Local Youth Band to Watch Out For: Dodging Bullets

For music fans who assess musical prowess based on age, skip this article and save us all a lot of time. For those still reading, keep a close eye out for Dodging Bullets – a young local rock band on the rise, comprised of Connor Coffey (Lead vocals, guitar), Nick Bohlke (guitar, vocals), Chandler Krull (bass) and Brennan Hill (drums). Don’t let the fact that none of these gents have a learner’s permit fool you – they’ve got chops, and are sure to be making their bones in the Lincoln/Omaha music scene in the not-so-distant future, solidifying their prepotency as a rock troupe to be reckoned with.

The Bullets cite the likes of Red Jumpsuit Apparatus and Senses Fail as musical influences, along with a dash of ‘80s hair metal. Their sound is diversified – their post-punk romp “Truth or Consequence” channels early grunge, teeming with Nirvana-esque distortion; the tune “Why Not?” fully showcases the band’s brazen and intricate proficiency, lathered around a rhythmically infectious groove.

The band formed in the fall of 2007, through the Academy of Rock, an after school program designed to familiarize kids with the fundamentals of musical collaboration.

The kids are sectioned into groups, where they play cover songs, work on original material and even shows. Dodging Bullets is the product of a group brimming with promise (not to mention, crazy talent) that decided to take it one step further. One would never guess it (what with the Bullets’ eminent stage presence and obvious collective chemistry), but the group hadn’t known each other prior to the birth of the Bullets – a testament to the young musicians natural music capacities.

I spoke with the frontman, multi-instrumentalist Connor Coffey, about where he sees the Bullets progressing in the future: the Bullets look to acquire a larger fan base, specifically getting their name out there and playing more shows. The group hopes to experiment with and augment different musical genres and intensify their sound, bridging styles and polishing their already-frightfully-well-honed skills. Though the band has yet to find their niche, their blatant passion for music and devotion to the art form serve as auspicious symptoms of musical aptitude. Keep an eye out for Dodging Bullets, a promising prospective troupe on the rise.