Inside Clinton Hall, students pressed shoulder-to-shoulder, some standing on benches, others craning through the front windows for a view. By the time the six-piece band Apricity struck its first note just past 11 p.m., the cramped Bronx venue was filled beyond capacity, and the audience was already singing back the hooks.
The band’s name, Apricity, comes from a word meaning “the warmth of the sun in winter.” On Saturday, that warmth was literal: bodies pressed close, condensation formed on the windows and a low haze of bass vibrated through the floorboards.
“We’ve only had four full practices together, but every time we play, we grow,” said Singer Toleeya Napolitano, GSB ’26, her voice hoarse but proud as she packed up cables after the show. “Everyone was interacting, singing along. That’s when you know it’s working.”
The group members’ beginnings were almost accidental. In March of 2025, between Satin Dolls rehearsals and midterms, Co-Lead Singer Sophia Derrig-Palumbo, GSB ’27, messaged classmates she barely knew with a simple question: “Want to start a band?”
Two weeks later, they had an hour-and-a-half set booked at Clinton Hall.
“We didn’t even know if we’d get the slot. We had no reference material, nothing to send them,” said Cole McCrickard, GSB ’27, one of the guitarists. “But they took a risk on us.”
That first show was rehearsed in a rush. This year, their preparation was hardly more relaxed. Members worked summer jobs across time zones, meeting again just before classes began.
“It’s been a lot of trust,” said Napolitano. “We practice individually, then when we come together you can tell everyone has put the work in.”
The lineup reflects Fordham’s sprawl: vocalists Napolitano and Derrig-Palumbo, McCrickard and Andrew Szabo, GSB ’27, on guitars, James Dougherty, FCRH ’27, on bass and James Higgins, FCRH ’26, on drums,.
Apricity mostly performs covers. “Feel-good music,” Napolitano said. “Songs people can sing along to, something that reminds you of childhood or car rides.”
Yet the band resists playing songs only by the books. Higgins, who only picked up drums a year ago, said the band thrives in improvisation, and that it’s what makes them unique. “We jam a lot,” he said. “That’s probably my favorite part, we don’t feel tied down to studio versions.”
The singers’ contrasting styles give them range, from Chris Stapleton’s “White Horse” to Kings of Leon’s “Sex on Fire.” On Saturday, the crowd demanded an encore, chanting until “Sex on Fire” closed the night.
“We weren’t sure what to end with, because people loved every song,” Derrig-Palumbo said. “But ‘Sex on Fire’ won by a landslide.”
For Griffin Grace, GSB ’27, the concert was a surprise discovery. “I honestly didn’t know a thing about the band,” Grace said. “But if the atmosphere is good and everyone’s having fun, then they’re a good band.”
Jack Betten, GSB ’26, showed up just for the thrill of live music. “There’s not enough of it at Fordham,” he said, smiling. “It’s way better than a DJ. You’re watching them play it live. The energy is different.”
Others came because they knew the players. Mary Kate Raleigh, GSB ’26, called the show “incredible,” adding that “it honestly exceeded every expectation.” Her friend Alex Hwang, GSB ’26, who lives with Higgins, said, “It was the best night I’ve ever had here. Everyone looked like they were having the best time.”
The band’s ambitions stretch past Arthur Avenue. “We’d love to play in Manhattan, maybe downtown this semester,” Derrig-Palumbo said. They also hope to invest their modest earnings of $650 from the $5 door cover into equipment of their own..
For now, their schedule is campus-centric: a homecoming show, a Halloween set and maybe a “darty” or two. “We want to book gigs on big weekends, when everyone’s out,” Napolitano said.
As Clinton Hall emptied late into the night, the band lingered, still buzzing. “We’re growing every performance,” Napolitano said. “This is just the beginning.”
