WAILING CITY: August 2023

Wailing City Spotlight: Interview with Element 88

Published August 31, 2023

Interview by Meghan Killimade

Recently, while doing some show promotion on WailingCity's Instagram page, I stumbled upon Element 88, a teenage rock band out of Westerly, RI, who are seemingly making quite a buzz in the area.

Video clips of the band's recent live shows highlight their energy and passion and there is an obvious chemistry within the group that stands out in their performance. As they work to carve out their own unique sound, you can absolutely hear a more mature musical influence of classic rock, jazz, funk and blues... blended with a more current indie rock. The sound that these guys are creating is quite impressive for a group aged just 13 & 14.

There is no doubt that the young band have put quite a bit of work into their project, boasting a slew of well-built original songs - one of which includes "Bluffs", their newly released debut single.

Having showcased their songs at "Youth on the Mic" nights at the The Knickerbocker Music Center in Westerly, RI - and honing their skills with the support and instruction of The RI Phil Music School at the United Theatre, they've created quite a buzz... this band will be one to watch!

I recently asked the guys how they got started, about the new single and what they have coming up. Check out the interview and new single below!

*Last Updated 9/1 3:10pm

*Last Updated 8/25 2:20pm

*Last Updated 8/10 1:50pm

*Last Updated 8/27 12:10pm

LOVE & PRESS

"I just wanted to thank you for all you do for the local music community. I have tonight off so I went to the wailing city site to see who was playing. It’s amazing all the work you put in for all the local musicians and venues and I just wanted to thank you."
- Phil Smith (musician)

"...my new best friend Meghan Killimade, who's site Wailing City, lets me find all the latest local bands -- where they are playing and the times -- has suddenly been a big help in letting me find some events outside of my usual box!"
- Stephanie Shawn "Bar Fly Journals"
(Sound Waves Magazine)
Published December 2024

"Wailing City is this absolutely fantastic local music blog here in CT. They've been the place to go to find out what's happening, what's new and why you should care for well over a decade. Graciously, they interviewed us about the new album, the book, the film and all that. While touring throughout the years, we've sometimes felt like 'one foot in, one foot out' with the local scene, but they've always made us feel right at home. Thanks Wailing City."
- Pocket Vinyl (band)

"There are a staggering 64 documented live music performances in my home of New London county, CT today alone! The population of this county is only 268,805 and it is only 772 square miles. That is an incredible saturation of venues hosting live music and is a stark contrast to places I've lived in the past! You would be hard pressed to find anywhere else in the country that has so much live music. Amazing really! Thank you for the hard work documenting and promoting Wailing City!"
-Travis Hyll (musician)

"Wailing City appreciation post: true champions of the New London county music scene. Follow them!"
-Dirt Pile (band)

"We wanna take a minute to shout out our friends over at Wailing City for always helping to spread the word about our shows. They've been curating the most comprehensive live music calendar for SECT since 2006. If you don't already, give them a follow."
- 33 Golden Street (venue)

"Wailing City should be your first check in for all local music schedules. Thank you so much for all your efforts in promoting the scene!!
- David Schena (musician)

"Wailing City has been keeping the calendar up to date since I first started going to shows 20 years ago. We’re lucky to have Meghan volunteer her time to help keep the scene going!"
-James Burke (musician)

"With a little footwork and a short drive I managed to visit three live music shows on Bank Street last night... New London ROCKS...and all made possible searching out local music on Wailing City... thanks Meghan."
- Don Diederich (musician / local music fan)

"If you don't have ears, then it's possible you're not aware that southeastern Connecticut - specifically New London County - has an incredibly vibrant music scene. Over the years, it's gone from a hotbed of indie rock to an area of musicians, fans and venues that support a complex and varied number of artistic styles. The wailingcity.com web site - newly and lovingly redesigned - is a tremendous resource. A labor of affection and devotion conceptualized in 2006, wailingcity.com boasts artist bios, reviews and interviews, a club and band data base and calendars, videos, audio streaming, and cross-referenced links on all of the above - as well as lists of music services such as instrument instruction, record and retail stores, related media and periodicals, festival information, and so on. It's the brainchild of musician/artist Meghan Killimade, (and contributors), and they do a terrific job."
- RICK KOSTER (The Day) Published April 03. 2014

“Wailing City, is, as of now, probably the most successfully comprehensive listing on local and area shows in Southeastern Connecticut on the Internet; the folks at Wailing City are doing an excellent job of making sounds from the underground.”
-Ben Johnson (The Day) Published July 27, 2006

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Thank you for allowing Wailing City to be your go-to resource for live music in New London county, CT! We appreciate your support over the last 18 years! Wailing City is curated out of love for our music scene and our goal has always been to support and celebrate our local musicians, venues and live music fans. We are a local music blog and not a business, so we do not receive compensation for any of the work put into this site or our social media pages. Please consider donating to support our efforts so that we may continue to bring you consistent and up-to-date local music info!