On Tuesday night, our local Collegetown bar was transformed into a rock ‘n’ roll venue when student band Cashmere Rips took to the “stage.” On the dancefloor of Hideaway, flanked by the jukebox and the iconic popcorn machine, the band played an hour-long set packed with familiar favorites such as “Mr. Brightside,” “The Chain,” “Kilby Girl” and “I Will Survive,” culminating in an original song that will soon be their first released single. Within minutes of starting their set, Cashmere Rips had the crowd going wild. The packed, noisy atmosphere could have fooled anyone into thinking it was the weekend instead of a Tuesday. Due to the lack of an elevated stage, fans were able to dance and sing along up close to the band. The crowd spilled around the central bar and up into the bathroom balcony, a prime vantage point overlooking the band. Spirits and energy were high when Cashmere Rips performed their original song “Unjustified,” their soon-to-be released single.
Band members Stella Crawford ’27 (lead vocals), James Mars ’26 (guitar), Sean Fruman ’26 (guitar), Armaan Tewary ’26 (drums) and Dom Fioravanti ’27 (bass) have been performing together as Cashmere Rips since the beginning of the school year, and have garnered a significant following in that short time. The Hideaway concert was a pre-release party in anticipation of their single coming out on Spotify later this week, and the band was extremely excited to share with their audience what they have been creating all semester. “The show felt amazing,” Fruman reflected after the performance. “All of the right vibes were in the room and it made me that much more excited to release our music to the world. It’s an amazing feeling to have.” Fruman’s mom and girlfriend were among the Hideaway crowd, showing their support.
Since the beginning of the spring semester, Cashmere Rips has been a signed band of Electric Buffalo Records (EBR), the student-run record label under Cornell Media Guild. Being signed to EBR comes with many benefits: they have access to a recording studio and audio engineers to help them mix and master their single, as well as graphic designers and a marketing team working on developing their persona as a band — essentially, a whole crew of talented students who are passionate about supporting other talented students in their music endeavors. I am lucky to work among the dedicated people of EBR as co-marketing director and manager of the EBR Instagram page. Caitlin Gallagher ’26, the other co-marketing director, took the lead on advertising for the Hideaway show. We spent all week scattering posters for the event throughout campus and posting promotional content on the EBR instagram page. The goal was to pack Hideaway with as many people as possible, and we definitely succeeded. Our marketing committee has given Cashmere Rips a logo, a website page, sellable stickers, professional photoshoots and posters since they signed. “It’s easy to put work into something when you believe in the product,” Gallagher says, “and I really believe in Cashmere Rips. They are gonna be huge.” I second her statement wholeheartedly – it has been rewarding to get to know Cashmere Rips as artists and witness their growth throughout the semester. I was honored to play a part in hosting this show to help them share their music!
Maya Behl ’25, the outgoing EBR president and graduating senior, has seen the label expand from a three-person club to the multi-departmental organization it is now. “Having the opportunity to witness and support a band's journey from signing to their first official release is something I dreamed of back when I first joined as a sophomore,” Behl says. “While EBR regularly hosts Open Mic Nights and Band Nights to foster a vibrant musical community — which I truly love — our core mission as a label is to amplify the voices of our signed bands and share their music with the world.”
Cashmere Rips has a booked schedule coming up, with a set at Ithaca Crossroads Fest this Friday, May 2, and another performance at CMG Fest on the Commons this Sunday, May 4. If you can, head downtown this weekend and catch some of their shows!
Maya Blanchard is a junior in the college of Agriculture and Life Sciences. She can be reached at mhb237@cornell.edu.
