About Us
Who We Are
Midnight Drive is a New Jersey-based band blending late-night energy with modern indie rock. We began officially changing the world in 2024 at Stevens Institute of Technology.
Foundation
After finally committing to Stevens in Spring of 2023, Jake Paccione reached out to Sam Ferro on a Stevens Class of '27 Instagram page, seeking to find a roommate for freshmen year. Immediately the two bonded over a common passion for music and became instantly known in their dorm building for being the "guitar guys." After knowing each other for just a week, the duo began writing songs together.
Sam and Jake went on to meet Patrick Cortelli in the Stevens dining hall in the first week of school, where the trio began talking about forming a band-- having all previously been in bands in high school. Patrick additionally joined in the songwriting process, and named Sam and Jake's unfinished song City Lights, which would later be released in Fall of 2025.
During their first semester, Sam participated in an Open Mic organized by the school's music organization SUMAC, where he performed an acoustic version of his new song, Made You Stay. There, he met Drayton Barrand, a sophomore at the time who also happened to be performing in the same Open Mic. After just one practice together, the group solidified, and Dray coined the group Midnight Drive.
The Rest is History
The band quickly made a name for themselves among the Stevens Campus, playing shows anywhere they can find, and going on to win the 2024 Battle of the Bands competition. Midnight Drive opened for Neon Trees as part of the 2024 annual Stevens Techfest event, and has continued to play live shows on college campuses and release music.
