It’s 8 p.m. at The Ship — a coastal-themed bar built like a ship. Life preservers are hung on the walls next to doors with portholes. Standing on stage, SM East parent Chris Swope plucks the B-minor chord of "Catwoman in Bat Cave" on his Swope Man Wray guitar as SM East parent Timm Walker plays the drums and their third member, Doug Byers, plays the bass.
They’re all dressed in Beatle boots, black pants, white shirts with purple crushed velvet jackets and continental ties partially tucked in the shirt collar — a specific look from the 60s.
Friends, family and visitors gathered in a crowd of over 100 people. Swope makes eye contact with an audience member and points his guitar at them while making a goofy face.
“We've tried to consciously have some moves,” Swope said. “They're horrible moves, but you know, you got to move around. You got to look like you're having fun. And it's when you do that you have fun.”
Swope and Walker are both in a three-person instrumental surf-rock band called the Kaw Tikis as a fun way to continue their shared interest in music. Through performing at shows in Lawrence, they’ve formed a community with their audience.
Walker first started the band with three other members in 2018. Swope joined the band five years ago and is now the only guitarist after their fourth member left a few months ago. Both of them were part of bands in high school. While Swope pursued making guitars, Walker is an engineer at Garmin.
However, in the band, they both use the opportunity to have fun instead of having to perform under pressure.
The band also wanted their fashion to reflect the time periods in the 1900s. Audience members at the shows are diverse, from 65-year-old ladies wearing Go-Go boots and a mini dress to a SM East parent supporting their friends.
“You could walk into a club and see us playing and not know what year it is,” Swope said.
While they do covers, Swope has also started writing his original songs.
“That’s been really fun to kind of create my own drum parts for [Swope’s songs], and then we all work together to try to figure out what,” Walker said. “If they think something doesn't quite sound right, or they have other ideas, they'll describe what they are looking for drum-wise, and then I make up something else, and it's pretty fun and collaborative that way.”
Swope and Walker have gotten closer on the hour-long car rides to Lawrence to shows, talking about cars or their daughters, juniors Lucy Swope and Esther Walker and sophomore Emma Walker. Practice at Walker’s house three times a month from 6:30-9 p.m. has been another way for them to grow closer.
Gathered in the basement, Swope rhythmically strummed on his guitar connected to amplifiers as Walker banged on the drums, while in her bedroom, Emma wore noise-canceling headphones.
“This music is just a happy party, and we're just happy to be the band in the background to your party that you happen to be in,” Swope said. “And I think it's kind of infectious. I think a lot of people just really enjoy it. They don't have to listen too hard. They don't have to be a good dancer to immerse themselves in the pretend experience of this band from yesteryear.”
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