If you Google “The Earth is a Man” you might get the name of a 1940s surrealist painting. Or you might get the name of a Dillo Day act. “We have completely surpassed the painting in search engine optimization,” Bienen senior and guitarist Zach Robinson said of the band’s name. It looks like The Earth is a Man has won again. In addition to its Google dominance, the local band won Mayfest Battle of the Bands at Nevin’s Pub last weekend, earning them a spot at Dillo Day. The group’s appearance makes sense considering its beginning. Robinson began at Northwestern in 2008 wanting to start a math rock band. He eventually met Doug Kaplan (Comm ’11) and Max Allison (WCAS ’11) along with William Crouse (Comm ’11) who was replaced by Paul Birhanu, a senior at Columbia College, last fall. “It was magic at first shred,” said Kaplan, The Earth is a Man’s second guitarist. Shredding is a common occurrence for the band. Kaplan and Robinson showed off their battle scars from last Saturday, scabs where the guitar strings had torn their skin. “When we play, it’s deafening,” Robinson said, describing their live show. “Our live performance is way different than our album.” What is most striking about The Earth is a Man’s music is that it is completely instrumental, making it a very different kind of Dillo Day act. Occasionally the band receives criticism for being “boring,” but Robinson and Kaplan said that The Earth is a Man makes a point of using its instruments to drive the melody. Their music is also collaborative. Each member of the band has a part in writing every song. Although the band doesn’t get the chance to meet very often, typically working together only five hours per week, they have managed to produce a full-length, self-titled album. “There’s a lot of controlled improvs,” Kaplan said of the songwriting process. “We say that we’re going to play through this hypothetical part eight times, and over that period of time we can work through melodic ideas.” The group’s institutionalized jam session got its start here on Northwestern’s campus. The Earth is a Man used to practice at Phi Mu Alpha, a music-oriented fraternity, and had its first show at Shepard Hall. They were even featured at Mayfest’s 2009 Battle of the Bands, although they did not win that year. Kaplan and Robinson described Northwestern as their “scene,” and they have a lot of appreciation for their on-campus fans. “There’s so much love in the room,” Kaplan said. Camaraderie is another importance facet of the band’s presence. Robinson was proud to say that he is best friends with all of his bandmates, and that it’s an integral part of their creative process. “The Earth is a Man is about friendship,” Robinson said, laughing. “All of our friends will laugh [when they read this] because they know it’s true.” The band hopes to add to their collection of “Manfans” after Dillo Day, which they say will be their last performance at Northwestern. This summer the group hopes to tour and record an EP before Robinson moves back to Los Angeles in the fall. Despite the move, The Earth is a Man has no intention of breaking up even if that means turning into a “long-distance band.” “You have access to everyone in the world,” Robinson said. “There’s no better time to be a band then right now.” Kaplan added, “It’s hard for us to evaluate ourselves being ourselves. We’re just trying to be nice, good dudes that have fun with other people that give big smiles and high-fives.” -Simone Alicea