“For most people, normal is their default setting. But for some, like you and me, normal is something we have to bring out, like putting on a suit for a posh dinner.”
The quote from the book “Solitaire” by Alice Osemen explains how some people just aren’t innately “normal.” This served as the meaning behind Suits for Dinner’s name, but they also took pleasure in its double meaning. (Suits for dinner, anyone?)
The band consists of four members and four respective roles: Max Luu, the lead singer and rhythm, Jocelyn Miller, the lead guitarist and backup vocals, Kenley Stapler, the drummer, and Maria Zeppos, the bassist. These girls formed Suits for Dinner in January of 2025 with the intention of having an outlet to share their music tastes.
Alternative rock, Midwest emo, pop punk and progressive rock are just some of the genres that the members of the band listen to and base their own music off of. More specific bands include The Front Bottoms, Pierce the Veil, Panic! At the Disco and Arctic Monkeys.
“Despite how similar our music tastes may seem to other people, they all clash in little ways that add up,” said Luu. “When it comes time to pick a song to play, we all have to make little compromises. It really makes us strong because it means we have practice negotiating with each other in a way other bands, who all have the same music taste, wouldn’t.”
Luu, a sophomore at MTHS, has been singing recreationally since she was 12 years old and has spent four years in MT’s choir and 10 years in her church’s choir. Despite knowing a wide variety of instruments including the piano, bass and trombone, she settled on her voice as her main instrument.
Miller, a fellow sophomore at the high school, takes guitar lessons at Quarter Bend and participates in the community activities offered there. She’s been a guitarist for three years and has performed four times at Quarter Bend. She plans to advance her guitar skills with new techniques including finger tapping and picking.
“We settled on these roles because I primarily play guitar,” said Miller. “I sing once in a while, but Max has had more experience with it. It made the most sense.”
The band formed after Miller and Luu had the dream to create a band since the sixth grade. Stapler and Zeppos were later roped in.
“Kenley is like the only drummer we know, and we like Maria so she gets to learn bass,” said Luu. “Sorry Maria.”
Stapler has been playing the drums for three years before joining Suits for Dinner. Both self taught and mentored by teachers in Drums Etc., Stapler takes pride in being able to use her abilities to contribute to the band.
”It’s really fun being the backbone of the music,” said Stapler. “It’s all about supporting each other and staying in beat.”
Zeppos, another sophomore at MTHS, plays both tenor and alto saxophone for the school’s band and has played piano for three years. A saxophonist for seven years, Zeppos took on a new instrument during the formation of the band.
“I’ve gotten a few tips from the band members, but I’d like to think that I’m mostly self taught,” said Zeppos. “I’ve always sort of wanted to learn an electric string instrument, but it was more of a problem to actually get the instrument. Then Jocelyn just rocked up with a bass from her family one day. I seriously can’t thank them enough.”
Currently in the early stages of their band, Suits for Dinner is in the process of creating covers and original songs. As covers and songs become more abundant, they can be found on their TikTok (suits4dinner) and occasionally on their Instagram (suitsfordinner).
While the songs on Suits for Dinner’s menu may not be your usual, grab a fork and take a stab at some new genres from this student-made band. And as a dessert, you can always trust that they’ll be “dressed as sharp as a knife!”
