Downtown staple Old School Hype prepares for last local show before move to Denver

Old School Hype bassist Skyler Simpson doesn't like having his picture taken.

Skyler Simpson

Alex Amelunke

Caleb Amelunke

As a matter of fact, all the band members are somewhat skittish and awkward without instruments.

Hands shoved in pockets, wandering around on a photo background, they're out of their element.

Evidently they're much more comfortable when they're playing, as brothers Caleb and Alex Amelunke have been since childhood.

"Me and him started playing together when he was -- 13?" Alex asked.

Members of Old School Hype, from left, Skyler Simpson, Caleb Amelunke and Alex Amelunke, pose for a photo, Tuesday, July 21, 2015, in Cape Girardeau. (Laura Simon)

"Well, I started playing when I was 8," Caleb explained. "I started not sucking when I was about 13."

"Yeah, so when he started getting better at guitar, I was like, 'I'll sing.'"

They started playing shows in earnest around 2010, along with Simpson and drummer Chris Whited, eventually becoming a downtown staple and de facto house band at The Library, 10 S. Spanish St.

Members of Old School Hype, from left, Caleb Amelunke, Alex Amelunke and Skyler Simpson on Tuesday in Cape Girardeau. (Laura Simon)

"The owner of The Library has been awesome to us," Alex said. "For, like, three years now, we've pretty much played every week."

But on Saturday, Old School Hype will play its last show in Cape Girardeau with a full-band electric set at The Library.

Simpson and the Amelunke brothers are moving to Denver for the next chapter of Old School Hype. Caleb will start studies in classical guitar at the University of Denver's Lamont School of Music, and the band plans to put more of an emphasis on their original material, which they have a hard time describing.

"Do you want to try and give him a genre for our music?" Alex asked.

"It's heavy blues, that's what we decided on," Caleb reminded him.

"Oh, yeah, alternative heavy blues," Alex said.

They're in the middle of recording an album of originals, mostly penned by Alex Amelunke and Simpson.

"I try to write stuff that I'd like to listen to," Simpson said. "[Black] Sabbath's a good one, Cage the Elephant, Wolfmother ... that's what we're trying to get into."

But, as Alex is quick to point out, they don't play "that" kind of blues.

"When you say heavy blues, people sometimes get it confused with like Stevie Ray Vaughn or something, and I don't want that to happen," Alex said. "We consider Sabbath to be heavy blues. Or Led Zeppelin."

They're looking at the move as an opportunity to branch out and shed the "cover band" tag they've inadvertently picked up.

"We've pretty much made a living off of playing, but you can't really do that playing original music around here," Alex said.

Those interested in Old School Hype original work have one last chance to see it live Saturday at The Library, where they'll play from 9 p.m. to 1 a.m.

tgraef@semissourian.com

388-3627

Pertinent address:

Members of Old School Hype, from left, Skyler Simpson, Caleb Amelunke and Alex Amelunke, pose for a photo Tuesday in Cape Girardeau. (Laura Simon)

10 S. Spanish St., Cape Girardeau, Mo.