This North Myrtle Beach band set to perform in one of the biggest artist showcases
Jeremy Anderson said his band has had this moment on its radar for eight years.
Come Friday, the long wait will end.
Anderson, the frontman and co-founder of North Myrtle Beach-based band Treehouse!, will perform with his group at the annual SXSW (South by Southwest) Conference and Festival, a large and well-known Austin, Texas-based event that features creative artists in hopes of helping them get national exposure.
“Exhilarated,” said Anderson, who started the band with fellow North Myrtle Beach native Trey Moody. “We’ve had South by Southwest on our radar since we started as a band. It’s always been a big milestone to look forward to, and we’re excited to go perform and show what we have to offer and also network with virtually the entire music industry.
“We’re really excited about checking out all the other events and exhibits as part of South by Southwest. We’ll be there all week representing ourselves, our band and our region.”
The band, which has performed on the Grand Strand, regionally and as of last year nationally, has four members. Keyboardist Joey Harley is from Atlanta, and bassist Chris Hat is from Wilmington, North Carolina. Together, they produce music described as rock reggae.
“Treehouse! is psychedelic reggae at its core,” Anderson said. “You get a great sense of community, positivity, overcoming hardships and adversities, and you get an energetic roller coaster of a stage show.”
The opportunity to perform and network at SXSW came about through the band’s sponsorship from Spirit Airlines, which does a #MUSIC4MILES program that is showcasing artists at the event. Anderson and Co. are going for the entirety of the event, from Friday through March 17, with a performance on the second-to-last day.
“While we’re excited to perform, I think the biggest value in our presence there will be networking and connecting with infinite potential of people who are trying to do just as big things as us but across the board in the industry,” Anderson said. “I think it’s a huge opportunity and it really depends on how much we engage in it.”
The band recently did shows on the West Coast and now has performed across the country.
“It was a great adventure,” Anderson said of the West Coast trip. “It was all new for all of us so it was almost a full tour of brand-new experiences. At the same time, we were getting in front of people who had been listening to our music for years at this point and finally got to see us live for the first time. So it was like meeting instant new friends across the country and also getting to experience a variety of different landscapes between all the cities.”
After graduating from College of Charleston, Anderson returned to the Grand Strand and performed cover music solo. Soon, he added band members and eventually the group began making original music. The reggae influence came from time spent living with a roommate and band member of Humble Vibes who often played reggae, Anderson said.
“He basically blasted reggae music in the living room all day everyday, so we got immersed in it quickly over a year,” he said. “And I think Myrtle Beach has still got that beach/island vibe to it. Reggae is conducive to this area as well. It’s easy going, easy listening. Anybody can enjoy it right off even if they don’t know the song.”
Now, the band is gearing up for one of its biggest breaks since coming together eight years ago.
“It’s definitely been a blessing,” Anderson said.
This story was originally published March 6, 2019 at 9:17 PM.
