The Octopus Project

The Octopus Project has been around the block a few times, having played together since 1999. Think about it: While the turn of the millennium seems like it happened only yesterday, in music years, the actual time span is long enough for the '80s, in all its big-haired glory, to have begun and ended.

Despite the members' commitments to other bands at the time of the group's formation, their close friendship made it a no-brainer when guitarist Josh Lambert says they “eventually just decided to break off and do our own thing.” The fact that the bandmembers were all good friends from a young age further cemented that bond and allowed their music to stand the test of time.

The Octopus Project may be just a “random assemblage of words,” but it accurately describes the band's style and talent. Each member should have eight hands, with the number of instrument changes that occur.

“We all switch around instruments, because we all play pretty much everything,” Lambert says.

The music could be classified as experimental pop, but forcing the band into one label completely minimizes its talent as a whole. Lambert doesn't hesitate in classifying his group as “crazy, fun, loud and happy"—a much better description than any one genre can give. The Octopus Project's music is a midnight drive along the ocean; an unexpected night out with friends. The electronics are subtle enough to not overpower the organic instruments, and several melodic tracks layer onto one another, creating a cascade of sound.

The energy of Octopus Project, along with that of DJ Mr. Senor Love Daddy (AKA Reptar's William Kennedy), is sure to be in overdrive at the Melting Point, with the former pulling out all the stops to showcase its wide range of talent.