The Rare Occasions

{{Infobox musical artist

| name = The Rare Occasions

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| origin = Boston, Massachusetts, US Los Angeles, California, US

| genre = Garage rock, indie rock, indie pop, alt rock

| years_active = {{Start date|2012}}–present

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| website = {{URL|therareoccasions.com}}

| current_members = *Brian McLaughlin

Jeremy Cohen
Luke Imbusch

| past_members = *Peter Stone

}}

The Rare Occasions are an American indie rock band, formed in Somerville, MA in 2012.{{cite web|url=https://college.usatoday.com/2014/05/15/soundcheck-the-rare-occasions-put-a-quirky-spin-on-boston-music/|title=SoundCheck: The Rare Occasions put a quirky spin on music|website=USA Today|last=Muslin|first=Kristin|date=May 15, 2014|access-date=March 27, 2022}} Current members are Brian McLaughlin (vocals, guitar), Jeremy Cohen (bass guitar, backup vocals) and Luke Imbusch (drums, backup vocals). Lead guitarist Peter Stone left in 2018.{{cite web|url=https://www.submithub.com/artist/the-rare-occasions|title=The Rare Occasions artist profile|website=SubmitHub|access-date=March 27, 2022}} The band's debut release was the Demo Recordings EP (2012). In 2016, Futureproof was released as a fourth EP. "Notion", a song from the EP, went viral on TikTok in October 2021.{{cite web|url=https://vanyaland.com/2021/10/18/boston-thriving-the-rare-occasions-top-spotifys-viral-50-usa-chart/|title=Boston Thriving: The Rare Occasions top Spotify's 'Viral 50 – USA' chart|last=Wasylak|first=Victoria|date=October 18, 2021|website=Vanyaland|access-date=March 27, 2022}} Their most recent release has been the album "Through Moonshot Eyes" in September 2024.

History

In high school, McLaughlin and Imbusch joined a band called [https://thevalar.bandcamp.com/ The Valar] in Providence, Rhode Island. The Valar developed 2 EPs and 1 Album throughout its 3-year lifespan. That being "Valagueña", "The Project", and "The Adventures of a Septapus Named Wallace". The group disbanded in 2010 due to each member matriculating at different colleges, deeming it impractical to continue making music for most of the year. McLaughlin and Imbusch left the band, met Stone and Cohen at their respective colleges, and decided to add them to the band. Thus forming The Rare Occasions. McLaughlin came up with the name after the band went through an "identity crisis," eventually settling on "The Rare Occasions" instead of "The Custodians," which they previously went by.

Around late 2015, Imbusch relocated from Boston to Los Angeles, California to pursue his career in music composition, and McLaughlin followed shortly after. Their 2016 EP, Futureproof, was recorded across the US remotely, with Stone and Cohen in Boston and Imbusch and McLaughlin in Los Angeles.{{cite web |title=The Rare Occasions official website |url=https://therareoccasions.com |access-date=March 28, 2022}}

Shortly after Futureproof's release, Cohen and Stone followed the other members to Los Angeles.

Shortly after their first album Into The Shallows was released, lead guitarist Peter Stone left the band amicably, leading to the band becoming a 3-piece. It is theorized that Peter Stone left the band to persue a solo career, and because he did not want to live in Los Angeles.

Their first release was the Demo Recordings EP, released on October 12, 2012, followed by Applefork (2013), Feelers (2014), and Futureproof (2016). Three studio albums were recorded, Into the Shallows (2018), Big Whoop (2021), and Through Moonshot Eyes (2024).{{cite web|url=https://www.discogs.com/artist/9682738-The-Rare-Occasions|title=The Rare Occasions|website=Discogs|access-date=March 27, 2022}} In addition, the EP Attaboy (2022) was released between Big Whoop and Through Moonshot Eyes.

Style

The Rare Occasions were described as a garage rock,{{cite web|url=https://www.providencejournal.com/story/entertainment/events/2016/08/04/ri-band-rare-occasions-bridge-divide-on-latest-album/27302014007/|title=Rare Occasions bridge divide on latest album|website=The Providence Journal|last=Darosa|first=Andrew|date=August 3, 2016|access-date=March 27, 2022}} indie rock, and indie pop band. The EP Futureproof introduced experimentation – string arrangements and woodwind instruments, suggested by Imbusch and vocal harmonies. 2021 album Big Whoop featured Wall of Sound guitars, electronic landscapes, and further orchestral arrangements; McLaughlin's lyrics are sometimes philosophical and often deal with existentialism.{{Cite web |last=Mosk |first=Mitch |date=2016-08-11 |title=Review: Daring and Depth on The Rare Occasions' "Futureproof" EP |url=https://atwoodmagazine.com/futureproof-rare-occasions-ep-review/ |access-date=2024-12-02 |website=Atwood Magazine |language=en-US}}