Elephants Dancing: Lovable Chaos

By: Sandra Aranegui

Photography by: Gweezo

Elephants Dancing is the kind of band that feels like it was built for motion.

Based in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania, the five-piece reggae, ska, and punk outfit has spent the last several years carving out its place on the East Coast through high-energy shows, independent touring, and a deep commitment to community. Fronted by Danny Sales on guitar and vocals and Mike Iorio on bass and vocals, with Dan Sperlein on trombone, keys, and vocals, Adam Jonkman on sax, and Nate Montella on drums, Elephants Dancing brings a sound that is bright, bold, chaotic, and unmistakably alive.

At the center of it all is a band that does not just want to entertain people. They want to make them feel like they belong.

From Summer Break Songs to an East Coast Force

Elephants Dancing began in 2015 when Danny Sales and Mike Iorio reconnected during summer break from college. The two had grown up drumming together, but life had pulled them in different academic directions. Mike was studying music composition and performance, while Danny was studying physics and had stepped away from music for a couple of years.

What started as two friends writing songs for fun slowly became something more serious. The early version of Elephants Dancing carried more of a singer-songwriter and reggae feel, shaped by time spent on the boardwalks of New Jersey and Maryland and a willingness to experiment. Between 2015 and 2018, the band released an EP and two albums, building a catalog of 41 songs.

As the years passed, the lineup changed and so did the vision. COVID became a full reset. When the band resurfaced in 2022, it did so with new members, new focus, and a stronger desire to tour and record again. In 2023, Elephants Dancing made a full rebrand, pulling old releases from major streaming platforms while announcing an East Coast tour and a new album, “Chill Like Penguins.”

That reset helped shape the band fans know now: an independent, high-energy group with a big live sound and a clear sense of purpose.

The Name That Beat “Smooth Onion”

Some band names come from deep symbolism. Elephants Dancing came from a much simpler moment.

Danny and Mike were throwing around names when Mike suggested “Smooth Onion.”

Danny immediately rejected it. Then Mike said, “Elephants Dancing.” Danny knew that was it.

It is funny, slightly strange, and memorable in the best way. It also fits the band’s personality. Elephants Dancing is playful without being unserious, energetic without being empty, and creative without trying too hard to explain itself.

Where Reggae, Ska, Punk, and Horns Collide

Elephants Dancing describes its sound as reggae, ska, and punk, but that only scratches the surface.

Both Danny and Mike grew up listening to pop punk, but the band was born from a love of early Dirty Heads and the reggae rock scene. That world gave them room to blend their influences instead of choosing one lane. Danny’s vocal melodies carry a pop-punk instinct, while Mike’s lyricism pulls from artists like Mike Pinto. Deeper cuts lean into heavier reggae influences such as Tribal Seeds, The Green, and Iya Terra.

Then come the horns.

With Dan Sperlein on trombone and Adam Jonkman on sax, Elephants Dancing adds a sharp, lively layer that gives the band much of its identity. Mike’s background in composition brings classical influence into the arrangements, especially through counterpoint in the horn lines. The result is music that can feel beachy one moment, urgent the next, and explosive when everything locks in.

The band pulls from the energy of Goldfinger, Reel Big Fish, Less Than Jake, and The Mighty Mighty Bosstones, while carrying the kind of lovable chaos one might expect from a group raised on Blink-182. It is reggae rock with teeth, ska with heart, and punk with enough melody to make the room move.

A Live Show Built on Big Sound and Big Heart

At an Elephants Dancing show, audiences can expect dual-led vocals, ripping horns, a big live sound, and a lot of energy. Danny describes it as “lovable chaos,” and that phrase may be the most accurate description.

The band performs almost entirely original music, with a couple of covers added here and there. Songs like “Tequila,” “Skachaça,” “Hourglass,” and “Free” tend to draw some of the biggest crowd reactions, while “Tiki Time” remains a classic fan favorite. “Skachaça” has become a current favorite, and “Tequila” is one of the songs people consistently want to hear live.

Part of what makes Elephants Dancing work is that no two fans seem to connect with the band in exactly the same way. Because the music pulls from several genres, different songs reach different people. For Danny, that is part of the beauty. There is something for everyone, whether they came for reggae grooves, ska-punk energy, strong songwriting, or the feeling of being swept up in a room that refuses to stand still.

Proudly Independent and Built by Touring

Elephants Dancing has opened for an impressive list of artists, including WAR!, Andy Frasco & the U.N., Bumpin Uglies, Ballyhoo!, Tropidelic, The Expendables, Artikal Sound System, Badfish, Rome, Passafire, Kash’d Out, Joey Harkum, Joe Samba, Roots of Creation, The Wailers, and many more.

Still, the band takes the most pride in its DIY touring.

Everything Elephants Dancing has built has been done independently and in house. The band has grown its following largely by touring, playing bars, making genuine connections, and earning fans one room at a time. In a music industry where outside validation can feel like the goal, Elephants Dancing has focused on something more lasting: people who believe in them because they have experienced the band up close.

That sense of connection is not just something the band talks about. I recently had the pleasure of spending time with each member during a tour stop in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, and their kindness was impossible to miss. They shared conversation, enjoyed a home-cooked meal (or two - does air fryer chicken and cheese quesadillas count?), and even spent time playing with all the pets in my house. Offstage, they carried the same warmth and genuine spirit that shows up in their music.

Family, Community, and the Coconut Crew

For Elephants Dancing, community is not a marketing word. It is the foundation.

Their hometown crew in Northeast Pennsylvania is the band’s rock. Danny does not describe them as fans as much as friends and family. That local support helped inspire Camp Kevin, a festival the band runs in NEPA and one of their proudest accomplishments. Through Camp Kevin, Elephants Dancing has helped grow the reggae rock scene in its own backyard while gathering a family of people around the music.

The River Street Jazz Cafe has served as a home base for the band over the years, giving them a place to grow. More recently, Hog’s Hollow Saloon has become home for Camp Kevin, with the band looking forward to seeing how the festival continues to develop.

Inside the band, that same sense of family holds everything together. Danny and Mike have always been the core, but the current lineup has gelled into something strong and personal. Life on the road means weeks in a van together, occasional bickering, and plenty of ridiculous stories, but the bond is real. Whatever one member is going through, they are not going through it alone.

Music as a Place to Belong

For Danny, the motivation to keep performing comes from passion, love of music, and the impact the band can have on people.

Music gave him a home when he needed one. It helped him feel like he belonged somewhere. Now, one of the most rewarding parts of the journey is seeing how the band’s music affects younger fans. Danny approaches that responsibility with care, especially as a father himself. He hopes to treat young fans with the same love and respect he would want an artist to show his daughter.

At its heart, Elephants Dancing is trying to shape something bigger than a setlist. The band wants to lead with kindness, resilience, connection, and joy.

Looking Ahead

Elephants Dancing is currently in the early writing stages of its next album and is already planning for Camp Kevin 2027. Fans can find the band on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, all major streaming platforms, and at ElephantsDancing.com.

For those who want to be part of the ride, the band also invites fans to join the Coconut Crew, their loving community of supporters.

Elephants Dancing may have started with two friends writing songs during summer break, but it has grown into something much larger: a touring family, a community builder, and a band that turns reggae, ska, punk, horns, humor, and heart into a live show that feels like home.

Where to See Elephants Dancing Live Next!

• Salem, Virginia at Wings Etc. on September 11 from 8-11pm

• Vinton, Virginia at Rosie's Gaming opening for Bumpin Uglies on September 12 starting at 8pm. FREE. 21+ event.