Fort Reno starts off this Monday and that means that : a. summer is officially IN DC and b. that half the show going city population is still discussing “who gets to play and who doesn’t and why”. And while the schedule is filled with Fort Reno favorites and obvious (tried and tested) choices we decided that the best way to kick off the summer concert series with is with a band that
is not only opening the festival, but is also probably the biggest unknown (in a good way, as always) on the schedule. The Boom Orangutangs

So, we mercilessly and interpidly sent Haley and Alexandra on their trail.
This is their story:

(Interviewed by Haley Harter
Photographed by Alexandra Verville)

Who are the Boom Orangutangs? I am sure many of you asked that same question when the Fort Reno schedule was finally announced. Lucky for me, I was able to get some inside scoop because I work with Gordon’s father, and according to their myspace profile:

“we are a dashingly handsome local d.c. band and are inspired by the musical history in d.c. we started in the fall of ‘06 and we go to wilson. also according to Brightest Young Things, we all have really nice hair.”

It is true, they do have really nice hair….

Opening band, opening night, the Boom Orangutangs are fresh faced, motivated, sophisticated, darling, and 15. 15!! What?? Don’t let their age fool you. With only two shows under their belt and nine complete songs, and about to start Woodraw Wilson High School, the Boom Orangutangs are ready to show DC that age doesn’t mean a thing. This super talented quartet consist of DC’s soon to be heartthrobs.

Despite the fact of feeling kind of old, Alexandra and I were fortunate enough to spend an afternoon (at Fort Reno, of course) with the almost lifetime friends, Ben Keyes (drums), Gordon Gellatly (guitar, bass, and vocals), Drew Squires (guitar, bass, and vocals), and Peter Hartmann (guitar, bass, and vocals). So, here are the Boom Orangutangs; on growing up DC, growing up with each other, girls, and their music……

Haley for BYT: Okay, so WHO are the Boom Orangutangs, why the name??
Boom: The Back Lips have a song call boomerang, we took it because we liked the sound of it.

BYT:: Originally, you describe yourselves as “yo yo mouthwash that grew up”. Okay, so what is “yo yo mouthwash”?
Boom: We started playing music for fun last September, we called ourselves Yo Yo Mouthwash, and our first song was “You Suck”- it involved rapping “you suck”. We got the name because we saw a yo-yo sitting next to a bottle of mouthwash. Then we wrote “America”, and it was about doing nothing.
We were on the metro coming back from Guitar Center one afternoon, and decided we should take music seriously. That is when we became the Boom Orangutangs.

BYT: Do you think you have some more growing up to do? How do you expect to grow as a band?
Boom: Um…we are only 15, so we do have a lot of growing up to do. But, we are making progress and we are getting a lot better. However, since we are only 15 we do not have that much context compared to other bands.
And Fort Reno is a big step. It is a new audience. We have only had two gigs, and Fort Reno gets a fan base that is not just people we know.

BYT: You must be super excited to play at Fort Reno this year. First band, opening night…that is kind of a big deal. Are you nervous?? Are you feeling the pressure, considering this will be your first big exposure to the DC music scene?
Boom: We are really excited. Fort Reno is in our neighborhood, so we grew up coming here every summer. But, we are definitely nervous, because it will be our first big exposure. And because of Fort Reno’s reputation with Minor Threat, Fugazi, and the whole DC Hard Core scene. Great bands have played here.

Ben: I am nervous it is going to be rained out.
Gordon: I am not nervous yet. I am usually nervous at first, but then I get over the stage fright and just have fun.
Peter: It really hasn’t hit me yet. We have only played in front of friends and our last show only had five people.
Drew: Stage fright is usually influenced by the audiences’ reaction, so I am not nervous yet..

BYT: Are you worried that people are not going to take you seriously because you are only 15?
Boom:Well, no matter what we are 15. If people think we are good, they will be impressed because we are 15. If they think we are bad, no one will think anything of it because we are only 15.

BYT: Can we expect a fun or serious performance on June 18th. What would you say your “sound is”?
Boom: We are serious, but we want to have fun. Our sound is not poppy, but it is hard to define. I guess we are alternative / indie. We are also a little punk because our sound is very fast paced, but not to the point it is not catchy. We want people to enjoy our music.

BYT: Who are you looking forward to seeing this summer, at Fort Reno??
Gordon: Greenland
Ben: Then Evens
Drew: Sonic Survivor. I have never heard them before, but Peter is always saying how good they are.
Peter: The Mary Timony Band. Mary Timony was in Helium in the 90’s and I didn’t get to see them last year.

BYT: What DC bands / musicians do you respect? What is your thought on the local DC music scene?
Boom: We look up to Fugazi and Ted Leo, he is a nice guy. Also, Marfa. We like their music and they went to Wilson (High School) and set a path. Bands here have a more political outlook. And people respect that because they are from DC.

BYT: Okay, so you have a song called “Keep it on the Chip”, what on earth is that about?

Boom: It is based after this video on YouTube, it makes fun of Cribs and Star Trek. The song shows our funny side. It is fun to play, it is catchy, everyone knows it, and people sing to it. It is also the song we play when we get into a fight, takes away the tension.

BYT: You had to see this coming, it is girl question time! Do you write about girls??
(At this time, Alexandra and I have fully resorted back to age 15…cannot get over their adorableness while maintaining a level of sophistication…and we have completely become their two biggest fans. )

Boom: We do not really write about girls, we are 15.
Peter: But, we are old enough to be into girls.
Boom: There is one song, “Exchange”. It is about a Spanish Exchange Student we met last year at Fort Reno,

BYT: Who is the heartbreaker?
Boom: I don’t know, maybe Ben.

BYT: Do girls come up to after you play?
Boom: YES

(Note: We stopped talking about girls, because they were a little shy about the subject, and we were not about to scar them for life on this topic)

Haley and Alexandra: Why should people come check you out June 18th?
Peter: Come check out our hair.

So, there you have it. Our new favorites, The Boom Orangutangs (and their super perfect hair). Seriously, Alexandra and I cannot stop talking about them (and we can actually vouch that they CAN’T in fact stop talking about them-ed…and we guarantee you will be seeing a lot more of them.

Check them out on June 18th (this Monday) at Fort Reno.
(also playing that night are Deleted Scenes and Mass Movement of the Moth)
And just check Fort Reno out in general.