Porcupine Avalanche was formed when five experienced musicians came together to make great music, play some gigs, and most importantly, have fun jamming together. The band has over 75 years of combined experience and has lost count of how many bands we’ve played in. Are we the next great “supergroup?” Come to a gig and decide for yourself!
Porcupine Avalanche plays a wide range of rock cover songs, from classic rock to mainstream rock to indie/alternative rock, glam/pop, grunge, country, and maybe even a heavy metal song every once in a while! Porcupine Avalanche plays public venues and private events throughout the Chicago area and along the North Shore.
The question we are asked most often isn’t about our music or ourselves; it’s about the band’s name… is there really a porcupine?
Take a look below to get to know the band members a little better … and if you make it to the bottom, you might just learn about the porcupine!
Vic Effenleau
Vocals
Vic started singing and playing guitar as a young adult, was on and off for a few years, then got serious in 2019. He’s had many favorite bands during his life, from John Lennon to Rush to Echo & the Bunnymen to all things grunge. Today you’ll find him listening to indie folk/rock bands like The Head and the Heart and The Lumineers.
Vic’s first big concert was Billy Squier opening for Foreigner in 1981, but it was the U2 show at Soldier Field in 1997 that was the game changer. After being amazed at how Bono could connect so well to an audience of 50,000, Vic left that concert saying, “I want to do that.”
Vic is an architect by day. When he is not fronting Porcupine Avalanche, he enjoys skiing, running, cooking, and road trips with his wife and three adult children.
Fun fact: Vic has completed 14 marathons in 13 different states — with more to come!
Dave Mooney
Guitar
Dave started playing acoustic guitar when he was nine, teaching himself from chord diagrams, books, and articles. For a brief time, he was in a Beatles pantomime band, The Baby Beatles, and he also played in a praise band at church. He enjoys many different musical genres: rock, folk, bluegrass, jazz, roadhouse and more!
When he is not rocking the guitar, Dave loves fly fishing. He also loves traveling with wife Mindy and spending time with his three adult children and grandkids.
Fun fact: while fishing in Patagonia, Dave made a guest appearance in an episode of the TV show Fly Rod Chronicles with Curtis Fleming. In the episode, Dave not only caught a trophy-size brown trout but also played “Take Me Home Country Roads”, the show’s theme song, on the lodge owners’ daughter’s guitar.
Scott Steinberg
Guitar
Scott started playing guitar and singing in 2016 and got focused on it during COVID. His favorite band is Pearl Jam, with “State of Love and Trust” being one of his favorite songs. Not surprisingly, his favorite music genres are classic rock and grunge. He attended his first rock concert in 1989, when he saw Aerosmith and Skid Row at the Philadelphia Spectrum.
Professionally, Scott is a video producer. He loves spending his free time with his wife Casey and their son and daughter. Scott is a big sports fan and enjoys playing and watching all sports.
Fun fact: Scott had a major league baseball tryout with the Philadelphia Phillies. He also had a perfect score on the Sports Jeopardy test in 1998!
Steve Chapman
Bass
As a teen, Steve played guitar in a cover band called The Livin’ End. His first major concert was the Beach Boys. After taking a decades-long break, Steve returned to playing guitar and also picked up bass during the COVID pandemic. His favorite performer is Miranda Lambert with “I Wanna Die” as his top song choice. He enjoys rock, country, and Taylor Swift, too!
When Steve is not rockin’ out with Porcupine Avalanche, he enjoys skiing, hiking, camping, and standup paddleboarding. He also loves spending time with his wife Cyn (whom he married in the lobby of their high school) and the five kids they have between them.
Fun fact: Steve entertains his grandkids by singing to them in the voice of Kermit the Frog!
Mike Borkowski
Drums
Mike picked up drumming a few years back when he inadvertently became the drummer in a church worship band (that is a story for a different website). The church band got decommissioned, but Mike discovered a new passion and hasn’t looked back!
Mike enjoys all genres of rock-n-roll. His favorite band is U2, with Sunday Bloody Sunday topping his personal Best Song list.
When he’s not drumming, Mike loves traveling with his wife and two kids, playing with his dog Sammy, golfing with friends, and reading international spy thrillers. He also enjoys playing pickleball with his wife. During the workday, Mike runs a video production company.
Fun fact: Mike is an FAA-licensed drone pilot.
The Porcupine
The Porcupine started out his musical career primarily playing the cowbell but picked up the electric guitar in his teenage years as he rebelled against his prickly parents. His favorite song is Porcupine Pie by Neil Diamond; go figure! He traveled extensively, with a love for the mountains. One of his early musical influences was John Denver, who he met while traveling through the Blue Ridge Mountains.
On a trip through the Himalayas, our fearless Porcupine witnessed several dogs performing miraculous avalanche rescues. Upon returning to the US, he trained hard and became the first certified Avalanche Rescue Porcupine, and he was hired at Alta Ski Resort on April 1, 2024. (Google it!) He now splits his time between Alta and Chicago, where he can be found at some rocking gigs!
Fun fact: his favorite musician is Bono… not sure if it is because of Bono’s ubiquitous sunglasses? Or perhaps because Bono had a similar haircut back in the 80s?
Still wondering how our band got the name Porcupine Avalanche? Credit goes to our bassist, Steve, who readily admits that his brain works in strange ways, as he randomly put these words together. While Steve was having his brainstorm, Vic was skiing at Alta and thought the name sounded like a cool ski run. The rest of the band liked it, and the name stuck!
