It was not an uncommon occurrence for David Allen to sing after his team scored a touchdown. Though not in celebration—but as a warm-up for his next gig. Bouncing between the Rochester High School football field and a Madrigals acapella concert was simply … routine.
“I’d actually stop in the middle of football practice to go perform in a concert,” said Allen, a senior communication studies major with an organizational and leadership focus.
With a long-time passion for English, writing and theater, Allen’s love for musical performance stemmed from a young age where he first connected with his current bandmates in the Rochester High fine arts department. Collectively, the group performed in the popular musical, Les Misérables.
“I had to quit my senior basketball season in order to play Enjolras,” Allen said. But it was indeed a role that put him on the fast track to the stage. Today, Allen is the front man of the ’90s rock-inspired band, UNCHAiNED.
“We started off playing in dive-bars around the Springfield area at open mic nights. And those were kind of our early auditions for the bigger shows we now get to play,” Allen said. “I’ll never forget the first time we booked a four-hour show. And we definitely didn’t have four-hours’ worth of music! That was really the start of it all.”
He said the six-man group burned the midnight oil for several weeks to cobble together enough new music for the show. They’ve come a long way since then. Over the summer, UNCHAiNED performed at the Illinois State Fair, and they followed it up with their first gig at Illinois State University during the University’s biggest celebration of the year.
“It was actually really cool to bring my guys here from Rochester,” he said. “I got the opportunity because of a professor I had in the School of Communication. Stephanie Duquenne mentioned in class one day that she was looking for a band to play for a Homecoming event, so I sent her a note.”
UNCHAiNED took the stage a few months later beside Tri-Towers.
“David Allen and his band were the perfect choice for this year’s Reggie’s Substance Free Tailgate during Homecoming,” said Duquenne, senior director of Alumni Engagement. “They brought excitement, professionalism, and talent to this annual event.”
Allen said it was really cool to be singing into the mic and waving at friends as they passed by.
“It was a great culminating moment of my time spent here at ISU,” he said.
And the music is about to get louder as graduation looms. This winter, UNCHAiNED will record a new album—Sunnyside Down.
Matthew Runions.
“It’ll have six to eight new songs, all inspired by the ’90s rock era. Think Red Hot Chili Peppers, Incubus, 311, and Rage Against the Machine,” Allen said.
With plans ramping up for the release of the new album—and a diploma in sight, the future is knocking on Allen’s door.
Managed by Paul Crosby, UNCHAiNED is set up for success. Their latest EP, The Psychedelic Picnic, dropped a few days before Halloween. The group was in good hands when they put together the album. The tracks were mixed by seven-time Grammy winner Vance Powell and mastered by Ted Jensen, whom the Eagles worked with on their platinum album Hotel California.
“I’m loved. I’m exhilarated. I’m on fire. That’s how I feel after every show. We’ve got something special, and I can feel the energy coming forward,” Allen said.
But taking a step back, this Redbird reflects on his time spent in the classroom and how it contributed to his band’s success.
“My main job is to sell myself as a front man for the band,” he said. “And if I can’t do my job well and connect with the crowd, we’re not going to have a good show.”
The School of Communication’s courses have prepared him for this role.
“I realized that when I was up in front of a crowd onstage, it was really no different than talking to my peers,” Allen said. “My classes taught me how to think critically about my audience and how to connect with them. Because ultimately, it’s up to me. As front man, I control the room. I control the mood. I control the environment. And honestly, whether or not we’re going to have a fun time or not.”
Allen takes the role seriously. He has worked hard to pair his natural stage presence with communication course work to master the craft. He understands a methodical approach can help him emulate his idols. For him, Mick Jagger is the front man on his personal rock and roll Mount Rushmore.
A benefit of a communication studies degree is learning transferable skills. All students are taught how to communicate well in a variety of contexts. While leading a band isn’t in the curriculum, they’re taught to understand what their words—and nonverbals—bring to any stage.
“Not only am I communicating with my bandmates, but I’m also communicating with the crowd while performing,” Allen said. “And it’s for this exact reason that I chose to major in communication studies. It helped me understand and think about how to make a genuine connection with multiple parties at the same time.
“The classroom experience I’ve had here in the School of Communication made me pause and learn how to work with different individuals, all while making meaningful connections with others. It all comes down to the audience and networking. That’s what helps make our band successful. And I’m so thankful my degree has prepared me for that.”
As Allen gets ready to take flight and leave the Redbird nest in August 2023, the values and lessons learned in the classroom will undoubtedly stay with him and continue on for years to come.
UNCHAiNED next hits the stage at Weebles on November 23, 2022, in Springfield and then again on December 3, 2022, at the Tin Roof in St. Louis.
