The Spicy Boys trio enjoy a jam session. Photo by Bethany Milford

Three UNC-Wilmington students are adding flavor Wilmington music scene with their unique genre of music, alternative funk pop punk.

The Boys, Zachary Beauchemin, a junior, Peter Castagno, also a junior, and Matt Leonard, a senior, have already hit the stage with their first public show at Ziggy’s by the Sea in downtown Wilmington.

The band plans on taking their music to a recording studio in the upcoming weeks.

Beauchemin and Castagno have been playing music together since their freshman year while living in the Schwartz Residence Hall of UNCW.

In between studies, the boys found music to be an excellent pastime. Beauchemin took their interest in music to the next level when he became the founder of the UNCW Ukulele Club in 2013. There, he and Castagno met their current lead singer, Leonard. The Spicy Boys band is the outcome of a random jam session, explained their drummer.

“Pete brought the bass over one day, and then we knew,” said Beauchemin. 

The Boys describe their alternative style of music “as an eclectic sound that penetrates various genres.” Once the boys developed their key tracks, they contacted various venues around the Wilmington area with much success.

The Boys’ first public performance at Ziggy’s by the Sea served as a great opportunity for them to meet other alternative musicians in the area.

They intend to attract a variety of audiences with their distinctive genre of music.

The Boys name their favorite tracks as “Trinidad Heat” and “Gemini” which they play often during their sessions. The trio is browsing for the right studio to record their tracks, but have performance events scheduled for the coming weeks.

The Boys competed at ACE’s Battle of the Bands on Tuesday, one of the many Homecoming events held on campus throughout the month of February.

There, UNCW students, and local bands alike, compete for the $500 prize.