WPTS sponsors for ethereal, electronic band

Located in the hazy Andean highlands of Columbia, the mythical School of Seven Bells will teach you how to expertly pick a pocket without getting caught — at least, that’s if you believe the legend.

School of Seven Bells presented by 92.1 WPTS and Opus One Productions

Mr. Smalls Theater

Friday at 8 p.m.

$10

412-821-4447

Located in the hazy Andean highlands of Columbia, the mythical School of Seven Bells will teach you how to expertly pick a pocket without getting caught — at least, that’s if you believe the legend.

Learning about this school that might or might not have existed in the 1980s late one night from a PBS documentary, Alejandra Deheza decided that the best way to perpetuate the myth was to name her band after it. Thus, the School of Seven Bells lives on in the form of a two-person band, consisting of Deheza and fellow musician Benjamin Curtis. The duo will perform this Friday at Mr. Smalls in a concert sponsored by Pitt’s radio station 92.1 WPTS and Opus One Productions.

School of Seven Bells formed in the spring of 2006 after Deheza and Curtis met while their bands (On!Air!Library! and Secret Machines, respectively) were touring with Interpol.

“We just kind of hit it off. When it was time to go our separate ways, we decided what we had was too good,” Curtis said.

Both experienced musicians, Curtis and Deheza found that their new collaboration opened doors for a different kind of songwriting experience.

“Yeah, it’s totally different but not intentionally so. The collaboration is just different; we don’t approach songwriting from a band point of view. I’m way not familiar with it. I almost don’t want to know,” Curtis said of the process. “I’m afraid we’ll lose it”

Unlike their previous musical ventures, the members of School of Seven Bells focus on the lyrics of a song first and then arrange the instrumentation. Lyrics are more abstract, but they do have an overall message and make sense in context.

“Lyrics come really early on. Usually we start with a sound or an atmosphere. We figure out what the song is saying and then write from there,” he said.

Both Deheza and Curtis have almost haunting voices, which when combined with synthesizers and uneven beats, give School of Seven Bells an electronic yet ethereal sound. Often described as a kind of dreamy pop, the band’s progressive sound has made a home on radio stations like Pitt’s WPTS.

“WPTS chose to sponsor the School of Seven Bells show because the band is frequently played on our station. I believe the band can appeal to a collegiate demographic due to their fresh and crisp sound,” Pokuaa Owusu, WPTS promotions director, said via e-mail.

Owusu described the band as “shoegaze” in the way that their more electronic sound is influenced by the distortion and reverb-filled music. She added that the band’s so-called ethereal sound is relaxing for listeners of any demographic but maybe more so for students.

“This band is pretty indicative of our ‘progressive format’. Their second album, Disconnect From Desire, was released in July and was immediately hailed by critics. It also received a lot of plays from our station. It’s airy, shoegaze-influenced pop that’s still quite danceable at times,” Gabriela DiDonna, music director for WPTS, said via e-mail.

This isn’t the first time WPTS has collaborated with Opus One to produce a show. “On our end, we work to promote the event with on-air promotions and ticket giveaways for our listeners. An artist won’t succeed if nobody knows that they are playing a show,” DiDonna said.

At a typical School of Seven Bells show, Curtis said the band will play different types of styles — including acoustic and crazy dance party — claiming that the band’s music lends itself to various musical techniques. According to Curtis, the college-age demographic is the one that School of Seven Bells usually appeals to most.

“They’re the people who seem to come. Pittsburgh students are a little smarter though, right?” he joked.