The Elephant Room

In the early days of the pandemic, Brooks Carlston, Austin Miller, and Dawson Creek began getting together on weekends to write and play music. Originally performing under the name Fractured Time, the three friends spent their time experimenting with different sounds and developing the songs that would eventually become the foundation of The Elephant Room.

In 2021, the band took its first steps into the studio, recording their debut single, “Open Eyes,” at Orbit Audio. It was during this period that the band began moving in a new musical direction, leaning further into alternative rock. As the sound evolved, Dawson ultimately decided to leave the project to pursue other musical interests. Rather than let the project end, Brooks and Austin chose to continue writing and performing together. With a new direction came a new identity, and The Elephant Room was born.

For the next two years, Brooks and Austin continued developing their sound while playing local bars as a cover duo. Behind the scenes, however, they were writing something bigger. The songs they had been building over the years were beginning to take shape as a full-length record, and in 2024, the two returned to Orbit Audio to finally bring the project to life.

Through Orbit Audio, the band was introduced to sound engineer Nate Nauseda, who worked with The Elephant Room to record their self-titled debut album. The record became a culmination of experimentation, change, and persistence, capturing the sound the band had been working toward since those first weekend jam sessions. The album was released in December 2024.

But releasing the record was only the beginning. With a growing audience and a desire to bring the music back to the stage, Brooks and Austin began building a full live lineup. Bassist and keyboardist Amanda Potvin and drummer Devin Miller joined the band, transforming The Elephant Room from a studio project and acoustic duo into a full-fledged live band.

Since 2025, The Elephant Room has been bringing its music to stages throughout the Pacific Northwest, giving the songs from their debut album a new life through a full-band sound. Along the way, the lineup has continued to evolve, as bands naturally do, but the goal has remained the same: to make great music, connect with the community, and build something alongside the other musicians and artists who make the local music scene what it is.