Recently, a high school rock band named Junior Varsity has emerged, captivating local audiences with their unique blend of classic and indie rock. Composed of three talented musicians—Tommy Rabuat ’24 on the acoustics, Nathan Michaud ’25 on drums andvocals and Jet Miller ’24 singing lead—Junior Varsity promises great quality music sure to excite.
Rabuat, one of the founding members of Junior Varsity, shared that the band was born after the end of the band members’ lacrosse season, during which Rabuatand Michaud frequently practiced together. Soon, they crossed paths with Miller and invited him to join their band. Rabuatsaid the band’s formation as spontaneous.
“One thing led to another, and we just started playing,” Rabaut said.
Junior Varsity’s music primarily consists of cover songs with a focus on classic and indie rock. Among their influences are the iconic Smashing Pumpkins and rising band The Backseat Lovers. Their choice of songs and genres provides a blend of nostalgia and modernity, appealing to a wide range of music enthusiasts.
Since its formation, Junior Varsity has achieved several significant milestones. One of these was a post-homecoming event where they played to a familiar audience, including many friends and supporters. Elsa Bachert ’24, a supporter of the band, attended the show alongside many friends.
“The show displayed a good mix of old classics a new popular music,” Bachart said.“‘Kilby Girl’ by The Backseat Lovers had to be my favorite of the show though.”
The support of the local community and school has played a crucial role in Junior Varsity’s journey. Nate Michaud said he was very thankful for the tremendous support they’ve received from both their community and school.
“The school reaching out to us and inviting us to perform at the North-South tailgate meant a lot to us as a band,” Michaud said.
The band’s members each take on multiple roles, which adds dynamism to their sound. Jet Miller handles vocals and rhythm guitar, Tommy Rabaut is the lead guitarist and secondary drummer, and Nate Michaud plays the drums while also contributing to vocals and secondary guitar. This fluidity keeps their music fresh and exciting. The band also tries switching instruments in between songs on their set to keep things interesting and challenging themselves as musicians.
For Junior Varsity, music is all about enjoyment and community connection. In the short term, their goal is straightforward: to have fun and share their music with their local audience. Looking ahead, their aspiration is to continue playing in college and explore new opportunities to expand their musical reach.
“Hopefully when we are all in college, we will still be able to play together and expand our audience,” Rabaut said.
