By: Meghan Mahaffey

I’m sure every Fordham student is familiar with The Wave, considering the success they have achieved both on and off campus. The band has performed at the places you know and love around campus, such as Rodrigues’ Coffee House,, and worked their way up to open for COIN at Spring Weekend 2023. Their performances don’t stop there, as they have been branching out to well-known NYC venues. This summer, I came across their show at DROM on August 16, 2023, where they opened for Dogpark, a cover band quickly gaining popularity on TikTok. I have seen The Wave perform before on campus, and I was eager to see this next step for the band.

The show was held in an intimate setting in the East Village, drawing an exciting crowd of people similar to myself. The venue quickly filled with young adults looking for an entertaining night. The sheer appreciation for live music, even if the crowd didn’t know each song performed, is an aspect of the New York City music scene that will continuously draw me in. Everyone in the crowd was connected by the desire to feel the bass in the walls and witness the performers’ passion. The group took the stage as the first to perform and was greeted by immense engagement, some audience members being a part of the Fordham community (telling from the finger rams thrown into the air after their performance). The chemistry on stage was apparent– a feature of a band that I admire greatly. The members of The Wave undoubtedly know how to excite an audience, even those who did not know of the band before coming to the show. The performance was a clear success, considering the various shows they booked since the DROM gig.

Following the concert, I connected with the members of the Fordham band, vocalist and guitarist Robbie Schier, bassist Steven Morris, and drummer Matt Termine, to hear more about The Wave’s origins and aspirations for the future. I was grateful to work with The Wave to get their story heard to educate the Fordham community about the homegrown talent that walks our campus. I communicated with Robbie Schier closely, and he expressed an enthusiastic passion for fan engagement. When I asked about their most memorable moment as a band, Schier replied, “We have had numerous memorable moments as a band. We would say the most memorable so far have been winning Battle of the Bands, opening for COIN at Spring Weekend, and opening for Dogpark at Drom. There are a myriad of fantastic experiences, but any gig that the fans have fun at is the most memorable for us.” A commitment to their fanbase shines through in their many impressive performances. 

Another aspect of The Wave indicative of future success is their interconnectedness within the industry and eagerness to take up every opportunity that presents itself. Their aspiration for success is coupled with their support for other people in the industry. 

How did you get the gig to open for Dogpark?

Robbie Schier: “We got the gig to open for Dogpark because their drummer, Chris Conte, used to play with Steve in high school, doing gigs and songwriting together. Chris, Steve, and I also formed a band together through the first two years of college from 2020-2021 called Flash IX. We’ve stayed close with him over time. When Dogpark booked the gig at DROM, Chris kept us in mind and reached out to see if we would open for them, and we jumped at the opportunity. We happily accepted the gig and congratulated them on the success they’ve had thus far and will have in the future.”

The Wave has aspirations as a band, as they “envision playing together for the foreseeable future,” according to Schier. Their show at DROM was filled with excitement and energy, and I do not doubt that they will continue to amass success through New York City. The band “hopes to serve [their] fanbase with music and hope to see Fordham students at every event.”