SOUNDCHECK: Dunk Is Here—One Million Beers Later

Colin Friedel ’26 performs with Solace during Bandcamp on Nov. 7, 2025.

Dunk, formed by former members of campus band One Million Beers, has announced their debut show for Friday, Dec. 2, 2025, featuring a new lineup and setlist. 

I sat down with three of Dunk’s members—guitarist and vocalist Colin Freidel ’26, drummer Brix Brewster ’27 and bassist Ewan Bailey ’29—to discuss what it means to be a legacy band, what audiences can expect from their upcoming show, and the message of fun at the heart of it all.

How would you describe your band’s sound and direction?

COLIN: Fun, energetic, fusion of genres—a mix of rock and country. Dynamic. Fun is our constitution this year.

BRIX: I think we’re still sort of figuring it out because we have a new singer, a new bassist. There is new talent, I mean having a lead female vocalist really opens up a lot of opportunities, having two great singers. We’re still sort of figuring out the sound.

How would you describe the band’s dynamic with new members?

COLIN: We like to hang out with each other. That’s really what matters. We spent all night making our promo video together, and it was just fun to make.

BRIX: We’ll be practicing and people will come in and out from the street and come hang out, listen, or cheer us on. It’s a good vibe. We’re all there to enjoy the music.

Biggest surprises or challenges?

COLIN: I think the biggest challenge will always be finding time to practice. Three of us are seniors, got a lot to do, everyone else has a lot to do.

EWAN: My biggest surprise was being told “I’ve got people who need a bassist. Do you want to join a band?” And I said “ok sure.” And then the next week it’s like “Alright you’re in the band now—we have a gig week 10.”

How does being a college band and playing live music define you?

COLIN: A really important part of it for the last couple years has been that it’s our friends coming to watch us and have a good time. They all live here, and they can all be there. It’s a good community of people that want to have fun, dance and sing.

COLIN: For sure, it’s my college experience; every aspect of what I do at college is live music.

BRIX: I’m from New Orleans, and anytime I’m at home, you know, I’m going to see live music. If I’m home for even more than a week, I’m going to go see live music. That’s just a part of how I grew up. So being able to bring it here and then see other people enjoy it here is a continuation of that.

COLIN: I think it’s super important to have live music. It’s just so fun, and that’s the whole goal.

Ewan, as a first-year, do you feel responsible for keeping this going once the seniors are gone? Especially a band spirit that existed before you?

EWAN: Oh, definitely. This is just too much fun. Like, this can’t stop … you got to find some way to continue this.

It’s sort of weird, but also kind of cool because it’s not like we’re trying to find a sound or invent a brand new idea for a band because we do specific things. A lot of people like country; we have an outline of what we can play.

So, it sort of feels like, okay, we have some cool songs we need to play. Let’s make this sound amazing so that we can create a new extension of an old band and sort of relive it through this new band. It’s really awesome.

What should people get excited about before the show?

COLIN: Lots of interesting combinations and musical choices. Songs that might be familiar, with things that are unexpected.

BRIX: And a little bit of a Christmas vibe. We’re feeling jolly.

EWAN: I’m excited for some jaw-drop moments too. There’s definitely some awesome parts of the set that people are just going to go “oh my god.”

What do you want from the crowd, and do you have any advice for them?

COLIN: There’s a certain type of smile we see. Like, when people are just so insanely happy that they can’t control it.

BRIX: When you’re in that environment, and in that zone of hearing great music, surrounded by your friends, you’re dancing—everything out of right there doesn’t exist anymore. And you’re just in that moment.

COLIN: We want to see people in the moment.

BRIX: Put a drink in one hand and then dance with the other—that’s the way to do it. If you don’t know what to do, just let the music tell you what to do.

COLIN: Don’t think about what anyone else is thinking. Enjoy the music.

What would you say to someone who is thinking about coming but isn’t sure?

BRIX: I want everyone that has heard about, that wants to go, that has even thought about going to come and enjoy it. 

We’re not just doing this for our friends. We’re not doing this for anybody really. 

We’re just doing it for anyone who hears, likes, and enjoys music and dancing and wants that fun.

Do you guys have any goals moving forward?

BRIX: Just to get people dancing, get people in the moment, get people there and have them enjoy the music.

COLIN: This year is gonna fly by and I don’t want to leave anything unfinished. I want to feel like we did what we were supposed to do.

EWAN: Just to play fun music. To make some live music.

Live music is very fun and everybody should come and listen to it even if they’re hesitant. Come check it out, it’ll be fun.

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Dunk will perform this Friday, Dec. 5, alongside Solace. More information available here.

See you there.