It began as a lighthearted suggestion—Paige Lawlor and Natalie Wang entertained the idea of starting a band during their freshman year. Now sophomores, Lawlor and Wang have followed through with that idea, founding a band named Receipt. They have held multiple gigs at local venues, performing renditions of iconic 90s songs and bonding over their affinity for rock music.
Their instrumentalists consist of themselves and students from other local high schools: Lawlor as the singer, Wang as the drummer, sophomore Ayla Habil and senior Akiran Thomas as guitarists and sophomore Natalie Hosage from James Madison as the bassist.
“When we first started, I wasn't practicing singing,” Lawlor said. “I was like, ‘Let's just see what happens.’ Now that I'm trying to improve my singing, it's helped a lot with just knowing who I am.”
Receipt debuted in April 2024 and has since performed at prominent locations, including the Veterans of Foreign Wars Hall and the Fairfax Fall Festival. Their next gig is on Jan. 24 at Crescendo Studios in Falls Church in collaboration with the Split Ends—another McLean student-organized band. They will be one of four bands featured in the performance.
“Performing is really fun, so we’d take any opportunity to play,” Lawlor said.
Receipt has made an effort to curate future programs based on previous performances.
“We're trying to shift into a more energetic, punk-influenced vibe,” Lawlor said. “When we initially formed the band, we just wanted to play music that we liked, but me and Natalie both tend to listen to sad music that's not really upbeat. As we got more performances in, we realized that it's more fun and engaging for the audience and [ourselves] if we play more energetic songs.”
The band typically practices one to two times each week, depending on how imminent a performance is. Receipt’s current repertoire consists of tracks such as Come as You Are by Nirvana and No Surprises by Radiohead.
“We're trying to have more diversity in [our] music selection, so it's definitely bound to change,” Wang said. “But right now, we're averaging six songs [per performance].”
Receipt hopes to test new waters in the future, including creating original music.
“I wanted to write songs for so long, and just haven't really found the time for it,” Lawlor said. “And I think that if I can [perform my music] with my band, I will.”
Members of Receipt want to cherish the ability to share music with others, especially during high school, a time where many are stressing over academics.
“Honestly, I just want to have a good high school experience,” Lawlor said. “And when I look back on my high school years, I don't want to think, ‘Oh, I just spent my entire childhood studying.’ I want to put time into something that I actually enjoy.”
