Derryfield's New Musical Powerhouse: The Tiny Spoons
I sat across from all four of the Tiny Spoons squeezed together on a bench in the junior hallway and watched as they got settled; they mussed each others’ hair, compared shoes, and Jakov Schwartzberg, in his usual fashion, perched precariously on the back of the bench. It had been quite an ordeal trying to get ahold of all four of the members of Derryfield’s new musical force to be reckoned with-- not because of the setbacks of maneuvering through managers and agents, or scheduling on a busy international tour, but because their lead guitarist did not yet have his driver’s license and the singer/drummer simply had too much history homework to do.
When they’re on stage, it is often hard to remember that all members of this new rock band are still in high school-- Nick Briccetti, one of the Spoon’s singers and guitarists, transforms from a goofy and slightly tentative student to a commanding and charismatic stage presence, while Ian Dillon, lead guitarist, evokes the confidence of a seasoned musician, “absolutely shredding,” as bandmate Oliver Sattler says, in front of a crowd. While they seem playful and a bit impish when not performing (they considered naming their band Lobsters on the Roof, Crabs in the Basement), it’s easy to tell that these four juniors are serious about making great music. I sat with them to ask about their inspirations, their hopes for the future, and to get the real story behind that miniscule utensil they hold so dear.
It turns out that Tiny Spoons has been in the works for almost two years. Oliver and Nick had been wanting to put together a group and play something throughout their freshman year, most likely “Seven Nation Army” by The White Stripes, but it wasn’t until a few days before the Spoons’ breakout first performance at the assembly before Winter Break this year that the idea came into fruition. Oliver says he came across Jakov and Ian jamming to “Moving Out” in the music room, and Ian realized, “Holy cow, we should actually play this!” That first performance, the Tiny Spoons created their signature intro-- “Hey, we’re the Tiny Spoons [Jakov holds up The Tiny Spoon] and we’re going to play you a little ditty”-- which survived through their next two Derryfield performances.
As for the name of the band, Jakov says that the history of the spoon itself is long and “involves pirates and wizardry” and an entirely spoon-dedicated Instagram account, but after brainstorming for names came to nothing, Oliver had an “epiphany” when he remembered that Jakov was always carrying around a tiny spoon, and thus the Tiny Spoons were born.
What the Spoons seem to love most about their band is how their differing music backgrounds combine for a wide range of styles they can bring to their performances. Each of the Spoons can play several different instruments, which makes for a versatility in style they hope to embrace in the future. Nick’s musical roots are in opera, and although the Tiny Spoons do not intend to release an opera record any time soon, he also says he was brought up on the Red Hot Chili Peppers, whose song “Dani California” the Spoons most recently played at an assembly with guest “spork” Matt Alfano '15.
Oliver says he also grew up listening to whatever his two older brothers liked, which often consisted of classic rock like Led Zeppelin and ACDC. Ian’s guitar idols include Jimmy Page and Carlos Santana, whom he calls “an absolute beast.” Seemingly from the other side of the music spectrum, Jakov’s musical background comes from a childhood of listening to classical, but through his involvement in theater and exploration of music over the years, he has come to enjoy a range of music from Jay-Z to the piano genius of Billy Joel, and always “The Bee Movie- not for the music, but for the heart.”
These four musicians are brought together by their love for music old and new, and possibly a future of writing original songs, which they hope to be strongly influenced by their common affinity for jazz and blues (cue Jakov, Nick, and Ian to begin a chorus of “Careless Whisper” and a stoic Oliver insisting he “will not be a part of this”).
The Spoons say they get along very well, and when asked to compare their band dynamic to the Beatles, Jakov responded that “all of our haircuts top the Beatles’,” but they made it clear that there will be no Yoko Ono to tear their group apart. Their fans can look forward to a saucy first album cover depicting them “spooning” in front of a fireplace, Jakov’s miniature spoon of course serving as the “little spoon” of the group.
Something else we can all look forward to is the Spoons’ first outdoor set, at the Market Days festival in Concord on May 6, as well as several possible assembly performances coming up. We had to end the interview because of Jakov’s sudden yearning for Airheads candy, but with their stylish shoe choices and musical talent, the Spoons are ready to take the music world by storm.
Video performances of The Tiny Spoons:
Mr. Brightside - Moose Review Movin' Out - Winter Break Assembly
Follow The Tiny Spoons on social media:
Twitter: @TheTinySpoons
Instagram: @tiny_spoon_official
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Olivia Burdette is a member of the class of 2018 and is Lamplighter's Human Interest editor. Next year she will be assuming the position of Lamplighter's Editor-in-Chief, if you'd like to reach out to her please visit our 'Meet The Staff' page