Talkhouse and the Licks held their first house show performance in Little Rock Sept. 18 after being together for a little over two weeks. Seniors Johnnyangel Nevares and John Hampton took the stage.

“We’re [starting] an indie scene movement [to] make music better for this generation,” Nevares said. “We’re trying to get it out there that it’s not all about money.”

Nevares wants people to believe there is more to life than just college.

“People say go to college, that’s how you’re going to be successful, when it’s not,” Nevares said. “If you have a talent, if you want to do something, or if you want to show the world what your passion is, then go and do that.”

Nevares has his own set of goals when it comes to this band.

“We live in a very libertine era,” Nevares said. “People are too obsessed with their appearance, and they care about money, sex, women and drugs. I don’t want to [tell] my grandchildren that I lived in this era. I’m not going to be proud of that; I want to make something that, I’m going to be proud of. I feel like this is a step.”

Hampton was not with the band from the beginning, but he joined as the drummer when the band was searching for someone more versatile.

“[We need] to get a set pattern to the songs and start playing shows regularly,” Hampton said. “I know that one of the bands that we played with is trying to start a record label, and if they do, then we could get signed with them.”

There were a lot of last minute changes and several moments where Hampton just had to feel out the music.

“It’s a good adrenaline rush,” Hampton said. “I usually play the best when I’m performing. Even in jazz band or playing anywhere else, I would kind of suck in practice, [but] whenever it actually came time to perform, I always do my best.”

Nevares was in California when he came up with the name for the band.

“ I wasn’t doing anything but listening to cassettes and CDs in the room that I got to stay in,” Nevares said. “I was constantly coming up with lyrics and playing the guitar. I was talking to my dad and grandfather [and said], ‘Check out these licks,’ and I just loved the way that sounded. [It’s] very versatile name and I think it suits us really well.”

Senior Faith Young attended the show. She said it had a small community feel and she enjoyed the music.

“I liked “Space Cowboys,” that was a good song,” Young said. “I liked seeing everyone be so relaxed outside of school.”

Senior Karmen Merritt hopes to see more from the band in the future.

“I want to hear [more] lyrics because I know Johnny has lyrics, and they did sing some of them but not all of them,” Merritt said. “[I also want to hear] more songs, because I know they want to create more, and I know that they could. I think that they underestimate how good they actually are.”

After seeing their performance, senior Lauren Fuller hopes the band will be able to get their name out.

“I hope that they get the word out that they’re an actual band now and not just a few kids with instruments and that more people start to come to their shows,” Fuller said.