Oculus (which means "eye" in Latin) is a visionary new band from Ithaca, NY. Brothers and Friends, Oculus bring crowds to life and unite people of all different generations and backgrounds through profound, playful, and charismatic performances. The lead singer of Oculus, Aidan Makepeace, has a fitting last name that expresses both his political views and the message he wishes to spread through his music. When asked whether or not Makepeace has legally changed his last name to its current form, he just smiles in response. His brother Finian, the band’s drummer, is further proof of their surname’s legitimacy. Their family-oriented mentality spurred the brothers to create a close-knit band. Hailing from Ithaca, NY, Aidan explains that the group, including Jake Roberts and Will Evett-Miller, lived there together for about three years. While its roots may be homegrown, Oculus has toured in Brazil, the UK, Ireland, and elsewhere abroad. Introducing the group’s song “Pale Blue Dot,” which is based on a satellite picture of the Earth, Aidan said we should all recognize “how small this Earth is and how this is all that we have.” Oculus’ peaceful, anti-war songs successfully convey their passionate beliefs. The band’s mix of styles ranges from rock, world beat and rap to slow and poetic verses. Oculus knows how to play the crowd just as well as it plays its instruments. Their contagious enthusiasm infiltrates as the band encourages the audience to clap with the rhythm of their songs and welcomes their listeners’ interpretations of their songs throughout their shows. Their lyrics often try to convey a message, and if advocating filling out voter registration forms is any indication, Oculus is bold in voicing their political inclinations. Aidan points out that the group’s first album cover depicts the world’s children trying to take a sword from an adult’s hand. The cover was created just after 9/11, and it is a declaration of the band’s anti-war feelings. In continuing this message, the band performs a song Aidan wrote called “Playground,” (available on Oculus: I Dream I’m Sleeping) which is about signing up for the draft and the cycle of violence in the world. The lyrics state: “Tell young boys it’s your pride or your life… I’m 18; I swear I’m a man. I’ll be damned if you want me to sign up to kill another man.” The cover of their second album exhibits a scar on the earth, also the shape of their insignia. Aidan feels it is significant because it forces one to think, “Where are we? On this tiny rock in the middle of nowhere.” He said that the world would be a much better place to live if everyone could take this perspective and “appreciate humanity.” “There is a wound in the Earth and we can heal that wound, take care of the Earth, and live for many years to come,” Aidan said. Oculus’ Live 2005, the most recent release to date, takes the listener right up to the front row for a rare and not quickly forgotten musical and lyrical experience. (Taken from story by Rachel Kalina)