Meet The Greenstreets – (from left to right) drummer Stephen Perrillo ‘24, guitarist Santiago Cortes ‘23, pianist George Callaghan ‘24 and songwriter Alex Ellison ‘24.
GEORGE CALLAGHAN / COURTESY
By Angelina Perez, Arts & Entertainment Editor & Engagement Editor
Manhattan College’s newest Indie band, The Greenstreets, initially formed by a student singer and songwriter has already created a buzz around campus since officially re-forming last semester.
Alex Ellison formed the group in the spring of his sophomore year of high school. In addition to Ellison, the group consists of drummer Stephen Perrillo, pianist George Callaghan and guitarist Santiago Cortes.
The group was able to share their origin stories as musicians and as a band through an interview with The Quadrangle and their inspirations and plans for listeners as they take on more bars throughout New York City.
“When college first began they put up a Facebook class of 2024 page to introduce yourselves online, so I put one up and was skimming through people’s stuff, and then I saw [Callaghan], and I was in a moment in my life where I was by myself musically, and I wanted to meet new people,” Ellison said. “And the first person I wanted to meet was a pianist. And lo and behold, my prayers were answered.”
Perrillo studies biology and chemistry at MC, and for the first time this past September, during his senior year, he learned he had space for two liberal arts gen-ed classes. He eventually decided on a higher-level English writing workshop class and a music course that would ultimately change his life for the better.
“I play the drums and guitar, so I figured it would be cool to learn another instrument, so I signed up for piano,” Perrillo said. “During the first few weeks, I came to practice after class, and I saw George working with our professor on multiple occasions. Alex would often come in and join him.”
Piano skills professor James Behr was the one to introduce Perrillo to what was made up of Greenstreets at the time, Ellison and Callaghan, knowing they were in search of a drummer.
“[Behr] knew that I played other jazz instruments from conversations in class, and one day George and Alex came in, and he said in front of them to me, ‘Oh, these guys have a band together, and they’re looking for a drummer’,” Perrillo said. “The look on both their faces was funny, and I get it, we were strangers, so I went, ‘Hey man if you’re down, I’m down, I know he is kind of pushing it onto you guys but it’s all good if you guys aren’t interested’.”
As it turns out, the two were interested and Callaghan signed up the trio for the annual WRCM bash. Up until the performance, they imagined their band was at capacity, until a few funky chords made the group change their mind.
“It’s funny because when I signed us up originally, it was just the three of us,” Callaghan said. “And then that very week Santiago asked to sit in during one of our practices, and started playing the guitar.”
From an open mic night to the production of Abbey Road for last year’s album class, Corets recalls his version of the invisible string theory with his bandmates.
“I performed at a coffee house back in the fall of 2022, and they posted me on Instagram, and that is where George followed me, but it wasn’t until our album class last spring that we officially met,” Corets said.
When asked what music The Greenstreets draw inspiration from, bands such as The Red Hot Chili Peppers and Green Day were discussed, but musical scenery beyond the 80s was what they ultimately chose to amplify in their music.
“The chord structures, lyrics, arrangement, and instrumentation are all different and unique from anything I’ve listened to,” Callaghan said. “It has all sorts of other styles like rock and Indie alternative mixed into folk, so people with different listening backgrounds will have a desire to listen to it.”
Callaghan told The Quadrangle about his development of love for music from his mother, who saw something in him he did not initially see. He has been pursuing piano for the last eight years and decided it was what he wanted to do full-time once he came to MC.
“My brother and I would always play sports as kids, and my mom suggested we venture out and try to learn an instrument or do something in the arts,” Callaghan said. “She tried to sign both of us up for lessons, and I was adamant about not wanting to take lessons. Three months later, I saw my brother enjoying it, so I wanted to try it. Then, I took lessons for about eight years at the same place, and my brother quit after two years.”
Perrillo reflected on his history with different instruments in his life and how it all ended up bringing him back to the drums.
“Through several different journeys with different instruments, I feel that each one of them was highlighted by not only what my musical interests were at the time, but where I was in life,” Perrillo said. “I played the saxophone as a kid, and then I started playing the drums in middle school. In high school freshman year, a friend of mine who also played drums played Smells Like Teen Spirit on acoustic guitar, and I was shocked that you could make a sound like that, so I picked it up until college – since you can’t play it in the dorms. So, coming back to the drums felt like a unique full-circle experience.”
The group has had multiple performances since forming last fall, from bars to bashes, their most recent gig was at one of many Irish bars in the Bronx, Keane’s Bar, on the other side of Van Cortlandt Park.
They played to a hefty crowd of MC students from 9 pm. to midnight during a winter storm warning. The warning, however, did not stop people from showing up and enjoying the band’s music throughout the night.
In addition to stockpiling material to record their upcoming album, the group has decided to take their talent to the Upper East Side, where they will be playing at the music venue Pianos this upcoming Thursday, Feb. 8, at 7 pm. Tickets are available in their Instagram bio @green_streets_band.