Interview: Olaf Alverson of Local Rock Band, The Cellar Dwellars (Part Two)

What was your first “we made it” moment – a moment where you decided to invest yourself into this band, rather than being a hobby?

For me personally, I was playing with my father’s group – I don’t remember where; we played a lot of Latvian functions. (My family’s Latvian, I’m from Europe, second generation.) But we were playing this thing up at a camp, and it was the first time that I had sat in fully with my dad’s group. I was holding it down and having a great time doing it! I still had a manbun at this time, back in 2021. The summer before school started, we were playing this gig outside at the camp on the porch. That was the first time I’d played an entire set with my dad’s group – me and my dad on guitars, a friend of ours on bass, and my uncle on another guitar – it was a guitar army type of deal. I think we played “Folsom Prison Blues,” I’d spent all my time during COVID learning all about all these country phrasing and country licks. I tore it to shreds, I was like, “Wow, this is awesome. I feel super badass right now.” And everybody was like, “Dude, you’re really fantastic.” And I was like, “Thanks, I didn’t know I was that good either.” Up until this day, I always chase that feeling – when it’s really loud behind you and your pant legs are moving. I decided I wanted to do this more – not to prove anything, but just for me. 

But I think as a group, our “we need to do this more often” moment was at the Stone Pony. It was the first time that Logan Bennett came in and played, and it was the first time we’d played “Will It Hold.” In that song there’s this really cool electric piano intro that’s really big and dissonant, and then it comes in with these drums that are huge, then the song breaks into this massive E chord. It was in that moment that we all came together – up until that point, it was the most technically demanding tune that we’d played. Once we played it, busted into that song, everyone was like, “Woah.” We have some cool chemistry, and seeing that we have a lot of different music tastes, it comes together, and the energy is really cool and intricate. So for me, speaking for the group, that’s what it seems to be. I don’t know, maybe the other guys would have a different answer, but that’s what it is to me.

When you open for a band, how is it selected? Do you get to pick who you open for, or is it chosen for you?

So, we did an artist showcase a while ago at the Sherman. They have these showcases where they will seek out local bands – you submit your stuff, and they listen to it, and they’re like “Okay, you guys are cool, we’d love to have you. Come and play our showcase.” So we did that, we got in, sold X amount of tickets – then we wound up headlining the theater later on. It was a total dream, totally cool, absolutely awesome. I loved every single moment of it, it never gets old when you go back there. From that point forward we built this relationship with the Sherman.

So, the short answer is: No. We don’t get to pick, because Sherman has us in the book. They’re like, “okay, this band plays X kind of music, this touring act is coming through, they’re not selling tickets, we know we can call these dudes and they’ll bring in Y amount of people.” So they will tell us, like, “hey, do you wanna come open for this band?” And it’s like, right then and there, we have to say yes or no. I mean, like, to give me an excuse, why wouldn’t we? I mean, we’re really blessed to have them offer us stuff like that. So that is how it works. I mean, we’ve never opened for any other act outside of that place, so to my knowledge, that’s how it works for us.

What’s the most surprising, or best thing, about being in a local band that’s developed a sizable regional fanbase?

I think, for us, it’s when we go and we play somewhere, and there are people at the start who don’t know us, and they wind up staying all the way to the end and hanging out with us. I can’t, like, walk down the street and someone’ll be like, “Hey, I know you.” It’s one of these things where it’s really cool when we go to a place and we play, and the owners say, “You guys did a great job, everyone loved you.” And you start developing a relationship with the people around there, the people who own places, people in general who just come out. 

I have to say, I did get recognized once, believe it or not. I was at Czig Meister in Hackettstown with my parents, having dinner, and I was walking to the bathroom. And some lady was like, “Hey, aren’t you that guy from the band?” And I was like, “Uh… who are you?” And she explained it to me – I don’t remember how she knew me – but she said, “You’re the singer from that band.” And I was thinking, “Wow, this is totally crazy that you’re saying this to me right now! I never thought this would happen!” Again I don’t really remember where she saw us, but in the moment I was like, “Yeah, I remember you guys!” It was something like that, I mean, it’s really special. So I think that the coolest part of being in a band that plays locally is getting to know the local musicians and the scene. 

And there’s a lot of places – especially for me, around here. I lived in Newton when I was growing up and then I moved to Blairstown – so I’ve seen a lot of these places all my life but I’ve never really known what goes on in them. And to be able to then be in a band and go in there and play is the best. It’s just a fun, awesome thing to do. It’s not even about being popular. For me, it’s just doing a service. And when people start dancing and having a great time, I’m like, “Dude, this is the best.”

This is a pure hypothetical, more of a fun question than anything else, so think as big as you want. Are there any dream bands you’d love to open for, or venues that you’d love to play?

I mean, for me, I always like quirky places. Like, little places. But I’d love to just see what it’s like to play Red Rocks. Outside, I mean, it’s such, like, a magical thing. There’s this place in Colorado or Utah, over there somewhere, and it is called Mishawaka or something. It’s a jam band thing. But the stage is literally on the side of a rapid river. It’s really cool. So I think for me, honestly, to do anything that’s nature-bound like that. Or… You seen The Gorge? That place is nuts. And then, of course, like… just to know what it’s like to be in an arena. Regardless of where it is. I’ll go play in Cleveland or Detroit. But like, regardless… just to see what it’s like to be in a large, enclosed space. I think that’d be really magical. And, just as my own personal thing… I know that it’s not around anymore, but I’d love to see what it’s like to play CBGB. And at some point I’d love to play The Meat Locker with my other band.

How about artists?

I’d love to open for Quicksand. Just for the hang. Just to ask Walter, like, what he thinks about things. I think other than that… the list goes on. I’d love to open for any band that I respect. I mean, God forbid, it’s like… Led Zeppelin. Ya know what I mean? Like… I don’t know. I think that’s a question that’s like… if there was anyone out there that I could open for that was, like, a recording artist that did it for a living and did music that I knew really well or was a fan of… that would be a dream.