As musicians and a band, RougHouse is anything but rough around the edges. In fact, they are polished and we seasoned veterans of the local cover band scene. I recently caught up with Drummer AJ DeRose to learn a bit more about what makes RoughHouse tick.
HamCO: How did RoughHouse get started?
DeRose: RougHouse was born from some informal jam sessions with various musician friends that I organized beginning back in 2018. There were a number of folks who attended when they were able, but after 6 or 8 months, a core group started showing up every time. We had a number of songs that we were able to play, so we started talking about playing out.
We decided to try to perform at an open mic back when Nick Wengler hosted them at Alleys Alehouse on that awesome stage they used to have. About a week before the open mic, we decided we needed a name and so we kicked around ideas at practice until we ended up with Rough House. We did a search on bands named Rough House and discovered that there were several bands of that name. So we decided on the unique spelling to set us apart from the rest. It’s ended up being quite the conversation piece!
At our first open mic show, we probably played for around 30 minutes and it went well. We decided to find our way to the stage again. We ended up entering a battle of the bands contest, had a few other appearances, eventually got booked by Michael Smith at Barley Island Brew Pub back in the day. From there, we scored a couple shows at The Blind Owl and Center Point Brewery and then Pax Verum.
Then COVID hit…and our fledgling project was mothballed for almost a year before things started opening back up. We eventually were able to book a few shows as live music saw a comeback.
HamCo: What motivates the band to make music?
DeRose: Our band is a group of great people who have come together because of our common love of music. We have been through several ups and downs together and have grown close like a family. Our music and our performance is a bit different than some other bands on the scene today. We are not a pop band for the most part. Our calling card is the three part vocal harmonies. We are not a typical classic rock band, either. Although we can and occasionally do rock with the best of ‘em, we play mostly classic rock songs that are uptempo that you can dance to. We also mix in some blues and some 90’s rock, depending on the audience. What bonds us is our common love of music. It is our passion. It is at the center of our lives. We would rather listen to music than watch tv. Even though we all have busy lives in the band and outside it, we still find the time to go to concerts together or check out other local bands, play at a blues jam, or some even play as a solo act or sit in w other bands!
HamCo: Coolest gig Roughouse has played?
DeRose: RougHouse has played some way cool gigs including appearing at The Palladium, Lucas Oil Stadium and The Slippery Noodle. But, in my opinion, the coolest show we ever did was the first year we played at the Federal Hill Commons amphitheater as an opening act. The audience was a couple thousand people strong and none of us had ever played a show of that magnitude before! Plus, it was a hometown show in front of all our friends and neighbors right here in Noblesville!
HamCo: Ok, plug away! Where can our readers find you on the web?
DeRose: For more information on RougHouse, check us out at Roughouse Indy on Facebook and Instagram. All upcoming shows are posted as events on facebook. We have cool RougHouse t-shirts and hats available at our performances, hit us up at a show! In addition to appearing and some of the best brewhouses, wineries and distilleries in Indy, RougHouse has experience providing entertainment for private events, festivals, and fund raisers. We welcome the opportunity to host your next corporate event!
Comments