AMBER MATTICE
Special to The Leader
There was an extremely successful turnout this year for Fredonia Radio Systems’ Rockin’ The Commons. Barker Commons was alive with the strumming of various acoustic guitars and the overall energetic air of the bands and the people watching them.
Saying that the bands were energetic is a bit of an understatement. Every single one that played drew the crowd in with their unique sound and cheerful attitude. They encouraged their fans to clap along to the beat, to dance, to sing along and to just have a good time.
One of the most interesting things about the event was that every band had something similar about them but also something that set them apart from the ones before. When asked about the genre of bands, and their eagerness to play at this event, Shimire Foots, a junior audio production and music business double major, stated, “We don’t really aim towards any specific genre but it turned out this year that we have a lot of bands that play a similar style of music.
“Since we’re in the Fredonia community with a lot of people passing by, their potential audience is really huge so they were all really excited to come in and play,” Foots continued.
The similar genres really helped tie every individual set together and helped the entire event flow nicely from start to finish.
Something Happened, a local band, has all female members and a very unique sound. Its set was upbeat and kept the listeners’ attention from start to finish. The band was extremely fun to listen to; they had a good mix of mellow songs and faster-paced songs, so there was never a dull moment throughout the set. Something Happened was really able to showcase the talents of each member in every song.
The band that played directly after Something Happened was Annasun, which also played at Rockin’ the Commons last year. Annasun had a drastically different sound to it. The band was cheerful and upbeat but never really had a cool-down period. Its songs escalated in pace and intensity without being overwhelming. The sound stayed true to its genre of indie rock.
One of the most noticeable things about Annasun’s performance was the instruments the band used. Many of them are not typically seen in local concerts, such as a fiddle, a mandolin, a harmonica and a cajon. At one point, the two leading vocalists began whistling as well, which added to the uniqueness of their entire set.
Not only did Annasun’s sound appeal to listeners, but the band was fun to watch. Every member was animated while playing and you could tell that they were having a good time, doing what they love.
When interviewed, the band as a whole agreed that being able to interact with new people who have never heard them play, being able to play in the middle of a community and playing music with their best friends for a cause were why they enjoy the event so much and came back to play this year.
The event went all day and, though attendance did trickle, many people remained until the end to see the headlining band, Hokan, perform. It was well worth waiting for. Hokan’s sound was its own as they layered acoustics with an electronic keyboard and the voices of several singers, all overlapping to form a string of new sounds. It was not a sound many bands have achieved today, but it showcased the talents of every member of the band.
Every band that performed was extraordinarily talented and, that aside, the people themselves were all kind and cheerful and worked hard to make the day a success.
Every person involved was bound to find something they enjoyed with the variety and uniqueness of each performance. The atmosphere of the event as a whole was casual and comfortable — everyone seemed to be having a good time, bonding over a universal love for making a difference and good music.