Syosset Band Tours With Singer Alexa Carter

They won Syosset High School's Battle of the Bands in 2008, graduated in 2009, and had only finished one semester of college when they were asked to do a 2010 spring tour with Alexa Carter, an up-and-coming pop singer/songwriter from Wiggins, Miss. 

Blue Wolf, a hard rock band from Syosset, has long been known for its original music and lyrics. They never imagined playing someone else's music. That is, of course, until they met Carter.  

Just before graduating from Syosset High School, they were asked to be the practice band for Carter, who had moved to Manhattan to attend NYC's Professional Children's School.

Then, just a few months into their first semester of college, they were asked to accompany Carter on her first tour. By finals week, they had to to approach their parents about taking a leave of absence. "Our parents were very skeptical," says Greg Dostur, "but they understood that it was an opportunity to learn the music business hands on."  

"I haven't even declared a major yet," says Tom Costa, "and here I am asking my parents to let me take a semester off already."  

When the parents heard the band accompany Carter, they were amazed at how quickly they were able to shift gears and make music from an entirely different genre. The parents convened and decided to give the band their conditional support, provided they agree to return to college after the tour. 

Just when they thought everything was going smoothly, they lost their guitarist. They called Max Ash, a Syosset musician and classmate, and asked him if he'd be available to tour with them over Spring Break.   

"Greg called and woke me up," says Max, "so at first it was kind of dreamesque."  

As soon as Max realized it was indeed a dream, a dream come true, he accepted and was back in Syosset the next day for a rehearsal. They had to work hard and fast. Now they were not only playing someone else's music, but they had to teach it to someone they hadn't played with in years.  

"Tom easily made the switch from bass to guitar," says drummer Leon Zehrobian, "and in a little more than a week, he and Greg were able to teach Max all the bass lines."  

The first stop was Nashville. Down south Alexa was right at home. She loved NYC, but the subways and skyscrapers were overwhelming and unfamiliar. She grew up on over 200 acres, with cows and lakes and lots of family. Perhaps that's why Blue Wolf was the perfect choice to accompany her on tour.  They made her feel at home in Syosset, not just at rehearsals, but at family meals and social events. 

From Nashville the group played the prestigious South by Southwest music festival in Austin, Texas. When the bus went on to Gulfport, Miss., they played a show they will never forget. After the performance, while still on stage, Carter was approached by James Stroud of Stroudavarious Records.  He complimented the band members on their excellent performance and asked Alexa if she would like to come to Nashville and work as an artist for his label.   

The tour bus took the long way home to Syosset, allowing the band to add few extra days to the road trip. They spent the next two weeks helping Alexa pack up her Woodbury apartment  and move to Nashville. Blue Wolf is glad to be back home, and, as promised, all the members will return to college this fall--with a new appreciation for different styles of music.