Associated Students Inc. (ASI) is holding a concert series called Sounds of SLO, that will be held Tuesdays at 11 a.m. for the month of January at Backstage Pizza. The series will bring music back to the University Union (UU) featuring Cal Poly students and others from San Luis Obispo region.
ASI has scheduled three bands — PK, Take it SLO, and Criticnue — to perform more intimate-type shows on the stage inside Backstage Pizza.
“We wanted to think outside the box to bring the music back to the UU, so we’re experimenting right now to see what happens,” Dave Carlsen, the musical entertainment student supervisor of ASI, said.
Before construction, ASI had Concerts in the Plaza, which was a concert series held every Thursday at 11 a.m on the stage outside of the UU. The Sounds of SLO and Music in the Market series are not replacing Concerts in the Plaza, but rather offering an alternative during construction.
“ASI has been providing music with Concerts in the Plaza for decades, we want to continue that as much as possible,” Missi Bullock, ASI program coordinatorl, said.
The ASI Web site estimated that the UU renovation project will be completed in April 2010. The stage where concerts occurred previously is being rebuilt.
The three bands chosen all represent a different genre of music. PK is an indie rock and roll band that is popular with students. Recently they sold out a show at Downtown Brew, debuting their new full-length album Casting Shadows.
The next performance will be January 19 by Take it SLO, an all a cappella group that focuses on doing different interpretations on hit songs — very much like the TV show Glee.
“We are an all-student ensemble that performs all original arrangements,” Take it SLO President Amy Lebetsamer said. “Look forward to a rendition of Ghostbusters.”
The last performance of the trio is Criticnue, pronounced critic-in-you. Their MySpace.com Web site describes them as “a unique sound that crosses several genres … impossible to compare them to any one sound or band.”
“Criticnue opened for Lynyrd Skynyrd. Their popularity and Heath Seagers vocals made me choose them as one of the performers,” Carlsen said.
Since the concerts are inside Backstage Pizza the performers are to play acoustically. PK, which played Tuesday Jan 12, informed Carlsen that acoustic was unavailable, resulting in a louder show.
“I know it’s really loud in here, but for the next two performances it will be quieter, it’s been a little hectic,” Carlsen said during an intermission when the drummers drumhead broke.
Inside Backstage Pizza the music loud, resulting in people unable to talk to one another, unless the band was on a break. There were more students sitting in back than up close.
“I have an hour, heard the music, and wanted a slice of pizza, it worked out,” agricultural business junior Will Salmen said. “Not the kind of music I really listen to but I appreciate it. I would listen again if on campus at the right time.”
With the next performances being acoustic and quieter, students might sit closer to the stage.
“There is a chance Kevin will serenade someone during Accidentally in Love,” Lebetsamer said.
Music in the Market, another concert series at Via Carta Mall next to Campus Market, features out-of-town performers such as Ingrid Michaelson. Music in the Market is only on Thursdays and will be from January 28- February 18. Both Sounds of SLO and Music in the Market are not all quarter long and do not occur each week.