The Rare Occasions

The Rare Occasions are an LA-based, New England-bred indie rock band known for their explosive garage rock anthems with catchy vocal harmonies. Brian McLaughlin (singer) and Luke Imbusch (drummer) have been making music together since their early teenage years. They formed The Rare Occasions while attending college in Boston where they met Jeremy Cohen (bassist). Since then, the band have toured nationally, won the John Lennon Songwriting Contest, and released a vast catalog of music online. After the departure of fourth member Peter Stone in 2018, Brian, Jeremy, and Luke started on their newest full-length record, Big Whoop. Working as a three-piece has allowed them to flourish creatively; their new songs feature wall-of-sound guitars, electronic soundscapes, and lush orchestral arrangements, with intricately-woven lyrical themes of existentialism and a pointed sense of cheekiness. Big Whoop was recorded and mixed entirely by the band themselves in their cramped rehearsal space - everything from the essential power trio instrumentation to layers of analog synths and a live string ensemble make an appearance in this labor of love, due to be released in Summer 2021. Despite the struggles of COVID-19, The Rare Occasions have managed to capture the increasing attention of listeners online from around the world, and the band looks forward to sharing their new music with live audiences once venues can safely open their doors.