It is well known that Oxford has a rich history of nurturing artistic talent, from literary geniuses like William Faulkner to blues legends like R.L. Burnside. Among the latest crop of Oxford-born talent sits new alternative rock band Üni.
This band’s lineup features a talented ensemble of young local artists, including lead guitarist and Coffeeville, Miss., native Dalton Burney, Oxford local Carson Gentry on drums and fellow Oxonian Joe Hogue as vocalist.
Burney described their sound as alternative rock with a hint of indie and blues. Inspired by a wide range of artists, from Flip Turn to Lynyrd Skynyrd, the band performs rock and indie covers, but they are hoping to release their own EP by the end of the semester.
While Üni may be the band’s current name, their journey began under different names. These included Thacker, after the Thacker Mountain Fire Tower – where they spend much of their time hanging out and making music – and The Sips, after their shared Mississippi roots.
The decision to rebrand themselves as Üni was not taken lightly, but it marked a pivotal turning point in their musical journey. On a summer trip to the United Kingdom, Hogue had a breakthrough that would change the course of the band forever.
“It came to me because I always heard Europeans and British people call their universities ‘uni,’ and then I decided to add little Motley Crüe dots above the ‘U’ to make it pop,” Hogue said. “And that was it. I texted them in the group chat that day.”
Üni tested the waters of Oxford’s music scene at Proud Larry’s on Aug. 26 by opening for indie groups Hotel Fiction and Trash Panda.
“We saw them before we even knew we were going to open for them, which was really cool,” Hogue said. “The turnout was awesome. We met the right people at the right time.”
Like many aspiring musicians, Üni also faces the daily struggles of managing school and work commitments while pursuing their dream as a band.
Hogue balances studying marketing at UM with work and the band, while Burney is completing his last year of high school. Gentry, who works at The Library, says their biggest challenge is scheduling practice with three different schedules.
“We’re banking everything,” Burney said. “So it’s more than a full-time job. It’s every day, every second.”
Üni has played other gigs at bars, parties and open mics, and they are hoping to branch out and secure their own shows in the Oxford music scene. They are opening for indie group Easy Honey and Thistle Ridge at Proud Larry’s on Sept. 27.
“This little idea that we came up with either goes No. 1 on the charts or is unheard of forever,” Gentry said. “Either way, it’s really exciting.”
