The Macaronis: Rising Campus Rockstars?

“I think we have a different vision of what a gig should look like,” says Leonardo (Leo) Arrigoni, the bassist for the popular student band, the Macaronis. As someone who frequents live music in St Andrews, I had already felt this. Watching them perform, they were beautifully loud, imperfect, and full of themselves. This was a deviation from what I was used to with student bands — polished, tame, and pretty. Though each band has their own unique character, bands in St Andrews generally tend toward pop, folk, and soft rock — think ‘Harvest Moon’ by Neil Young, or ‘Linger’ by the Cranberries. The Macaronis trade a gentle sway for a headbang, playing songs by the Rolling Stones, the Clash, or the Arctic Monkeys. At their gigs, there’s no possibility of talking over them: “I remember in our first gigs last year, people were complaining about our sound, because it was way too loud. It was literally destroying people’s ears,” Leo continued. “We didn’t really care […] more sound meant more energy.” 

This group of second and third-year musicians met through a Signpost WhatsApp chat at the beginning of the last academic year. Since then, they have found an untapped niche of live rock music, amassed a loyal fanbase, and become a recognisable name around town. Their gigs, usually Signpost events at the Rule or Aikman’s, are almost always packed.

They have a strong social media presence, with an active Instagram account and collaborations with popular accounts like Overheardrews. Leo mentioned that, when he meets new people, some instantly recognise him as a member of the band. Some gig attendees are friends, but, as Leo says, most are faces none of them have seen before. Although everyone in the band is friendly and sociable, there’s something more that’s drawing in new people. The different style that the Macaronis are trying out is working. 

Photograph courtesy of The Macaronis

Students aren’t showing up to gigs to see technical perfection. Sometimes a solo is missed, or a song restarted. This isn’t for lack of ability (watch Leo play slap bass, or Daisy on keys), it’s an occasional side effect of the energy with which they play. “Ten minutes before a gig, we hype ourselves up, I don’t know, slap our backs

 or some s***. We’re super excited, like, adrenaline is pumping, and we really want to be there.” 

They’re having fun up there, and as an audience member, you see it. They mouth the words to the songs, smile at their friends in the audience, and dance with anyone who locks eyes with them in the cramped pub space. Engagement with a band is often what can transform the act from background music to the main attraction. 

“What’s often overlooked is the fact that bands are putting on an act,” Leo says. “We all have our own personalities on stage, and we do it so that, I guess, one day we’ll be recognisable.” 

Their stage presence, aside from the personality they put into their performance, is distinguishable by the colourful, spiky eye makeup they wear. “Kathryn, the band manager, was just like […], ‘It’s sick as f***, let’s do it. We look like ‘80s rock stars.’” 

Though he mentions they have drawn criticism for this, Leo says, “We’re free to do whatever we want. If it looks cool, it looks cool.” Now, in their almost weekly gigs, it’s a distinct marker of their personal style, and a metaphor for their novelty in the St Andrews music scene. 

By creating a campus presence and a stage act around something they love to do, the Macaronis have become St Andrews’ own miniature versions of rock stars. And their own enjoyment, radiating from them while performing, keeps people coming back. 

“We’re so obsessed with it,” Leo says. “We’re actually obsessed.”