Joss showcase gives bands jamming outlet

Ask most musicians at Vassar and they'll tell you that campus bands get the short end of the stick. A single sound system is shared by the entire campus, limiting the number of shows possible at one time. Plus, band practice space is almost nonexistent. Matthew's Mug is notoriously overbooked and inconveniently located, and practices held in dorm basements often result in noise complaints. To counter these unfortunate shortcomings, a new trend has taken off on campus—dorm-hosted concerts.

Last Friday night, Josselyn House Parlor was the place to be. Furniture was cleared and rugs rolled away, transforming the room into a dance haven perfect for foot tappin', hip swingin' and even a little moshing. Many of the musicians featured in the show hail from Josselyn, allowing for an event that literally brought it all back home.

Michelle Donnelly '11, Vice President of Josselyn House, described the event as "intimate and friendly." Unlike various events at the Mug, which tend to attract a certain crowd, the Joss Showcase drew a very eclectic audience. "I wanted to have an event for the bands that have formed among [Josselyn] residents, an event that would make their bands more known to the outer campus community," she said.

Jordan Kaye '12 is a Josselyn House resident and member of both Giant Man Band and Sir Saturn and the Neptones, two of the performing bands. He vouched for the advantages of a dorm-sponsored show: "Obviously [the] set-up is really simple, and there's less to worry about logistically. If one of us wants to take it real easy or if there's a problem, the show usually happens as planned: with a crowd, a space and a wall of devastating sound," he explained.

Most everything was smooth sailing; however, for up and coming band, The Seasons, some improvisational jamming was in order. When Mara Connors '13 unexpectedly caught a case of laryngitis, the group was left without their lead vocalist. But, as they say: The show must go on. Noah Zaccaglini '13 filled in on the keyboards, while band members Sam Wagner '13 and Jon Gorman '13 put together some last minute tunes.

"We had literally not played a single one of the songs we played that night together before. We were just trying to have some fun while being mildly entertaining," Gorman said. The group played mostly covers, allowing for some spontaneous audience sing-alongs and a very laid-back atmosphere.

Giant Man Band, the second group to play, stayed true to its name with both a giant sound and a big attitude. "We thought it would be good to start out set with a meandering jam, something that could get people vibing and moving around. We built from that with a couple of up-temp funk and blue-grass tunes," said bassist Kaye.

The crowd went wild for the band's improvisational sections. "I thrashed through [the crowd] a couple of times," said Kaye, "hoping to snag a dance partner for me and the bass, which turned out to be a pretty hilarious time." Sir Saturn and the Neptones rounded off the evening with their brand of surf rock: "It's a mixture of 1960s California bands and more punky vibes. We try to play really loud," explained the group's lead man Raffi Radna '12. Portions of the crowd were appropriately dressed as beach babes and surfer dudes for the occasion (also attributable to the beach-themed party Radna had thrown pre-concert), and by the time Sir Saturn took the stage they were in a dancing frenzy—jumping, moshing and booty shaking like nobody's business. Radna, decked out in swim trunks and shades, played with one goal in mind: "to spread the surf."