San Fermin (band)

San Fermin
San Fermin performing at SXSW in 2014
Background information
Origin	Brooklyn, New York, United States
Genres	Indie Rock, Chamber Pop
Years active	2011 (2011)-present
Labels	Downtown Records
Associated acts	Lucius, Nico Muhly, Charlene Kaye, NOW Ensemble
Website	http://www.sanferminband.com
Members	Ellis Ludwig-Leone Allen Tate Charlene Kaye John Brandon Stephen Chen Tyler McDiarmid Michael Hanf
Past members	Rebekah Durham Rae Cassidy Eliza Bagg

San Fermin is an American indie rock band, led by Brooklyn-based composer and songwriter Ellis Ludwig-Leone. They released their self-titled debut album on Downtown Records on September 17, 2013. Their sophomore album Jackrabbit was released on April 21, 2015. Their third album Belong was released on April 7, 2017.

San Fermin took shape after Ludwig-Leone's graduation from Yale University, where he studied composition. While still in college, he assisted composer Nico Muhly, known for his work with Antony and the Johnsons, Sufjan Stevens, and Grizzly Bear, on several film scores and operas. Despite being in several bands in high school and even some during college, Ludwig-Leone did not decide to focus on making pop music until the end of his college career: "I put on a concert with some new pieces I had written for female singers, and then we ended the night with some pop tunes from the band, for which I made these totally over-the-top arrangements. It was then I realized that I could bring these things together."

After his graduation from Yale, Ludwig-Leone retreated to Canada's secluded Banff Centre, where he wrote what would eventually become San Fermin. The album was recorded shortly after. It features performances by 22 musicians, including vocals from Ludwig-Leone's longtime collaborator Allen Tate, as well as Jess Wolfe and Holly Laessig of Lucius. While Tate is a member of the touring ensemble, Wolfe and Laessig are not, with Rae Cassidy performing the female parts in the band's live performances instead. Cassidy's interpretations of the songs have been praised by numerous critics, including Paul Krugman of The New York Times.The New Yorker recognized the musicianship of the entire eight-piece live ensemble, noting their ability to "deliver epic and emotion-laden rock, with glorious and operatic vocals, electronic break beats, horns, strings, and other flourishes." In April 2014, Cassidy left the band to focus on her solo career and was replaced by Charlene Kaye.