Hug the Dog

Hug the Dog is a rock band from the Dublin-Peterborough area who has made some exciting accomplishments in its short life. Until recently it was a trio formed in early 2012 by guitar player and vocalist Wes Aldrich, bassist Sareth Roeun and drummer Garth Tichy. The original line-up played together through June of last year when Jeff Costello replaced Garth. Three months later, after having performed in a couple of local festivals (Uplift and Keene Music Festival), at gigs in New York and Vermont, and being selected as a finalist (out of 14,000 entries!) for the Unsigned Only Competition, Hug the Dog expanded to its current line-up of five with the addition of guitarist Whit Shonk and Leslie Shelton on keys.

And what a ride it has been. The first task was making room for two more musicians in their sound. “We were on a tear writing a lot of songs during that time,” explained Wes and Sareth recently. “So when Leslie and Whit came on, it was a chance to slow down and do some rearranging. And now we have a lot of songs and can do long sets when we play” Soon the band was recording their new CD The Animals We Raise, playing in the CBGB festival in Brooklyn, NY, and performing at the Red Gorilla Festival in Austin TX in March.

Hug the Dog has its own distinct style that incorporates a variety influences ranging from reggae and blues to classic and experimental rock that you can hear on their release. Recorded and mixed in Wes’ studio, the sound is as enjoyable to listen to as the beats are to move to. And while Wes describes the producing of that album as a grass roots project, it has a very professional, big sound. “I tell people that this is what we sound like this when we play.”

Wes and Sareth reflected on the Monadnock music scene. The band first performed in the Boston and New York areas where there are more opportunities for original music to be heard. Then the gigs were booked closer to home. “We like the music scene here a lot and are glad to be back in the area,” said Wes. “There are a lot of great bands here now. The music scene has changed a lot in the past five years or so.” He noted the strong heavy metal and folk presence in the region, and hopes for a venue that is devoted to original rock music. For now the band is happy to play wherever music lovers are gathered. “We like playing at Harlow’s; we have a lot of fun there. And we try to play outdoors as much as possible. It’s a different atmosphere than indoors in the dark,” Wes mused.

Sareth and Wes are looking forward to playing around New England with the band and promoting their CD in the upcoming months. “We have a big online presence and we would like to eventually have enough of a following to support a tour. Right now people hear us online, and they tell people about us who tell people that they know – our growth has been pretty organic.” They will be in Keene to perform at McCue’s on June 7, and they are planning on participating once again in the region’s upcoming festivals.

You can purchase and download The Animals We Raise at iTunes and Amazon. For details on upcoming gigs in the greater New England area, or for more information about the band, go to their website: hugthedog.com. - Keene Music Festival

DUBLIN, NEW HAMPSHIRE – A five-piece rock band hailing from Dublin, New Hampshire, Hug The Dog was formed in 2012 and has been rocking a new lineup throughout the Northeast over the last year, plus. Combining classic rock sounds with a fresh indie vibe, Hug The Dog evokes soulful grooves with infectious, melodic structures that with surely make you either get up and dance, or simply shake your head and tail.

Article by Joe Milliken
Featuring Wes Aldrich (previously of Mobius, Stereo Child) on guitar and lead vocals, Jeff Costello(Acidbran, Kelly’s Heroes)on drums and backing vocals, Sareth Rouen(Sarika) on bass, Leslie Sheldon (Scarce, Stereo Child) on keyboards and Whit Shonk (Kaila, Stereo Child) on guitar, the band originally started out with Aldrich and Garth Tichy on drums. “We mostly focused on synths and loops to create a bigger sound, but as a two-man band, we were always on the hunt to build our rhythm section,” Wes Aldrich said in a recent, exclusive Standing Room Only interview. “Soon thereafter, Sareth Roeun joined us on bass and that really helped our songs evolve. Garth then left the band and in 2013, Jeff Costello joined in on the drums. Whit Shonk and Leslie Shelton joined shortly after and this current lineup, has been together now for almost a year.”

And a great year it has been for Hug The Dog, as the band has been travelling and doing shows throughout New England, as well as New York, Austin, Texas and Washington, DC. “We’ve been playing great venues such as the famed club the Bitter End in Manhattan, the Middle East in Cambridge, Massachusetts and more locally, the Uplift Music festival in New Hampshire,” Wes said.

Hug The Dog also just released their debut CD called The Animals We Raise and recently hosted a “CD release party” at their rehearsal/recording space in Dublin. Wes engineered and mixed the recording, with mastering completed by Mark Chalecki who is based in Los Angeles. “We recorded the CD at my recording space Carriage House Studios. The entire process took place over the course of four months and it really brought the band together as friends and colleagues.” Editor’s Note: SRO Contributing Writer Brian Koppenhaver attended the release party and provided his take on the event, which is currently posted on the SRO website

Other contributors on the CD included Grace Aldrich, who is in the Tara Greenblatt Band sang on two songs and Michael Ryan from the Highland Rover, played percussion on several tracks. Also, Abner Soto (also from Los Angeles) came out and worked with local filmmaker Toni Nagy to film, produce and direct five music videos for the album. Two of the videos have been released and the other three will be released in the next few months.

“The CD release party was a great time! It took place at my Carriage House Studios and was filmed by Besty's Folly Studios, who also streamed a live feed to our website. Saxon Sounds provided the sound and lighting and frankly, the whole event really blew us away! The support from the community was humbling and we are so appreciative for such an epic night.”

Moving forward, Hug The Dog is currently writing new material, will continue promoting the new CD and is also planning an extended tour for 2015. will be sure to reserve you a seat for all the upcoming Hug The Dog adventures so stay tuned for all the fun! To learn more about Hug The Dog or to order their new CD, please visit the following links: hugthedog.com, facebook.com/hugthedog, twitter.com/hugthedog and instagram.com/hugthedog. - Joe Milken

Hug The Dog is one of those bands that will grab your attention with their first chord, get you lost in their continuously captivating sounds and in love with their music before you ever knew what hit you. Mixing blues rock, with electropop and alternative sounds with synth rock, Hug The Dog does an amazing job with creating wonderful music with a hybrid original style.
- Lobstanaut.com