Figlin met keyboardist/flutist Byrne, a high school student, at an art museum, and the two started talking about music.
The "fluke thing" continued when Figlin's ex-girlfriend's dad put him in touch with Steve Arnold, a 30-something drummer from Chambersburg. While Arnold was hesitant to get involved with the group of young 'uns at first, he decided to give them a chance in October.
"I've been playing for over 20 years, and I've never played with finer musicians," Arnold said.
After playing with a number of different musicians and trying to form a solid band for a while, Figlin said the addition of Arnold made "the whole experience a lot better."
Last semester, The Nightcrawlers started playing downtown and landed a now-defunct weekly gig at Bar Bleu, 114 S. Garner St., on Sunday nights. While the band regards those Sundays as "horrible" because the bar was usually close to empty, Leitzel (sophomore-economics) said the shows helped The Nightcrawlers tighten up its set.
The band describes its music as rock with an eclectic mix of stylistic influences, from country and jazz to Latin and African beats. Figlin said artists like Mark Knopfler (aka the frontman of Dire Straits), Paul Simon and the Highwaymen inspire the music he writes for The Nightcrawlers.
"Noah has weird taste in music," Byrne said.
Byrne's own musical background is in jazz and classical styles, and she plays with other groups in State College, such as the Chris Byrne Quartet and Urban Fusion.
"She's way ahead of her years," Leitzel said about the high school senior. "She's a smokin' flute player."
While the band members have different influences and experience musically, the combination of the four people seems to be working well, Arnold said.
"It's really special to me, having a band of people that really get along," Byrne said. "Finding people who are good at playing music is hard enough."
One challenge The Nightcrawlers has faced while trying to build up a fan base is the age of 75 percent of the band.
"No one in the band is 21 except me, so we're really doing this on our talents, because their friends can't come see us," Arnold said.
Still, the band's short history is already starting to pay off. Audience members at the Phyrst have started requesting the band's original music, instead of just requesting covers, Arnold said.
"Right now, we're just taking it as it comes," Figlin said. "Things are beginning to boil now."
