By Len La Rocca
Distribution Manager
The vibrant hues of the stage lights fused together to form a polychromatic aura of turquoise, purple and red, which set the scene for a night of alternative rock and entertainment.
The CUB Alt Show captivated campus on Friday, April 12 at 6 p.m. in the Brower Student Center Room 225.
Four bands stopped at the College on their tours across the country to shred their guitars, clamor their drums and sing their hearts out to college students seeking an alternative getaway. The bands on the ticket were Career Opportunities, Fruits and Flowers, Leggy and the headliner, Slow Pulp. The lineup’s hints of alternative magic stirred up a mix of head-banging, hipswaying and mind-calming music in the diverse, modern era of alternative rock.
Slow Pulp produced tropical sounds that made for a soothing experience for the audience. The prowess of the band was evident in its teamwork — with every drum beat and guitar strum, every member was on the same page.The band performed without hiccups and delivered a cosmic-sounding guitar solo that melted faces.
Wrapping up their set, guitarist and vocalist Emily Massey showed hope that the growing band would continue to make strides toward greatness. “Thank you everybody,” Massey said. “(This is) our first show in New Jersey and not our last!”
Slow Pulp took the stage after Career Opportunities, a band based in Toms River that performed a new EP called “Nothing, No One, Past Gone.” The band members began their set by going full throttle with aggressive drums and beaming electric guitar. The track then calmed with low, strung-out singing floating atop light drums and an ambient, high-pitched guitar. A guitar solo ensued, which left the crowd in a satisfied daze.
In an interview after his set, Kahn paid homage to his artistic influences. “Some of my influences are jazz rock based,” he said. “I love The Fall of Troy or George Benson. Our EP just dropped a month ago. It’s called ‘Nothing, No One, Past Gone’ and it’s available everywhere. Spotify and everything.”
Up next came Fruits and Flowers from Brooklyn, who brought a psychedelic take on alternative rock to the College. The instrumental lineup was quite diverse — two guitarists, a drummer and a synth machine player wielding a saxophone. The combination was vibrant and mystic.
Once lead singer Caroline Yoder presented her sweet-sounding vocals, a trance was set upon the entire room. “You better run, run baby as fast as you can,” Yoder sang. “You’ll be a sorry man if I ever see you again.”
Yoder couldn’t help but notice how different the College atmosphere was from her usual Brooklyn setting.
“It was a good time,” Yoder said. “Definitely different from NYC.”
Leggy, a band based in Cincinnati, Ohio, was up next. The guitarists sported an elegant, aqua blue guitar and a stunning all-white guitar. The band described its sound as “lush punk” and brought personality to the show with ripping guitar solos, anthemic singing and humor.
“For real if anyone has meal swipes we’ve been talking about going to a College cafeteria,” said lead singer Véronique Allaer. The band’s humor persisted throughout the set. “Do you have a soft-serve machine?” asked guitarist Kerstin Bladh. “Yes? Then we want to go.”
In all, the performances left audiences laughing and rocking out throughout the night.
