Behind the Band: Red Night Delight

Inside an unassuming apartment complex in Vineyard Haven, seven friends have met regularly to rehearse funk, jazz, and blues covers for the past two years. The rehearsal space is soundproof, so passersby are largely unaware of the jam sessions. But inside, on a recent weeknight, the group practiced a new song they’re performing soon, filling the studio with layered notes. 

Islanders may have seen the band, called Red Night Delight, gigging at bars, private events, and even the occasional wedding. The story behind their music is much deeper: one of friendship, collaboration, and most of all, joy.

Their musical kinship blossomed from casual jam sessions three years ago and quickly turned into a full-fledged band. They’re led by vocalist Allison Roberts, a 36-year-old, born-and-raised Islander and full-time social worker with unforgettably resonant vocals that sound plucked from another era.

Roberts came up with their name, which is from a nautical adage: “Red sky at night, sailor’s delight, red sky in morning, sailors take warning.” 

The name was a way of paying tribute to Martha’s Vineyard — a place where home is more than a word, and friends are more like family. 

“I wanted the band name to feel like something that was about all of us,” Roberts said. “We all grew up as Island kids with a deep love and respect for the Island, the ocean, and the community here. So I was looking for something that paid homage while still hinting at fun.” 

Roberts and her partner, Perry Dripps, the lead guitarist in the band, began their relationship through the formation of the group. Dripps, now 38, grew up on the Island too, but left for high school before returning a few years ago. He now teaches fifth through seventh graders science at the Charter School, and shreds the electric guitar — an unconventional yet endearing combination.

“I always wanted to be in a big band with keys, a rock-solid drummer who listens, a bassist who drives the music, horns, and a powerhouse female vocalist,” Dripps said. 

Dripps said he never expected to meet Roberts and start a band together with a group of their friends, but that the “stars aligned.” 

“My hope is that people can really feel that interconnectedness when we all play together,” Dripps said. “We want it to feel like you’re going to a party and a whole bunch of your friends are invited.”

Their story started when Dripps became close with Luke Lefeber, who moved to the Island after graduating from Vassar. Lefeber, 26, is the renewable development manager and controller at Vineyard Power. 

One winter day in 2023, the pair attended a jazz show at Pathways, the arts venue that takes up residency at the Chilmark Tavern in the off-season. There, they heard Roberts sing for the first time.

“Allison blew the roof off the place,” Lefeber said with a knowing smile. The band is now accustomed to the power of Roberts’ vocals. “That night at Pathways, I looked at [Perry] and he was like, ‘We should play with her.’”

The three of them started playing together; figuring out their sound, styles, and how they blended together along the way. All of them were drawn to powerful ballads, funk, and ’70s and ’80s hits. They knew they wanted more members, so they brought in their friend, Mike Alberice, who works as the lead operator at the Tisbury wastewater treatment plant, to drum with them. 

Dripps knew of Alberice and remembered him as a “killer drummer.”

Alberice, who is now 36, recently married his partner, Alley McConnell, who creates posters and stickers for the band that are bright blue, yellow, and red, with ’70s lettering as their signature. 

The group took off from there. They started by performing at some of the Chilmark Potlucks, an open-mic event run by Alex Karalekes in the off-season at the Chilmark Community Center. 

The three locals then brought in Andy Herr to play the keyboard. Herr, 38, is a Pennsylvania native, longtime Island resident, and a music teacher and sound engineer. He’s known as a musical jack-of-all-trades on the Vineyard, and plays different instruments in a few local bands. 

“We just have fun,” Herr said, as he looked around at the group as they practiced their next song for an upcoming show. “That’s one of the best things about the band.” 

Wanting a more robust sound, they sought a horn section with some of their comrades. 38-year-old David Bouck, the research manager at the Martha’s Vineyard Shellfish Group, was invited as their trumpet player. Bouck said he’d been looking for a way to get back into trumpet playing. 

“I felt like I was missing that outlet,” Bouck said. 

Mason Fischer, 37, started playing the alto saxophone again just to join the fun. Fischer, a farmer and software engineer, hadn’t played in years, but purchased the instrument when he was asked to join, and relearned it quickly.

“I remember everyone being very encouraging for me to get a saxophone so I could join them,” Fischer said.

“I feel like we’ve grown a lot musically,” Dripps added as he reminisced about their first few performances as a full band. Over the past few years, they’ve also grown as individuals and in creative bonds with one another. 

“The band is like family,” Lefeber said. “It’s rare to have a group of musicians working together that actually look forward to spending time with each other while putting in the work to improve collectively. These are some of my closest friends — it’s incredibly special to collaborate, groove, and have fun with them.”

During most rehearsals, the group gets together to polish familiar tunes and work on new material. 

The studio where they meet, which is owned by Herr, is a music lover’s dream. Half of the space is for production, and the rest of the room has an array of instruments set up. There’s a drum set, acoustic and electric guitars lining one wall, a bright white upright piano, and a shelf full of small percussive tools. Every aspect of the decor is utilized for music — from dragonfly hooks for headphones to shelving for recording equipment. 

In that room, part by part, the group creates arrangements of songs like “Pink Pony Club” by Chappel Roan and “Something’s Got a Hold on Me” by Etta James, the instruments weaving between one another like a conversation, just a little bit louder. 

“We can rip Chappel Roan to a crowd yelling along with us late at night at the Ritz, or play a sweet love song in someone’s backyard on Music Street. The timing and energy comes through because we fundamentally care about each other and the Island community as a whole. We can feel it in our bones, and we love sharing that with our audiences,” Fischer said.

As Bouck and Fischer in the horn section hit harmonies during their rehearsal, the song they learned played in the background. 

“This chord for you is a D flat 7th,” one called out to the other from across the room. Roberts hummed along to the track and watched as the group figured out the instrumental parts before she sidled up to the mic.

During practices, Roberts keeps the group focused, grounded, and ready for their shows. But on stage, she shines. Her intention, she said, is for people to feel better leaving their set than when they walked in the door, just like their nautical namesake prophesizes.

“To me, [the adage] signifies good things are coming,” Roberts added. “Which is how I hope we make people feel when they watch us, and what I hope they carry with them after they leave a show.”