Lot 3 is going out grooving for its final Spring Sing performance.
The student band – composed of fourth-year theater student EJ Chen, fourth-year public affairs student Harry Frahn, fourth-year physics student Rishi Acharya and fourth-year theater student Gil Weissman – will perform at this year’s Spring Sing for the second year in a row. Named after the campus parking structure that hosts their rehearsals, Lot 3 has been jamming together since the summer of 2021, guitarist Frahn said.
“We formed a play for a random party that one of our friends was hosting,” Frahn said. “It was supposed to be a one-off gig, but we had such a good time playing together that we wanted to keep it going.”
For this year’s performance, Acharya, the band’s drummer, said each member came together to help compose an original song titled “I’m Out.” He said the song’s title is a nod to the fact that most band members will be going separate ways after graduating this quarter, marking the end of an era for Lot 3.
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Unlike last year, when the band members wrote a song they believed would most likely get them onto the Spring Sing lineup, Frahn said the band wanted to take a risk this year and create something that showcased its distinctive flair – a decision that ultimately worked in Lot 3’s favor.
“Last year … we asked ourselves, ‘What do people want to hear at a big performance like this? What kind of vibe do they want?’ But this year, we were like, ‘What would be fun for us to do?’” Frahn said. “We were like, ‘Even if we don’t get in, we’ll have a great fun song for us to play.’ … That approach made the song a little more interesting.”
Not only are they returning as a more creative band, but they are now more collaborative, Acharya said. When it came to writing “I’m Out,” he said Lot 3 joined forces with five other UCLA musicians who will be performing alongside Lot 3 as saxophonist, percussionist, keyboardist and backing vocalists. With this large group of performers, Acharya said Lot 3’s primary goal is to have a good time, especially now that the band members have had the chance to shake off all their nerves from last year. Chen, the band’s lead singer, added that he is excited for Lot 3 to perform in person for Spring Sing given that it is the band’s final performance at UCLA.
“My time at UCLA is coming to a close (so this is) a true full circle moment for me,” Chen said. “It’ll be really exciting to (perform) with an awesome group of guys and with the band that helped me find my passion and my love for music and performing.”
Even though this is its final Spring Sing performance, Lot 3 is not done performing together yet. In terms of shows, Frahn said Lot 3 will be returning for a second time to the Viper Room in West Hollywood on June 10, which marks its final performance as a band. Additionally, its debut album, “Spring Theory,” will drop a few hours before Spring Sing on Friday, Acharya said. The band hopes that, after Spring Sing, audience members who enjoyed Lot 3’s performance will turn to the new album, Frahn said.
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Lot 3 has also made a studio recording of “I’m Out,” which Acharya said will be released the week after Spring Sing by the student-run record label Cherry Pop Records. He said the band wanted to ensure that “I’m Out” was available to audiences even after Spring Sing, especially since it is a song they are genuinely proud of.
“If you ask any band member which song they would have chosen (to perform at Spring Sing), I think all of us would say (“I’m Out”) is the one which is the most fun to play,” Acharya said. “If we had to choose one song that really captures the full group, it’s this one.”
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