Chapel Hill band grows in popularity with a genre bending sound
By Sharon Kinsella | Photography by John Michael Simpson
Cass DeLuca likes to sleep – which isn’t ideal when your band needs its drummer to rehearse. Meanwhile, without a ride, Finn Brown, Avery Byrne and Mili Ruiz Vasquez turned to the second-best vehicle to haul their equipment to Cass’ house: a wheelbarrow. “We loaded up our gear in a wheelbarrow, and we tried walking there,” says Finn, the band’s bassist. “Then this truck came by us and offered us a lift.” The group says they declined because, “you know, stranger danger,” but then realized they actually knew the driver. So, they loaded their stuff in the back of the truck and rode the rest of the way.
Cass, Finn, Avery and Mili make up Chiroptera (pronounced kai-rawp-tr-uh), an up-and-coming “punk-adjacent” band, and the reason they couldn’t get behind the wheel that day is because they’re high school students, and none of them were old enough to drive. Yet, they’ve already signed a record deal, played gigs across the Triangle and even have an international audience.
Chapel Hill High students Finn and Cass had the idea for a band in March 2024 after getting together to jam. They recruited a singer by posting a flyer at School of Rock Chapel Hill, where Cass took drum lessons. East Chapel Hill High’s Avery studied voice there and soon joined, and with fellow Chapel Hill High student Mili, the full band met for the first time in August 2024.
The group played its first gig as Chiroptera at The Carrboro Really Really Free Market held at Carrboro Town Commons. The teens say they were met with an outpouring of support and encouragement from the community. “It was a very warm and welcoming environment,” Avery says. “They were very [open] with us about the amount of time [we took] and what [we were] doing. [They said] as long as you’re doing what you want to do, that’s what matters. I think for a gig space, that’s rare for a first encounter.”
Support from the community has given the teens the confidence to keep performing, Mili says. Since then, they’ve played at Local 506, Speakeasy, Motorco Music Hall, The Pinhook and The Night Rider in Raleigh. All-ages venues are their favorite. “We’ve played shows where we’re allowed [on stage], but people our age aren’t allowed to come to see us,” Avery says. Playing all-ages shows allows the band to connect to their peers, which has been fundamental in helping them build a following. “Without those spaces, I don’t think we would be able to build up the community we have,” Avery says.
“It’s absolutely wild,” Finn adds, describing what it’s like to meet fans. “It’s really incredible – and honestly, very shocking – to know that people who I don’t know, know that we exist and [listen to our music].”
The band’s first EP with Raleigh music label Boared to Death Records released Aug. 15. This record, they say, experiments with different genres and sounds, bringing in more dynamic contrast and complex instrumentations than fans have heard before. “We’ve played [some of these songs] live before, but having them recorded is very different sounding than it is live,” Cass says. “I think it’ll be cool for [fans] to hear that.”
As school comes back into session, the group faces a new challenge: balancing growing popularity with the demands of student life. For now, school takes priority – though with Avery getting his license soon (and Finn not far behind), at least getting to rehearsal will get a little easier. The band has no plans to slow down. They’re eager to connect with more local acts, especially other youth bands, and hope to land a spot at this fall’s Carrboro Music Festival. Until then, they’re focused on doing what they love best. “I guess it’s like punk plus more experimental,” Cass says of their craft. “To me, punk is spreading a message. It’s pulling people together.”
