Quarx

Quarx, a local Baton Rouge jam band, delivered crisp and clean rockin’ tunes to the Varisty Theatre on Friday, July 21st.

While openers Krewe Del Sol neared the end of their set, I caught up with lead singer and guitarist, Alaric Fricke. Speaking of the general excitement of the night, Fricke mentioned it being Quarx’s first time headlining (which means more time for improvising) and that new releases were up ahead.

Those weren’t the only new comings for Quarx. Last night marked the first show with newest edition Jason Guidroz as hand percussionist. Unfortunately it dually behaved as a farewell to current drummer, Tom Periou, making it his last show behind drum kit. Regular members, Johnny Zeringue on bass and Logan Freeman on keys, were also on stage.

To kick things off, Alaric gave a warm welcome and prelude to new song “Long Days and Nights”. Noting some potential inspiration, the Grateful Dead classic “Help On The Way” popped in mind, which would not be all that surprising considering the band’s open admiration for the group. Alaric soon returned on mic introducing the next song as “what happens when you turn a bluegrass chord to a psychedelic rock song” – a fair quote to resemble the far-reaching talents encompassed in the band.

With breezy transitions, Quarx kept the jams rolling before bringing out local horns player, Ryan Mooneyham, for a couple songs. This included a crowd-pleasing Parliament cover of “Handcuffs” followed by a hunky version of Buddy Guy's “Midnight Train”.

The band’s inspirations were laid out right in front of us with another cover surfacing of Led Zeppelin’s “Communication Breakdown”. Now, Alaric’s vocals need some appreciation because they covered some serious ground, and did so fabulously at that. During “Other Side”, Guidrox really started breaking loose with a playful bongo feature. Just as impressive as their rendition of other powerful musicians' tunes is the lyrical content within Quarx originals.

A noteworthy sequence followed of: School > Flick On > Communication Breakdown > School. This section nicely highlights the band’s fluent yet technical means of transition and inter-band communication along with their wide encompassing approach combining the blues, funk, psychedelic rock, and jazz.

Quarx is an up-and-coming band that deserves light for several reasons. First, they are a clean start-up jam band, something that should surely be treasured when found. Second, I am loving their jam band-ness on and off stage. Live, they improvise while keeping their instruments tight and vocals tighter. Offstage, the band maintains a presence on two noteworthy platforms.

During Quarx’s show, live tweets of songs as they occur are posted on Twitter (@Quarxband). And if you’re a jam band fan, or just general live music fan, you know, THAT IS AMAZING. On Soundcloud.com (@Quarx), you can find their previous performance at the Varsity from May. And according to Alaric, this is something we can expect to see more of within the next few days as they transfer last night’s audio onto an accessible platform for fans.

If you’re around the Baton Rouge area, this is a band to keep tabs on.

- Elemental - LSUNow

Up-and-coming local jam band Quarx has been on the local music radar since May. Alaric Fricke is the group’s “creative mastermind,” according to drummer Tom Periou, in addition to being the lead vocalist and on guitar for Quarx. Johnny Zeringue is the group’s bassist, and lead guitarist Keagan Soto is a recent addition to the band.

The band views playing music as a fundamental component of life, hence its name — Quarx comes from the word, “quark,” the smallest fundamental component of matter.

Each member has their own musical influences and different background, creating a variety of genres in the band’s overall sound. Elements of jazz, classic rock, psychedelia and funk are all incorporated into their music.

“We like to joke and say that we’re ‘wholesale rock and roll,’ sort of a gumbo of Southern rock,” Fricke said.

Fricke is the songwriter for the group, but doesn’t get his inspiration from anywhere in particular, he said.

“I don’t think of it as me writing, just me being in the right place at the right time,” he said.

A typical Quarx show is about 60 percent original material, as well as a few covers here and there. The group has covered Led Zeppelin’s “Communication Breakdown” and Buddy Guy’s “Midnight Train,” to name a few. Fricke says they try and perform a new cover every show, although they focus heavily on improvisation in their performances.

“We never play songs exactly the same way,” Periou said. “Every show has a different lineup of songs, making every night a little different.” - LSUNow

Quarx will jam at The Varsity on Friday, March 23rd, 2018. Here I talk with vocalist/guitarist Alaric Fricke about the band’s music, live show and how he uses his business degree. - Eagle 98.1

Baton Rouge band Quarx has steadily made a name for itself since 2017, when it stepped into the Baton Rouge live music scene with its self-described "wholesale rock 'n' roll," which mingles influences from many genres and crafts a timeless, eclectic style of rock.

Now closing in on its second year as a band, Quarx recently released its first EP. The five-track project centers on songwriting by lead vocalist and rhythm guitarist Alaric Fricke. Four skilled players create Quarx’s sound: Fricke, Keagan Soto shredding lead guitar, and drummer Thomas Vercher and bassist Jonathan Zeringue keeping impeccable rhythm.


The eponymous EP is filled to the brim with grooves, guitar solos and winding bass lines. Each track has refreshing hooks and a unique melody, and listeners can expect thick, driving drums and Soto’s robust guitar work on every cut. The guitarist’s chops are on full display here, especially with the solos on "School" and "Wheels Turning."

In a live setting, bassist Zeringue’s talent is undeniable, and on the EP, he manages to shine as well, overcoming what many bass players face on records: a battle for attention. On the track “Turn Back Time,” the band halts and Zeringue fills the void with a quick bass lick. The spotlight on bass guitar tells the listener to pay attention from now on, and for good reason.

Quarx feels in sync at every moment on the release. Vercher sets up camp in the pocket, pushing the entire band forward (see “Otherside” and “Red River”). The recording and production of the drums is also impressive, dry, tight and perfectly balanced in the mix.


At the center of it all sits Fricke, whose songwriting, unique voice and uncanny sense of melody forms a project worthy of praise. This classic, jam band-esque rock ‘n’ roll is something that can be appreciated by anyone, from young lovers of live music to those who yearn for the energy and talent of classic rock’s heyday.

Quarx's new EP can be found on Spotify and YouTube. facebook.com/quarxband. - The Advocate