Language Barrier is a Valley band with a unique setup. The band uses a rotating cast of musicians and plays each show with different instruments, giving their audience—and themselves—something different each time.
Language Barrier was founded by Nirantha Balagopal, a singer and songwriter who plays six different instruments. It all started when she wanted to play at the Trunk Space’s Indie 500 event, where bands play 500 songs back to back over the course of a weekend. But first, she needed a band.
Bassist Crystal Burnett was volunteering at the Trunk Space at the time, and singer, songwriter and guitarist Allie Long was introduced through a mutual friend. They formed Language Barrier, played in the show, then decided they wanted to keep it up.
But scheduling was becoming a problem. Burnett has a job. Long is finishing up her degree, and is also working on her first EP, Breathe, Don’t Speak. She recorded the album as part of her thesis project, and had her first solo show in Phoenix earlier this week.
Balagopal is a graduate student down in Tucson. She’s getting her Master’s in optical engineering, hoping to one day design camera lenses. It made it more difficult to get their schedules to line up, but that’s where their rotating cast of band members comes into play.
“It’s super helpful, and it’s kind of a revolutionary concept,” Long said. “I don’t know if it’s a new concept, but it’s a fun one.”
Balagopal said it’s fun for the band members and the audience, because every show is a little bit different.
“Every time I add a new member, they kind of write their own part.”
Burnett said it’s enjoyable for the musicians to play the same songs differently.
“We can have different sounds,” she said. “The songs sound different, which is really fun.”
And the band’s members said they enjoy playing on the local scene, and meeting new people.
“I love being a part of the local scene because I get the opportunity to meet so many interesting, creative and intelligent people,” Balagopal said. “Local art and music is really important to the cultural background of a city.”
Language Barrier has two shows this weekend. One today, and one tomorrow.
The Valley Vibe 