Check Out the Band Dumpcake: Serving Up Music to the Nanuet HS Community

Nikki Williams, Staff Writer|February 23, 2021

A Personal Note from Staff Writer, Nikki Williams

I personally listened to Dumpcake’s music, and decided I’d just give my opinion as a writer and someone who listens to a lot of different genres and artists. I have to say I really enjoyed listening to their music. They have three songs on Spotify, and “3 Thousand Miles” just hit over 1,000 streams. They have a great sound, and I like how they don’t really conform to one genre. Listening to their music for the first time, I heard bits of indie for sure, and some rock. Their sound is unique and different and I’d even compare some of their songs to be similar to the band Wallows. I had a blast interviewing them. They’re a cool group of people. Dumpcake is headed to great places and you should definitely check them out.

Music is a rich, thriving activity in Nanuet. Countless students are involved in the school band, choir, orchestra, and the like, and some students even choose to pursue their musical endeavors outside the walls of Nanuet Senior High School.

Dumpcake is a band of junior Knights who were happy to talk about the history of their music. The band consists of Matt Demersky, Marc Rodriguez, and Kevin Gudiel.

The formation of the band was a few years in the making, according to Rodriguez, the band’s bassist.

“Dumpcake kind of formed itself when me, Kevin, and Matt were just chilling in Music Tech Club,” he said. “For years we always had an idea to start a band and Music Tech Club was a good reason to start.”

After forming the band, then came formation of the name, Rodriguez explained.

“It’s kind of strange,” he said. “I was in that ‘As Seen on TV’ store and I passed some random book with an old lady on the cover titled ‘Quick and Easy Dump Cakes’ or something like that. I sent a pic to Kevin and Matt at first because I thought it was funny but then we realized it was the perfect name for our band.”

Through coming up with names and the idea to execute the band plan, it was time for instruments. Matt sings and plays guitar, Marc plays the bass, Kevin plays the drums, and both Kevin and Marc assist with back-up vocals.

The group began by playing locally to reach a larger and targeted audience.

“We just tried to find opportunities to play anywhere,” Demersky said. “We played a lot of basement shows before Coronavirus, and those [would] just pop up out of nowhere. And we have two singles out right now to stream.”

There are also plans for an album, Demersky says.

COVID-19 has really pumped the brakes for many people, especially for musicians, Rodriguez said.

“Ever since quarantine started, we haven’t been able to perform because of social distancing [protocols],” he said. “Instead we’ve just been working on the album and recording our own parts at home.

“We’ve been working on it for over a year because so much keeps going wrong,” he added.

Before Coronavirus the band played numerous shows, according to Gudiel.

“I think I can speak for all of us when I say that BOBBYPALOOZA was probably one of our most fun shows,” he said. “It was in the basement of this church somewhere on Blauvelt. There was like two other bands and probably like 80 people there in total. I do want to say that at one point, mid song, I got up and switched pants on stage.”

The Nanuet-based band has also played some shows in their hometown and school.

“Our first show was at the school’s car show two summers ago,” Demersky said. “We do Music Tech Club shows whenever they happen.”

The band defines their genre as a form of rock, according to Demersky.

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