Guster is a band of oddballs that tour just about everywhere sharing their music. Guster contains: two guitars, of which both are usually acoustic, and a drummer who plays all his drums, including the congas, with his hands. The music is very similar to that of the Dave Matthews Band and Rusted Root. Music made by hand.

Of the few and far between contributions that Tufts University has made to popular culture, Guster is perhaps the greatest.
Originally a band called "Gus," they changed their name in 1993 upon discovering that the name had already been used. Within two days of buying their third album Lost and Gone Forever, everyone in my apartment of four had bought their own copy, it was so well loved.

In addition to the three albums above, Guster also has released an EP called The Pasty Tapes. Released in 1999, The Pasty Tapes is a tribute to all Guster reps who work hard 24/7/365 to sell Guster albums to friends and foes alike.

Playlist for The Pasty Tapes EP:

The Pasty Tapes are named for Michael "Pasty" Corcoran, one of Guster's first reps. "Pasty" was the rep name Guster blindly gave him on his official badge, not knowing that Michael was indeed very pale. Pasty eventually became responsible for guster.com and also worked as a roadie.

Since their first gig on October 2nd, 1992, the Boston based trio Guster has developed some fascinating traditions that their fans consistently participate in when they play certain songs live:

* When they play Great Escape, the first song off their second album Goldfly, fans often yell "CIRCLE CIRCLE DOT DOT!" right before the quick guitar strum during the "Girl she wants me, girl she needs me" bridge.

* When they play All The Way Up To Heaven off their third album Lost & Gone Forever, fans politely clap after the key change after the bridge right after Ryan begins saying "Yes, I do believe what he says." On the studio recording, that's what happens at that exact point during that song.

* During Either Way, a strong ballad off Lost & Gone Forever, fans often blow bubbles throughout the entire song. Usually during the guitar/violin bridge.

* During Happy Frappy, off their first album Parachute, fans used to throw pixie sticks. Unfortunately, that song and almost all of that album are never played anymore.

* During Bury Me, off Goldfly, fans scream "JACKALS!" right after Ryan does. It echos for awhile on the studio version. Fans used to sing along to Ryan's guitar solo in the form of "doot doot"s. I say used to because "Bury Me" has become quite a rareity as well.

* Perhaps one of the most obvious traditions, during Barrel Of A Gun, off Lost & Gone Forever, fans hold up the respective amount of fingers during the "4, 3, 2, 1" chant in the chorus.

* During Center Of Attention, off Lost & Gone Forever, fans chant the "Oh whoa oh!" after the third line of the second verse ("And way up there").

* Homecoming King, off their fourth and latest album, Keep It Together, has a rather regional tradition. Anytime they play their native Massachusetts, people loudly (and proudly) chant along with the "Back in Massachusetts" line. Yet you can always see some Mass natives chanting along anywhere.

* Airport Song, off Goldfly has two traditions. One is to yell "Dirty, you're oh so dirty!" after the "I'll be hiding in your dirty room" lyric. Then, during the jam session that closes out the song, fans usually shower the stage with ping pong balls. This is due to the fact that a ping pong game is softly being played during that part on the studio version of the song.

It should also be noted that from 1991 through today that Guster has been a group of nomadic musicians. While Adam hails from New Jersey, Ryan is from Texas and Brian is from Connecticut, they haven't really maintained a permanent residence in years. The closest things they've had to permanent residences would be their dorms at Tufts University back in the early 90s, temporary apartments in Los Angeles and San Francisco while recording their albums and occasionally they'll take up a band apartment, such as when they wrote Lost and Gone Forever in their Somerville, Massachusetts apartment.

Other then that, they spent a majority of the year on their tour bus or onstage. For example, while having no ties to the Washington, DC area, they played six shows here in the past year, just because they are constantly touring.

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