Meet No Parking: St. John's Sophomore Rock Band
Admit it: you’ve probably always wanted to form a rock band. You would practice on Saturday afternoons in your friend’s garage, then one day at a gig someone would discover your talent and you and your friends would become celebrity rockstars. Some St. John’s students have done just that, except they practice in Sam Ingram’s basement, not his garage. And they’re still waiting for the “getting famous” part.
Meet No Parking, a self-proclaimed alternative rock group that includes St. John’s sophomores Carlos Ramirez, Sam Ingram, and Gabe Salazar, along with former SJC student John Gibbons. No Parking has played multiple jams and gigs around the DC area. They play original songs and covers from bands including Nirvana, Strokes, Smashing Pumpkins, Remo Drive, and Andrew Jackson Jihad. Their favorite originals include “Bleed Through” and “High Rise Speed,” with lyrics like “Diamonds are for everyone if there’s any left of ’em.”
No Parking began just last year, as Ramirez, Salazar, Ingram, and Gibbons met during their first week of school at St. John’s. Only Ramirez and Salazar knew each other before attending St. John’s, and ever since they have all loved “making music with the boys.”
Even some St. John’s teachers, including Ms. Brillante, Ms. Leonard, Ms. Murphy, Ms. Mumola, and Mr. Navas, have had a chance to hear No Parking play. Mr. Navas remarks that No Parking “is an incredibly enthusiastic and loud group. They are truly a civilized, class act, and they make people dance.” Mr. Navas was excited to get to see some of his students in a new light, and “gives [No Parking] a lot of credit for being high school students and playing shows at a variety of venues.” The members of No Parking are thankful for the support of so many of their teachers.
No Parking played two major gigs this summer at Cafe 611 in Frederick, Maryland and The Electric Maid in Washington, DC. They plan on recording an E.P. in a studio sometime soon and releasing a demo. Find them on SoundCloud as No Parking and Instagram @no_parking_band.
