DETENTION, a high-energy, pop-punk alternative rock band was started by four friends in Akron, Ohio — and three of the musicians attend Kent State. Now, they showcase their musical abilities on stage.
The winners of the 2022 and 2023 Best Punk Band at the Cleveland Music Awards have performed at festivals such as WonderStruck, WonderBus, WonderRoad, BriteWinter and Bloomfest.
Through networking and attending local music festivals, DETENTION was formed. The band includes drummer Luke Konopka, guitarist Evan Cox, bassist Fritz Dannemiller and vocalist Elliott Carter.
While being friends and musicians together, Carter, Konopka and Dannemiller are Kent State students. Cox, a high school student, is also considering once he graduates, joining the rest of the group to bring the entire band to the same school.
“We’ve all kind of known each other for a long time,” Carter said. “So now we’ve been playing our current lineup for like six years.”
Dannemiller met Konopka while playing for different bands at PorchROKR, a musical festival in Akron. Carter was a neighbor to Dannemiller and recruited her because of her singing abilities. Several years later, Cox joined the band through family connections.
DETENTION has reached thousands of fans since they started playing at gigs and festivals throughout the country, creating lasting memories for the band members.
The band’s most memorable experience occurred at a ski resort in Colorado during the venue’s last opening weekend. Instead of the mild weather anticipated, the band played in the middle of a blizzard.
“My favorite part about that was after the show during the blizzard, like at night after they closed probably at [midnight],” Dannemiller said. “The park was closed down. It was totally dark out. Me and Luke decided to go climb the mountain in the blizzard.”
While traveling, DETENTION has enjoyed watching other musicians play, including Ke$ha and All Time Low. The band had a backstage experience and a memorable interaction with the All Time Low guitarist.
(Courtesy of DETENTION)
“Getting the perks that you would never get as just like a fan is like that’s one part that I really, really do like,” Carter said. “I love playing and everything but, that’s crazy that that can just happen.”
As a band, DETENTION writes all of its own music, a creative process that involves every single member of the band and is never quite the same a second time, Carter said.
“We all write,” Cox said. “Each of us could bring something and start making it, or we’ll sit on something for a long time and then go back to it. We can have a random song one day and then we play it a week later at a show.”
The band has played at competitive events all over Ohio, allowing them to experience new types of festivals, venues, fans and music.
“[We] played at the Rock Hall several times,” Carter said. “And it’s been awesome. All those people have been great to us since then. That was very fun.”
DETENTION is set to play at The Outpost in Kent on Sept. 30. For more information and updates on the band, follow their social media at detention.live.
Lex Ogilvie is a reporter. Contact her at [email protected].
