek band could do pretty well going on a strictly con tour around the nation!
If you are someone who's into punk music with a twist, these guys are totally worth your time. Their album, Intergalactic Rock and Roll, is available to stream for free below...and if you happen to like it, maybe throw these guys some support by buying it? At the very least give them a like on their Facebook page! We need more of this in the community!
The Yavin 4 is Benny NoGood (guitar/vocals), Travis Harmon (guitar/vocals), Jason Bambery (bass/vocals), and Chad Prifogle (drums) respectively.