James Madison University - Bluestone Schoolmaam Yearbook (Harrisonburg, VA)

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MACR m w k% • he university ' s student-run radio station, WXJM, sponsored I the Mid-Atlantic College Ra dio Conference known as MACRoCk I over the weekend of April 2, 2004. Held annually since April 1997, artists from various genres of independent music performed at venues on campus and in the community. Nearly every genre of music was represented, including jazz, bluegrass, techno, country and hip-hop. Some of the more popular venues featured mellow rock, pop rock, hardcore metal and punk rock. Graduate Suzy Husner said, The best part about MACRoCk is you come to see one band and you find others you like too. MACRoCk took place on a limited budget and WXJM made no profit. Tickets were S 1 2 to attend all the venues on Fri- day, S15 on Saturday and S20 for the entire weekend. WXJM put in numerous hours planning and working the events. An executive committee was in charge of organizing bands, overseeing volunteers, scheduling and much more. Husner said, There ' s so much to do. ..it ' s unreal. Court Square Theater in downtown Harrisonburg featured mellow rock over the course of the two-day lineup. The venue was an old theater, and the dimmed lights and bouncy theater seats contributed to the soothing tunes that wafted off the stage. The band Owen consisted of three males playing guitar, drums and bass guitar. Their lyrics questioned life, singing, One morn- ing I woke up and said, ' What would happen if this were my last day on the planet? Husner said ot Owen. I ' ve been here the entire day. ..they ' re so good and I didn ' t even know who they were. Owen was followed by the much-anticipated Ester Drang, whose performance featured a slide show of outer space and more soothing melodies. Senior Alex Wood said, Ester Drang stimulated the audience ' s emotions more than a normal show. At The Pub. Slim Cee from the four-person hip-hop group Thundercats took the stage. The winner of the freestyling contest at Circles, sponsored by the Breakdance Club, Cee invited two males and one female to the stage. The participants were then featured in a freestyle beat biised on their name, age, marital status, home and physical features. Cee was followed by Indigenous Womb, which included two JMU graduates. Each of the four members took turns freestyling to a Rastafarian sound. Senior Ashleigh Covington said, MACRoCk ' s a lot of progres- sive rock and this is something different. Late Friday into early Saturday morning, hundreds of people rocked out at PC Ballroom. Filled to capacity, the venue seemed to come alive when Mates of State took the stage, featuring call and response melodies and harmonies. The band finished off their set with the cover song from By Atujeia. Nara-(m SINGING SOOTHING MELODIES, lead singer of Pedro the Lion, David Bozon closes the night PC Bollroom was filled to capacity for Bazan ' s performance. •Photo by Ellen Ahearn. STRUMMING SOFTLY, A guitarist from Ester Drang tunes up. Ester Drang performed with other mellow-rock bands on Friday night ot the Court Square Theater. • Photo by Ellen Ahearn, INVOLV- ING THE AUDIENCE in his act, Slim Cee from Thundercats, freestyles Thundercats consisted of four members, but only Slim Cee and his DJ performed at MACRoCk. • Photo by Ellen Ahearn. 5 20