The DRIVE Issue: Supercritical
WORDS BY JESSE FROLIK, PHOTOS BY ELLIOT NOVAK, MAKEUP BY MACY CHEN
If you’ve been around the Madison DIY scene the past three years, you’re probably well aware of Supercritical. A household name, this band has made an ideology of support for a thriving music community. Even beyond the stage and lights, you can often find their members just as often in the crowds and behind the scenes of local shows all around town.
Despite their prevalence in Madison, you may not even know the names of their songs. So I sat down with the band to get to know them a little bit better, and see what they think of the scene they call home.
This interview has been edited for length and clarity.
Let's start with everyone’s names and what instrument you play in Supercritical.
Charley Caton: I play the drums.
Griffin Beronio: I play guitar.
Javier Montoya: I play guitar.
Heidi Anderson: I play bass.
Gavin Uhrmacher: I play vocals.
So, how did Supercritical originate?
Gavin: Supercritical originated via Charley and I convening on one of those freshmen group chat apps, specifically for people wanting to play live music, and we met because we lived like 100 feet from each other that year. Then everyone else came about in some form or other, I think because of a flyer we had made.
Heidi: Well, I lived in Charley’s dorm.
Gavin: Yeah, that was the exception. But these two *pointing to Javier & Griffin* were collected by the flyer. The band’s style was always put forth in the flyer as attempting to blend elements of indie and hardcore.
Griffin: I was mutuals with Gavin, so I would see them performing and it looked like a wide variety of different genres and thought, “oh this is cool, this is someone who’s into a lot of different kinds of music!” Then when the flyer got posted I guess I was the first non dorm member to join.
Did the flyer have the name Supercritical on it already? Or was that decided later?
Griffin: Long after!
Heidi: It was way later, we had lots of lists.
Gavin: Yeah, it took us a minute to figure out a name.
Griffin: We had this group playlist that we’d put covers and inspirational songs for us on, that was just called “Adjective Animal”
Heidi: Because that’s what all bands are like, and we wanted to steer clear from an adjective plus an animal
Gavin: I think the name Supercritical was something I came up with way before I’d even met anyone here, like that would be a cool name for something eventually. I guess it was the best idea that we all didn’t dislike, so it stuck.
With a lot of you working on other projects, how do you balance your time and energy between Supercritical and what you’re doing as individuals?
Charley: Poorly.
All: *Laughter*
Griffin: I’d add, since we’re all the same year, it’s gotten progressively more difficult to make scheduling happen. But we’re all still very committed to this project, and as long as that spirit is still in it, I think we should have no problem keeping it going. And as a member who has a side project, it’s nice to have two different ways to express yourself. With Supercritical, I’m able to really tap into some heavier stuff that I don’t normally get into with the other projects, and vice versa.
Charley: It’s hard, especially if we’re all students as well. So finding balance between studying for exams before or after shows is always a little bit of a stressor, but we make do.
What does the Madison DIY scene mean to you all as performers, hosts, and attendees?
Gavin: I mean, Madison DIY is the only community of this kind that I’ve known. So it’s been very foundational to the way I interact with local art.
Griffin: Community is a good word to describe it, because once you enter it, you fully immerse yourself in a way that I never have. I’ve never experienced such a welcoming group of people, and the network branches out so far. There’s so much high quality music being produced here, it’s a whole universe you can keep exploring.
Heidi: I agree, I think the amount of fans that we have in Madison, in this community, is what makes it. Because everyone’s super involved and dedicated to what they’re doing. I love when we can all get together and just be excited about the same thing, all dancing to the same music. I feel like I really connect with people in a different way than by just talking to them.
Griffin: To your point about venues, part of the reason why there is such a great welcoming scene here is because there’s a lot of space for people to play. Where I grew up, in Washington DC, I've had a lot harder time finding opportunities to perform.
Charley: I come from Austin, which is supposed to be the local music capital of the world, and there is not even half the opportunity for small scale acts in Austin as there is in Madison.
Javier: Yeah, I come from a small town near Beloit. There are no people that play music, and no local scenes that compete here with the DIY scene. It’s totally game changing, like a whole nother type of lifestyle. And I just feel like the community within the DIY scene is full of really good people.
Are there any peers in the scene you want to shout out that you look towards?
Griffin: Oh, man, shout out everybody!
Heidi: Shout out to all the other musicians! Everyone that plays an instrument in the city, shout out to you!
Griffin: Tollbooth! And rest in peace Sorry Machine! And Eat Turf! And Shoobie!
Charley: Dad Bods!
Javier: I’m just a Sex, Fear fanboy.
Heidi: Shout out Cause And Control and Mail Fraud!
Griffin (member of Cause And Control): You don’t need to shout them out.
Charley (member of Mail Fraud): Speak for yourself!
This issue of EMMIE Magazine is going to be called the “Drive” Issue. What does “Drive” mean to y’all as the band Supercritical?
Griffin: I think, because there’s this incredible saturation of groups, it raises the bar a bit. With so many people that you’re going to be sharing venues with, you’re constantly monitoring who else is out there and how they’re doing it. It’s inspiring, if anything.
Gavin: A little bit of friendly competition, to keep yourself on track, to keep yourself doing cool shit.
What does the future look like for Supercritical?
Gavin: Ideally getting an EP or an album out, some kind of release out this semester! Get it all finished up, get it out, because it’s been too damn long!
