Though Eleven doesn't quite add up to 11, the band's now eight-person lineup has grown (significantly) since the band was formed in the fall of 2006.
Then-first-years Alexi Thomakos '10 and Nick Lechich '10 began playing music together in the common room of their first-year dorm. Soon thereafter, they met bassist Max Taylor '10 and keyboard player, guitarist, and vocalist Sammie Francis '09, who pushed for the formation of a band.
This four-person version of Eleven spent the first year of its career, the 2006-2007 school year working toward competing in the 2007 Battle of the Bands.
"We didn't even have a drum set that first year," said Lechich. "We worked really hard for that one show."
Though the band did not win the competition, the 2007-2008 school year brought more performance opportunities for Eleven when they began playing at different College House events.
Eleven's first big performance following Battle of the Bands '07 was their set at Mac House's Oktoberfest followed by their opening performance for Barefoot Truth at Quinby House in the fall of '07. Similar performances soon followed, including one at Epicuria in the fall of '09 and at the Cold War Party this past winter.
The ability to perform in the small college atmosphere is of great value to the members of Eleven.
"Being able to play and see your friends in the audience is really an amazing feeling. We want everyone involved," said guitarist Matthew Bowers '10.
Having performed in Battle of the Bands for three consecutive years, the original members of Eleven (excluding Francis, who graduated last spring) said they were more than ready to finally feel the glory of winning competition.
"This is something we'd been working toward as a band for a very long time. It was our first goal when we first formed. It felt like a cumulative thing. It was something we had been progressing toward but this is the year we finally did it."
"It was really our goal every year. After having come so close every time it was very satisfying to finally make it there," he added.
Because the band is also a tight-knit group of friends, members felt very strongly about their joint achievement as both musicians and friends.
"To have the entire band standing together in front of the stage waiting for the results and have us win was amazing," said Lechich. "We had a group embrace as an entire band [when we won]," he said.
The group has doubled in size since 2006 as members have graduated, been replaced, and been added.
"There have been at least 12 or 13 people who have played with us at some point...we have a lot of musical friends," said Taylor.
A majority of members are also currently involved in musical activities on campus outside of the band, including chorus and a cappella groups, the Middle Eastern music ensemble and the Pep band. Although all eight members will be graduating in May, several members, including Emily Schonberg '10 said they will continue to pursue music individually beyond Bowdoin.
"All of our friends have musical talent. It's really convenient. It's been easier to incorporate a new friend into the band every year," said Jamie Nadeau '10.
Past members or guest performers of the group include Louis Weeks '11 and Rutledge Long '10.
The newest group members as of this school year are Brooks Winner '10 on the trumpet and vocalist Kirsten Chmielewski '10.
"Part of the reason I joined Eleven was because I wanted to play my trumpet more but also because I wanted to hang out with these guys more," said Winner.
Winner and his fellow band members will perform at the Ivies Spring Concert on Saturday May 1 as a part of their prize for taking Battle of the Bands.
Thus far, Eleven has played a variety of covers, which according to Chmielewski are "throwbacks, songs everyone knows that they can sing along to."
For the Ivies concert, Eleven is committed to making a full effort to play songs they've always aspired to play, however challenging these new endeavors may be.
"Over the years we've had big projects in mind that we've always talked about playing but never actually made the effort to play," said Lechich. "Since this is going to be our last show we're going to play some of those. We want to play songs that are appropriate for—hopefully—a beautiful, sunny day."
The Ivies concert will be Eleven's final chance to perform for their friends and the Bowdoin community.
"It's just about playing our favorite songs and including friends... Its not like we're trying to get a record deal, we just do it to enjoy ourselves," said Schonberg.
To make requests for Eleven's Ivies set-list, e-mail mtaylor@bowdoin.edu.