Local radio station WTJU 91.1 FM sponsored a "Welcome Back" concert in the Amphitheater last Friday, featuring bands Andrew Cedermark & Buffalo Wildwing, The Invisible Hand and Caninos. The three groups have played together in the past - some may remember The Invisible Hand playing with Caninos at the Sigma Phi Society fraternity house several months ago - but this concert was the first time they had all been on stage together.
Andrew Cedermark started off the show on vocals and guitar. He was sadly only accompanied by a member of Buffalo Wildwing, Kevin Haney on drums, until bass guitarist Jacob Wolf arrived near the end of the set list. And even though Cedermark, a University alumnus, graduated in 2008, he still makes a point to connect his music with the University.
"The band's breezy overall vibe, with preachy, finger-pointing lyrics are custom-tailored to [Thomas] Jefferson's credo: 'In matters of style, swim with the current; in matters of principle, stand like a rock,'" Cedermark said.
The Invisible Hand performed second, and their energy kept the Amphitheater filled with blood-pumping sound. The members had all the vibrancy one would hope to see from an indie punk/pop group. Lead guitarist Adam Smith jumped around on stage, keeping energy high, and even the drummer exaggerated his cymbal crashes.
I was surprised at the complexity of musicianship and instrumental proficiency displayed at the concert. Though the genres of music were far from my personal favorites, it was impressive to hear that the members of each band were so attuned to their counterparts. I've always believed hard work is audible when a band plays. Each time I heard a successful, tough lick that night, I also heard the numerous nights of practicing and drilling that went in to delivering the songs so impressively.
Although the lineup, featuring Charlottesville local bands, looked fantastic, I had some doubts when I saw only a small crowd in the Amphitheater. Why would so few people take advantage of a free concert?
Perhaps the event suffered from a low turnout because it did not receive the publicity it deserved. And perhaps the Amphitheater wasn't the best choice of venue. My largest criticism of the concert was the poor acoustics. The instrumental portion of each band sounded spectacular, but I could only decipher three lyrical words for every minute that the bands played. I tried moving around to get a different balance of sound waves, but nothing worked. It was still an enjoyable evening, but I felt as if the sound system was selling the bands short.
Caninos played the last set, finishing the evening on a strong note. Bass player Gary Canino works as a disc jockey at WTJU and hopes the concert will revive appreciation for student bands.
"I hope the concert shows students that Charlottesville actually does contain some of the best bands and songwriters in Virginia," Canino said. "A bold claim, I know, but you'd be hard-pressed to find a better songwriter than Andrew [Cedermark] on the east coast, or a band that plays with more zest and energy than the Hand anywhere."
And the event could have even more benefits, Canino continued.
"If [the concert] leads to one student band being born, that'd be great"
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