ScrantonMade: Arts on the Square Spotlight: Meet Chet Williams

No matter where you go, it’s always nice to come home. Musician Chet Williams moved to Philly but he’s looking forward to coming back to NEPA to play Arts on the Square with his new band. We can assure him, we’re equally excited to have him back!

Hey Chet!

What’s the official name of the group you’ll be playing with at Arts on the Square?

“Chet Williams (full band)”

Who’s who and who plays what?

Chet Williams- Guitar/vocals

Todd Fausnacht- Guitar

Kevin Boland- Bass

Tyler Dempsey- Drums

Tell us about your music background.

I played with So Long, Pluto from 2008-2011 and with AwkwardSilence from 2009-2011. So Long, Pluto played Penn State’s Movin’ On festival 2 years in a row, opening for Less Than Jake, Mayday Parade, The Spill Canvas, and others. We also went on a week-long tour and played in Ohio, Michigan, Indiana, and other places. Awkward Silence played Warped Tour in 2009.

How would you best describe your current music project?

It’s folk-punk with pop melodies. We sometimes sound like Neutral Milk Hotel, sometimes like They Might Be Giants, and sometimes like Radiohead. Though, we are not quite as good as any of the three.

Who are your biggest musical influences?

Radiohead, Elliott Smith, Bright Eyes, Modest Mouse, My Bloody Valentine, Beck, Wolf Parade, The Menzingers, Daft Punk, Nas, Jay-Z, The Beatles, The National, Bjork… we can go on and on.

Did you move to Philly to further your musical career?

I went to Philly for college (Temple U). But it made it easier to find shows and meet a lot of great musicians. The music scene in Philly is thriving!

Is there anything you miss about NEPA and the music scene here?

Yeah. I was a semi-large fish in a semi-small pond when I lived here. Now I’m a drop of water in a river. It’s much tougher to be noticed in a city as big as Philly. It’s also not as close-knit.