ELENA FITZGERALD
Staff Writer
Magazine Beach performing at BJ’s bar in Fredonia. Photograph by Justin Hoock.
Fredonia is home to a flourishing music scene, with both local and visiting bands bringing all kinds of live music to the campus and surrounding community.
I myself have been an avid concert-goer my whole life, and being able to see shows in my college town has been such a unique experience — one which has inspired me to get more involved in the local music scene.
If you are someone who wants to get involved in a music scene, Fredonia is truly one of the best places to start, with plenty of learning opportunities to get involved in the industry or to simply have a fun time at a concert.
Last Call Entertainment, a local show promotion group, hosts local concerts twice a month that encompass many different genres. They include acts from bands formed by Fredonia students as well as bands that come in from out of state to perform.
Last Call started nearly 10 years ago, but shows held at BJ’s bar in downtown Fredonia date further back than that — students have been continuously booking and promoting concerts there for many years.
Tiny the Dream performing at BJ’s bar in Fredonia. Photograph by Justin Hoock.
Information about Last Call Entertainment, including current show announcements, can be seen on their Instagram, @lastcallmgmt.
Their first show of the semester will be Thursday, Aug. 29 at BJ’s, with doors opening at 9:00 p.m. and music starting at 10:00 p.m. The price of admission is $5 for guests ages 18 and over and $2 for 21 and over.
Foxhead Record Company, another local show promotion group, also holds shows that have featured many different bands who have made their way to Fredonia to perform in local venues.
Foxhead holds weekend concerts in many locations in town, and anyone can keep up to date with information about them via their Instagram, @foxheadrecordco.
The Toybox is a new and upcoming house venue with shows on the way, so stay tuned for more information to come.
If you want to get involved in the music scene yourself, there are plenty of avenues to do so. The best places to do this are with different clubs on campus, such as Fredonia Radio Systems (FRS) and the Music Industry Club, which create real-life experiences in the music industry.
FRS maintains two stations, WCVF 88.9 The Voice and WDVL 89.5 The Inferno. The Voice holds the “Local at 1” show, with hours of local music programming on-air throughout the week.
FRS itself holds a day-long event, Rockin’ the Commons, which will take place Sept. 21 from 11:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. at Barker Commons in downtown Fredonia. There will be live music from local and Western New York bands as well as plenty of activities, and all proceeds will be donated to Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center in Buffalo.
Besides Rockin’ the Commons, becoming an assistant to an E-board member at FRS is another way to connect yourself to the scene, as well as involvement with the long-running show The Local Lo-Down.
The Local Lo-Down airs on both The Voice and The Inferno, holding weekly interviews with local bands and with Western New York-based and traveling groups.
Watch Your Step performing at BJ’s bar in Fredonia. Photograph by Justin Hoock.
The Music Industry Club (MIC) showcases hands-on experiences that could happen in the music industry, and it has the added bonus of being a club right on campus.
With regular, immersive club meetings and many events on campus, you can be a part of holding student-run concerts.
The Fall semester is big for MIC, with events like Amp It Up to be held in mid-September and Battle of the New Bands to be held near the end of the semester.
To find out more about these events, follow the club’s Instagram page, @micfredonia.
Visit these clubs for any other questions and meet members of the clubs at Activities Night, which will be held at the beginning of the semester.
Elena Fitzgerald, the author of this article, is a member of Last Call Entertainment, Foxhead Record Company, Fredonia Radio Systems and The Local Lo-Down.