House concert series becomes USU Guitar Club
The idea of a house concert is nothing new. In Logan, friends have come over to play music and hang out for as long as there have been front porches. Jordan Davis, recent graduate from USU, had a clever take on the idea – invite friends over for live karaoke night, where anybody could choose a song and sing it with live backup, rather than pre-recorded.
Davis and his roommates invited friends to their home near campus for the first karaoke concert in fall 2007, said Jordan Riley, original roommate and USU Guitar Club co-founder. The theme was Radiohead, and everybody was encouraged to get up and try a song or two, Riley said.
They used an ancient projector borrowed from the art department to flash lyrics onto a wall so everybody could read them, he said. Riley said he used lengths of plastic wrap and a white-board marker to jot lyrics down between songs. The wrap would be held up to the projector and moved slowly by hand during the song.
“It was a big old hassle,” Riley said. “Only about six people were there.”
But the second concert, featuring music of folk musician Mason Jennings, turned out better.
“It was like a Baptist church service,” said club co-founder and roommate James Rasmussen. “Everybody just went ape-nuts.”
Riley said there were evenings devoted to the music of the Foo Fighters, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Paul Simon and Pearl Jam. There was a Christmas concert called Carols and Drums where the club played Christmas carol rock.
As word spread, Riley said subsequent concerts filled the house to capacity.
“At first I knew everybody we invited, but soon people were showing up who I’d never met. There were all these people in our house; I couldn’t even get in the room,” Riley said.
When the house became too small, Riley said the roommates decided to form the USU Guitar Club in order to secure larger venues and give more students the chance to perform. The first of the Karaoke Concert Series was held at the Lundstrom Student Center in January.
Unfortunately, original “mastermind,” Davis, moved to Alabama before the first public karaoke concert was held.
At the Radiohead show, however, Riley said Davis performed remotely for the crowd via the Internet. He was hooked into the sound system live.
“He’s kind of a legend now,” Rasmussen said, who also serves as technical support and venue coordinator.
Looking to the future, the Guitar Club plans to form an intercollegiate network of emerging musicians to play house concerts throughout the Wasatch Front. The idea, said Riley, is an exchange of resources. Bands and musicians from Provo, Salt Lake and Ogden will come to perform at USU or private houses in Logan. In return, they will volunteer to organize venues for Logan musicians to visit other cities to perform. This will help bands share their fan base, Riley said.
The goal of the karaoke concerts, Riley said, is to give students a venue to perform and play for others. The concerts encourage newer musicians to perform, he said. Riley said all shows so far have been recorded. Musicians can get in touch with the Guitar Club for more information, he said.
The club will help find performance space for bands or musicians who would like to do a show, Riley said.
In upcoming events, the club is supporting a CD release show for multi-instrumentalist Eric Chipman at 7 p.m., March 19 at the TSC. Chipman plays guitar, banjo and mandolin and performs as E. Stohl Chipman. Guitar Club members Jason Carlisle and Aaron “Moose” Gumucio will back him up on drums and guitar, respectively.
March 28, the club will host the Live, Original, Local concert. Students who would like to perform their own music are encouraged to show up at the Lundstrom Student Center located on 1305 E. 1000 North, at 8 p.m.
April 23, local artist Libby Linton will perform at the TSC with Logan band Grafted and Salt Lake band Fictionist, who will be asked to help organize venues for Logan musicians to perform in Salt Lake.
The next Karaoke Concert, April 10, will feature the music and songs of Neil Young. Original co-founder Davis will be back from Alabama to perform.
–brendon.butler@aggiemail.usu.edu