Leadpetal: Finding the Rhythm
Shattering the ice in Pennsylvania’s very own “Christmas City,” Leadpetal has taken the Lehigh Valley by storm. The three-piece band's devotion to the raw, independent philosophy of Leadpetal is fueled by the camaraderie and passion shared between the musicians and audience of the underground music scene. After a year of being on the hunt for a bassist to expand the explosive sound of the band after the original member left, the challenges that faced founding members, Bella Calamia (guitar, vocals) and Sam Marencik (drums), proved to be rewarding in strengthening the trust and singular identity of Leadpetal.
Bella Calamia always had a knack for music. Growing up playing the piano cemented classical influences in her bones, yet she gravitated to the angsty, aggressive energy of grunge. “I got obsessed with Nirvana. I just started playing guitar. And then when I graduated, my dad gifted me a guitar. I just never put it down,” Calamia said. After graduation, though, Calamia moved to Pennsylvania, which made finding a crew to jam with difficult. That was until the social anchor of a mundane coffee shop brought the fates together. Calamia said, “And right after I graduated, I moved to PA, knew nobody. And I was like, now what? I want to start this band, but I don't know people. So I got a barista job to meet more people. And then that's where I met Becca from LVGR [Lehigh Valley Girls Rock]. Signed up, did that.”
LVGR is a local organization in the Lehigh Valley that empowers girls, women, nonbinary and transgender folk through crafting musical talent and art. They host summer camps, community workshops, local live shows and more. LVGR was a focal point for the band’s conception, the beginnings of their trajectory, and aided in establishing Leadpetal’s fundamental band value: community. “[Leadpetal] just providing an experience. [Bella] will be at the merch table, like, talking to every single person that goes by. And she goes there right after the show. And I think that makes people really interested,” Marencik said. Leadpetal’s efforts in building a strong, loving sense of community is not the only reason for their explosive success in the Lehigh Valley and beyond. Sonically, the band is doing something different than most.
The sound of Leadpetal is something of both riot grrrl philosophy and the alternative metal, garage grunge tactics. “I don't want to be pigeonholed into a girl band. I'd rather see myself as a musician. Like I don't really look at gender when it comes to music, I just do what I do,” said Calamia. Allowing for the pendulum to swing between both feminine and masculine sounds has given Leadpetal a singular identity—even aiding in the performance of the band members on stage. Marencik said, “I like to wear dresses, and it's different when you're playing the drums. We love the bling and adding cool belts and jewelry everywhere. So it's like, you know, the feminine riot grrrl doesn't need to be any one way, but we like heavy rock and grunge.”
The name of the band even stands out as an accurate representation of what the music has to offer. Calamia stated, “We wanted a masculine, independent element, so ‘Leadpetal'. We wanted to combine the rough sound and just who we are.” Marencik continued on what individuality in the face of a grunge band means to her: “And I feel, y’know, music has come such a long way, especially for femme people on stage. The path has been paved over and over again. It’s like let's take charge of that and create something we feel is needed.”
Even though Leadpetal is a novelty in the Lehigh Valley underground music scene, they faced an uphill battle in finding a bassist to underscore and fill the sound of the band once more. According to Calamia, “The audition process was frustrating and there was pushback from people, like, guys that we didn’t put in our band. We were over it and were like maybe let's just get a girl, what the hell.” They wanted someone who would be a valuable participant in the songwriting, composing, and producing processes. Marecik said, “We didn’t want someone just jumping in, we wanted someone who wanted to do it.”
To compensate for the lack of bass within the music, Calamia had to do a considerable amount of work with her guitar in order to increase the depth of the sound stage. She said, “The tone is a lot different than usual. It’s a lot beefier and harder.” Even booking gigs as a two-piece after their bassist left was difficult. “It was a matter of trust and I was still emailing venues—I emailed them anyway. But it was just finding the confidence with Sam, I think.” The challenge of working without a bassist for months created a stronger bond between the two, and as they continued to write music, they never left the bassline out of the mix. “I was just creating stuff. I was like, ‘Okay, I can make a beat now, let’s put something together.’ We think of bass parts, we can’t execute any of them, but they’re there,” said Marencik.
When Leadpetal was ready to start playing shows again as a two-piece, the underground sound of the Lehigh Valley did not disappoint. Calamia said, “Our first show back was at Homebase skateshop in Bethlehem, and it was like out the door. The response was crazy. I thought no one was going to be there.” The strength of community that Leadpetal has built has kept their fanbase alive, even in the face of challenges. The band continued to play shows as they searched for the perfect addition.
One heady night at the iconic Funhouse in Bethlehem, the stars aligned. Ellie Carroll, a familiar musician among the underground scene, attended the late-night Leadpetal show. Entranced by the striking sound and energy of the band that night, she christened her chances for an audition. As Carroll herself put it, “I got really drunk and I was like, ‘Guys, what if I learn bass and be your bassist?’ And then I tried the next day.” She said, “I’ve been following them for the longest time. Just never thinking, ‘Oh yeah, I want to be in the band.’ Because they’re awesome and cool.” As Carroll has started learning the sound of Leadpetal, the band is finding its footing again. “I realized I don’t have as much fleshed out as I thought I did. I don’t want Ellie to just play with the return plays. We just got her the bass stem so she can hear it isolated. She's already really good. I missed that rhythm,” Calamia said.
The new era that Leadpetal is stepping into confirms the abundance of support, trust and talent that the band has. They are hoping to do more in the future: “Maybe do some music videos or visuals because we can finally promote the new era,” said Calamia. Along with the inspired new energy of the three-piece band, they have recorded a new single, “Home” that will be released on October 1st. The new era of Leadpetal is even rougher, grungier, and louder, yet is still methodically composed and meticulously performed. Finding the rhythm of this fresh beginning for the band, Leadpetal is letting instinct take the lead.
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