JORDAN BUDD
Special to The Leader
On April 24, the Music Industry Club hosted their annual Soulstice Jam, which has been described as a “staple of the MIC agenda.”
The event is usually held in Dods Grove, but considering the pandemic, it looked a little different this year.
Performers turned in videos of their show which was projected onto the screen in the Multi-Purpose Room of the Williams Center. Here, viewers and club members gathered safely.
Kenny Haller, the president of the Music Industry Club, described how this version of the event was certainly not the first plan of action.
Nevertheless, he was excited to get back to some sense of normalcy as it had been an entire year and a half since the club had the chance to put on an event. He mentioned how rewarding it was to see everyone’s hard work pay off, especially his fellow E-board members.
The versatile and prolific artist, Jacob King, gave the audience a warm entry of acoustic tunes. His silky voice and melodious falsetto floats throughout his well-crafted songs.
Furthermore, his impressive guitar work shines through in extensive instrumental sections. This strumming talent was present in his unreleased closer, which he wrote just a week prior to his performance.
King’s songs often feature eye catchy titles like “Stranger Whispers the Name of My Generation’s Leader.” He expressed how naming songs and albums is an important part of his creative process as he often starts with a title as the foundation and then builds off that.
His influences range far and wide as he embraces everyone from Neil Young, to Frank Zappa, to Ty Segall to Yoko Ono.
When entering a new project or song, he said he tries to combine a couple influences into his own concoction and often dreams about what one person can do with sound as a solo act.
King was quickly followed up by the all-girl band, Kiddie Pool, for their live debut. The first song was an indie slow burner, titled “F*ck You,” whose power came in its deliberate sensitivity.
The main vocalist, Megan Munro, reflects on a relationship on the rocks, but by the end, can’t help admit that she would kiss them back if they made the first move. They played in a basement show setting that many of us miss during these troubling times, which was a bittersweet touch that fit the ruminative music.
Their final song, “Cut Your Bangs,” had more of an acoustic indie folk feel to it. The polite and mellow trumpet solo from bassist, Hannah Batsford, was gentle and pleasing to the ears.
This added instrumentation came to a climax just before the band rolled into their final chorus. It seems Kiddie Pool’s knack for portraying emotional stories will be their key to success.
The emo rockers, The Weather Might Say Otherwise, were full of personality, performing in an almost music video like setting that was all decked out with art and posters.
The band members were witty and quick to come up with lead jokes that introduced their songs. Their fuzzy guitar sound and catchy riffs introduced an edginess to the event.
Damian Brown, their lead vocalist, poured his heart out across the expeditious drums and guitars in “I’LL DRINK TO THAT” while sporting a button up sweater and turtleneck. He came across as a modern-day emo prince with his dark hair draped over his face, and a vocal delivery reminiscent of early 2000s alt rock.
I can’t help but associate these images and sounds with Gerard Way of My Chemical Romance, yet it’s important to mention that the Fredonia band isn’t defined by this MySpace era.
They seem to focus on a more casual, emo revival aesthetic as well. Besides, these are no shots targeted at a lack of originality, as their authenticity should have an asterisk next to it as one of their most relatable and redeeming qualities.
Zach Richardson’s drum fills pushed the songs forward and the bassist, Tanor Morrison’s, background vocals were a solid touch. They closed their set with a cover of the generational, yet seemingly evergreen anthem, “Mr. Brightside” that incited singing and hums throughout the Williams Center.
The pop punk goofballs from Buffalo, Ashford, took listeners further down the event’s fun spiral into emo music and the scene subculture in general.
The band featured multiple vocalists including brothers Trevor and Tom Balbierz, and Nathan Kohler in the mix as well. Their harmonization blended well amidst the band’s edgy sound.
They took the stage — or rather the screen — with “Perennial,” a track from their latest project, “Patterns.” The feedback from this song moodily dragged out for a moment until the drummer launched them into the following, high-speed tune, “Before.”
On their terminal song, “Wasn’t Worth It,” Trevor’s raw scream lit up their electric set with a bang. It was clear that he put everything into this, as he recuperated in the aftermath.
Looking physically tired, he admitted “I’m dying,” before praising the college town and its associated venues.
A Fredonia favorite, Fernway, was the last band to hit the stage.
Their blend of alternative, emo, pop, rock and some light elements of jazz culminate into a familiar, but unique sound. Their song, “XXIII,” had a nice bounce to it and a synth melody that hung about the pop rock instrumentation.
It is clear to me why the band’s warm sound characterized by twinkling guitar melodies is near and dear to Fredonia students’ hearts. Each instrument was given a moment to shine in their song, “I Have to Return Some Video Tapes,” in which the lead singer’s accessible coo was a nice change of pace within the event’s diverse group of artists.
Fernway closed out the night appropriately, and surely continued to grow their audience in Fredonia.
Haller, took the screen one last time to thank everyone for coming out and hoped for an exciting return to a live and in-person Soulstice Jam 2022.