Aquarius is not interested in nostalgia for nostalgia’s sake. Instead, the Hudson Valley tribute band immerses audiences in the music of the 1960s through iconic songs, psychedelic swirls and a deeper mission to rebuild human connection.
That spirit will be on the road this summer, with upcoming performances including a free show at The Seafarer in Highlands, New Jersey, and an appearance as part of the Summer Concert Series in Pine Hill.
Ahead of those shows, NYS Music spoke with Aquarius keyboardist and vocalist Dunja Von Stoddard over Zoom about the band’s roots, visual world and the everlasting pull of the swinging sixties.
Christine Saldana: Aquarius feels fresh, even though it draws so heavily from the past. What keeps that era feeling alive for you?
Dunja Von Stoddard: Yeah, we’re a pretty new band. We’ve been around for about a year, but the inspiration behind it goes way back. I grew up on a hippie farm upstate with hippie parents, and the music of the 1960s and early ’70s was constantly in the background. It’s so easy to be inspired by that era. Everything was intertwined and influenced each other. The advertisements, the television commercials, the B-movies, the fashion, the music.
CS: Was there a particular song that became the foundation for the group?
DVS: We named the band after “Aquarius” by The 5th Dimension. But there are other songs too. Off the top of my head, “Time of the Season” by The Zombies and “Happy Together” by The Turtles.
CS: You’re a screen printer and illustrator, as well as a musician. How does making art compare to making music?
DVS: Music reaches people on a different level than visual art does. What I love is combining the two.
I recently saw Devo, and they’re one of my biggest inspirations. They were influenced by ’60s music and were art students, so the visuals were very much apart of the experience. They used video projections and handmade animation, and everything had this DIY, analog feel.
It wasn’t polished the way things are now. It felt human. That’s what I’m trying to create with Aquarius.
CS: What makes a song feel “Aquarius” to you?
DVS: I love songs that bring back memories for people. You can feel it in the room when it happens.
CS: Is there a song that consistently gets a big reaction from the audience?
DVS: A lot of them do, but “Time of the Season” always gets one. So do “Wild Thing,” “Magic Carpet Ride,” “California Dreamin’,” and even “Louie Louie.” They’re like party anthems.
CS: Have you noticed younger audiences at your shows resonating with the music?
DVS: Yes. We just played at Whisky a Go Go on the same night as Strawberry Alarm Clock, the band behind “Incense and Peppermints.” There were so many people in their 20s and 30s there. They knew every word to the songs. They even dressed up.
I think a lot of that comes from parents passing on the music to them. I learned these songs from my parents, and my son knows them because of me. The music keeps getting passed down from one generation to the next.
CS: Does Aquarius have a shared philosophy or mantra?
DVS: We have a lot of practical jokes with each other. It feels like a family. And because we’re so comfortable with one another, we’re willing to experiment. Someone will suggest a new instrument or a different arrangement, and everyone is open to trying it. We can take risks because there’s a lot of trust between us.
CS: Tell me about the rest of the band!
DVS: Dana is our lead vocalist and also plays flute. Karen sings and plays rhythm guitar. Will is on bass, Tobias Ralph is on drums, and Justin plays guitar. I play keyboards and sing as well. And everybody plays tambourine.
CS: What do you hope people take away from an Aquarius show?
DVS: I really believe music can heal people. There’s a study that shows that people’s heartbeats start to sync when they experience music together. And I definitely feel that when we’re playing live. We’re all in it together.
I think that’s important for the world right now. We’re all in our own little worlds, on our screens. That’s what I hope to spread, an opportunity for human connection.
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