A group of unlikely friends joined together by a shared love of music
By EMME DUNNING — features@theaggie.org
The Davis music scene is an undoubtedly unique community. On any given weekend in the bustling college town, UC Davis students from all walks of life can be found crowded into the backyards of unassuming houses, captivated by the performances of their peers. For many Davis students, live music — house shows in particular — is an integral part of the local nightlife.
One such Davis backyard band, Big Fish, had rather unconventional beginnings. The group formed from two separate ventures and a common love of music.
Angelina Cicchini, a fourth-year sociology major, and UC Davis alum Greta Foehr spearheaded the first endeavor. As a singer and a keyboard player, respectively, the two spent their time at UC Davis engaging in music casually with friends and the community but dreamed of something bigger.
“We really wanted to start a band,” Cicchini said. “It was a pipe dream for like a year. We never really looked hard enough. We never really found anyone, but Greta [Foehr] and I would perform together sometimes.”
Cicchini and Foehr cultivated their shared interest in music through small performances at retirement homes and other venues. Sierra Lizerbram, Allie Riley and Brooke Tokushige — three UC Davis students at the time — had an idea of their own.
The trio wanted to form a band with a simple goal: to play one show before their graduation in June of 2023. With a guitarist, a bassist and a drummer, the group was missing a lead singer and a keyboard player.
When Foehr met the trio through a mutual friend, the missing pieces fell into place. Cicchini and Foehr joined Lizerbram, Riley and Tokushige in their dream of starting a band, and Big Fish was born.
After getting acquainted, the new group set their sights on their goal of a single performance, with low expectations for the future of the group and a focus on having fun. Despite their low expectations, the show was a major hit.
“We had our first show that was supposed to be our one show before we graduated,” Foehr said. “We actually sounded good, which we were kind of shocked at. Right after that show, we got a bunch of offers.”
Within 24 hours of their debut performance, Big Fish was fielding requests to perform at multiple other shows, and they decided to continue the band despite not knowing what the future might hold. The group committed themselves to developing their sound and image as a band and began writing original music and performing at venues across Davis, including a set at the annual Whole Earth Festival.
Last year, the band released their first album, titled “Up for Air” and consisting of seven original tracks. The five current band members — alongside Rhea Cosand, who played rhythm guitar with the band for a period of time — recorded the album together, though Cosand opted to leave the band to prioritize recovery from an injury. This past summer, they took their music on the road for their first tour, playing shows across California.
The group describes their music as indie pop rock but asserts that their sound does not necessarily conform to a single genre.
“Nostalgic always comes to mind for me,” Cicchini said, adding that she believes Big Fish is moody, engaging and, overall, funky.
Katya Jane, a UC Davis alum, has seen the evolution of Big Fish first-hand. Jane has been involved in the Davis music scene for years and was a founding member of the popular student-formed band Cowboys After Dark.
In this role, Jane quickly discovered just how much work goes into putting together a show and leaned into a logistical role for her own band. After graduating in 2023, Jane began Velvet Red Productions, a production company that plans live music events statewide. It was in this role that Jane connected with Big Fish.
“After graduating college and spending some time living in [Los Angeles], I came across Big Fish on social media and saw videos of one of their shows in Davis,” Jane said in a written statement. “Even just from the videos, I could tell they had such an incredible vibe.”
Jane was so taken with Big Fish that she invited them to perform at a local Velvet Red Production event in the spring of 2023.
“Shortly after discovering them, I reached out and invited Big Fish to perform at the Flower Power Festival,” Jane said. “I traveled all the way from L.A. to be there, and I finally got to experience their live performance in person. They completely captivated the crowd, leaving everyone wanting more.”
Through their collaboration, Jane has gotten to know the members of Big Fish as musicians and people and can attest to the band’s unique nature.
“They truly embody Davis culture,” Jane said. “They care about their community and they spread positivity through their art and through their friendships. Each member is incredibly gifted and they have this ability to put on an effortlessly entertaining and technically impressive performance.”
Jane has continued to collaborate with Big Fish since the Flower Power Festival, putting together a show for them in Los Angeles during their tour last summer and planning a Picnic Day performance for this coming April.
Though the group has certainly risen in popularity since their first performance, the band has remained committed to their original goal of making music and performing in a way that truly represents their dynamic.
“We’re very devoted to doing this because we love it — but at the same time we’re very unserious,” Cicchini said. “It’s just been so much fun.”
Written by: Emme Dunning — features@theaggie.org