echo juliet, in one form or another, has been around Austin since the Fall of 1993. Originating on the U.T. campus, the band went through the names Christine Ely & Free Thoreau and Catholic Fallout before deciding on the current name and line-up. Currently, echo juliet performs around the Austin area in small clubs, at parties, dances, and various outdoor festivals.
Christine Ely, for whom the band originally formed as a support act, sings leads vocals and plays rhythm guitar. Bryan Dunn performs all lead guitar work. James Hines lays down the bass lines. Joining him in the rhythm section is Wiley Koepp, playing drums and various other percussive devices. The band is frequently joined by Manuel Gonzales, whose conga and bongo playing has entertained audiences at Liberty Lunch, Antone's, and other local musical havens.
An echo juliet performance usually combines original songs, written mostly by Christine, with cover songs ranging from the 60's to the present. Ely's compositions reflect her influence form Natalie Merchant and Throwing Muses. Her style presents topics ranging from inner-emotional turmoil to her friends' romantic endeavors. Although she writes songs with her acoustic guitar, the band's cooperative arranging effort adds a great deal of musical variety. More recent songwriting by the other members has produced a more traditional rock 'n' roll sound, as evidenced by the show staple, "Sunshine."
Each echo juliet member has a distinct musical past, which provides a necessary mix of styles within the band. Yet with performing and entertaining in mind, there appears a unity that keeps the band together. "Solid music for a shaky world," reads one of the band's flyers. Whether playing three hours of cover songs at a large party or satiating Austin's original music fans, echo juliet satisfies audiences with their healthy, wholesome, solid sound.
