Moonlight & Music: “Whysound but at USU”
On March 6, the Utah State University Series Committee hosted the popular student concert Moonlight and Music in the TSC.
The annual on-campus event hosts student bands and musicians. This edition included four bands: Grenadine, Dead by Nineteen, Hazel Waves and Yucca Lane.
With Zach Bone as director, the committee organized the event and chose what bands would be featured. Among the committee members are students Ronan Spencer and Paige Kellems.
Spencer and Kellems explained the process was months in the making as they determined what the event would look like. The committee decided they wanted to incorporate a concert theme, where students could come up close, dance and interact with the bands.
Kellems said the committee had been on the lookout for different bands on campus throughout the year. They realized there were most likely many talented bands on campus the committee didn’t know about, so they sent out marketing posters where students could submit a video of their band performing.
“We got some really good bands submitting that we wouldn’t have known about otherwise,” Kellems said.
“I was surprised at the amount of bands here on campus. We did see some really good videos, and it was really fun,” Spencer said. “That’s the point of Moonlight and Music — is to feature some of the smaller bands here.”
Bone noted the event had two goals. First, they wanted to provide students with a unique opportunity to enjoy themselves before spring break.
“Being college students, I think a lot of us are working on a budget, so a lot of college students love concerts but may not have the money to do so. So, giving them a free concert here on campus is really fun,” he said.
Second, the committee wanted to showcase the skills of students and help them get their names out there.
“There’s so much talent here on campus that people just don’t know about,” Bone said.
Grenadine opened the show, a band founded in November. One of the band’s guitarists and the programming director for Aggie Radio 92.3 FM Xander Hayden said he’s very optimistic about the band’s future.
“We played a show at WhySound last week, so we’re kind of keeping some momentum there, so I’m excited to play more and keep the momentum going,” Hayden said.
Similar to the other bands, Grenadine plays a mix of genres, including indie rock, emo and psych rock.
“We have a variety of different music tastes, and it shows in how we play,” Hayden said.
Each of the four bands performed a mix of covers and original music. Hayden explained the goal of Grenadine is to try to perform more originals than covers. The goal for the band’s next WhySound performance is to play only original music.
WhySound is a music venue in Logan unaffiliated with USU but often features student musicians and artists and other local talent. The weekly live music performances are often advertised on USU campus, drawing attention from many students. Spencer said Moonlight and Music “feels like WhySound but at USU.”
“College is much more than just tests and homework. It’s an opportunity to socialize and have everlasting memories,” Bone said.