A mesmerizing sound has formed in Northern Indiana that comes from the band The Sanchez Agency. They dwell within the Goshen/South Bend area, playing venues and festivals with what can only be described as honest attitudes towards what they’re doing. 

Lead guitarist and singer, Jake Sandock has played guitar and written music for well over twenty years now and got his start with fronting a band in 2019 when bassist, Jake Earl reached out to him about creating their own group. The two were accompanied by Jake Carl Miller and Jacob Randolph Synder from Kansas Bible Company (Keyboardist and saxophonist respectively). To offset the ratio of Jakes, Chuck Long from The Tumbleweed Jumpers joins the four men on stage as a drummer. 

Together they form what can be described as something unique and prolific. Sandock’s voice is similar to Daniel Johnston’s more polished recordings. His voice is carried up by the cloudy harmonies created by Miller’s keyboard and pedal setup. Earl ties down the melody with a deep and confident riff while always-smiling Chuck Long blesses the song with a flowing and careful drumline. At some point, the song turns into a magical saxophone solo that sounds like it’s raining down from the heavens and pouring itself into a small Indiana venue. 

The band plays their hits like “Twisted Chunk of Melted Metal” and “You and Me” with a refined gusto. About halfway through the performance, between songs Miller will stop and thank the crowd and say something insightful before they can get back to business. There is something truly comforting about watching the group perform. Given the opportunity, The Sanchez Agency could be a staple band essential to the conversation of music and what it should be. 

There are performances posted on sites like YouTube to get an idea of what the experience of The Sanchez Company is like, but nothing compares to sitting and watching, in the presence of such artists. For purchase online, there is also a five-song EP (extended play) available. They often play shows at places like Ignition Garage as well as appearing in various local festivals. Experiencing this local phenomenon is highly recommended.