“We were kind of bored with just doing normal covers,” vocalist Nate Cryan responded about adding horn players to existing progressive band Hybrid Zone (the end result being Papa Bear’s Big Red Chair), “we wanted to do something that no other high schooler really decides to do.”

The eight-piece ska-punk band is certainly far from ordinary; bassist Alex Kan describes Papa Bear as “a whole different genre…it’s more hype aggressive music instead of chill, laid back stuff.”

Papa Bear has performed several gigs, from Panther Creek’s very own talent show to North Carolina Museum of Natural Science’s BugFest – each show bringing an undeniable zest to the genre of ska-punk. Their unique style and irresistible energy has made them very popular among music fans, especially in Panther Creek’s student body.

As for the future, “we’re just gonna ride it out until the end of senior year and see what happens, and have as much fun with it as we can until then,” saxophonist Aiden Niemi says.

The band is looking forward to playing the next talent show to be held at Panther Creek – be sure to catch them early next year.

Gallery • 7 Photos

Papa Bear's Big Red Chair at BugFest 2015