Getting Down with Drink Up Buttercup

The first time I saw Drink Up Buttercup, they absolutely stole the show. It was September 2007 and the band was headlining a benefit show at World Café Live, to raise money for breast cancer.

Youthful, vivacious, exuberant, and beguiling, this fledging Bucks County foursome reinvigorated the sleepy Sunday night crowd with brash, raucous psych-pop melodies full of wailing, howling, garbage-can smashing, and unison singing.

Now, a year later, they’ve become a band to watch on the local scene, winning acclaim everywhere from Philly Weekly to Philly Edge to WQHS and beyond.

This past Friday, I journeyed to Johnny Brenda’s to catch up with the guys and see if they still live up to their formidable rep.

From the moment they take the stage, it’s clear that these fresh-faced goofballs have matured quite a bit. Gone are the rough, unfinished ditties I witnessed last September; in their place are a slew of perfectly executed, thrashing, St. Peppers’-influenced psych-rock anthems, complete with tight vocals and jaunty marionette-like movements.

“Last year, at World Café, I was barely 17,” says drummer Mike Cammarata with a smile.

That makes him 18 now – still not old enough to gain entry to Johnny Brenda’s regularly. While two of the other members (bassist/keyboardist Ben Money and vocalist Jim Harvey) are over the 21-year-old mark, the band still uses their youthful exuberance to their advantage.

Take, for example, their rag-tag collection of percussion instruments: garbage cans, cinderblocks, broken cymbals, mannequin heads, and more.

Says Money, “We strongly believe that rhythm should be the focus of the music, because rhythm is what moves people. You don’t need just one drummer – if you have a free hand, you should use it.”

Catch Drink Up Buttercup next September 20 at Pianos in NYC, and stay tuned for their debut album in spring 2009.