Seton Hall band Living Ataraxia will perform a benefit concert for the Mount Vernon Elementary School on April 22 on the Green.
The benefit hopes to spark an interest in younger children to go to college.
Living Ataraxia, consisting of Seton Hall seniors Alex Chin, John Kennedy and Zach Jaworski met during their sophomore year and have been playing together since.
Chin said they got involved in the concert when one of their friends, who has seen them play many times, asked them to be a part of the benefit.
In addition, their friends Jeff (bass) and Colin (drums) will be playing with the band at the benefit concert.
"We've never played all together," Chin said. "We play randomly together. They're both great players."
Jaworski, lead singer who plays guitar, piano and harmonica, and Kennedy, lead guitarist, started playing together and Kennedy taught Chin how to play guitar.
"First time we played together was at a coffeehouse," Chin said, who plays second guitar and bongos. "We had a show and used it as practice."
Chin, Kennedy and Jaworski have played at Bunnies and at The Recoup Lounge in New York City.
Their music is described as a little bit of everything. Jaworski called it "jamming music," while Kennedy described it as "acoustic, coffeehouse and folk" and Chin said it was alternative.
Living Ataraxia will play their original songs as well as covers, ranging from the Beatles, Sublime, The Red Hot Chili Peppers and Dave Matthews Band.
"We're definitely unorthodox players," Chin said. "We're playing Lady Gaga."
Jaworski, Kennedy and Chin said they're going to improvise with various instruments, including tambourines or anything else they feel like adding to the mix.
The band's name Living Ataraxia means "where you're free." Kennedy described it as "a state of mind where you're not worried about anything," which is the vibe the band gives off when they play one of their original songs, "Lucky Once."
"Considering it is for underprivileged kids, it's a good excuse to miss class," Jaworski said.
Patrice Kubik can be reached at patrice.kubik@student.shu.edu.
