This was my first Oktoberfest, and I have to confess to being slightly apprehensive about the bands lined up for Saturday afternoon and evening.
Girlz Girlz Girlz had me on the edge of my seat after I looked up their band, noting that Google took me straight to MySpace pictures of grown men dressed in tights and spandy's. But in the end, they had me convinced and I thought their performance was excellent. Girlz Girlz Girlz is a band known for famous rock covers from the 80s and 90s as well as their colorful and 1980s inspired attire. Band members of Girlz Girlz Girlz include Michael St. James for vocals, Duffel for guitar, Roxy Rockett for bass, and Stik E. Sweet on drums. They played all the high school classics, including Miley Cyrus's "Party in the USA" and Journey's "Don't Stop Believin.'" All their songs were well-played and their outfits only made them more entertaining-like Kiss but on the opposite end of the color wheel. In general they were a good opening band because they drew the crowd in towards the stage as the evening line-up began.
Gills and Wings did exceptionally well, though in my opinion their songs weren't very convincing for a crowd of college kids-dancing and singing to their music was difficult, but outside of that they played true to themselves and their sound. Gills and Wings is a five-piece rock band based in Richmond, Va. The members of the band include Danny Reyes for vocals and synthesizer, Santiago de la Fuente for vocals and piano, Alex McCallum on guitar and backing vocals, Matt Hulcher for bass and backing vocals, and Andrew Hackett on drums and electronic percussion. They have one album that they released in January 2009 called "Gills and Wings." It was their first album and includes the songs "Rebirth of a Nation," "Catastrophe," "Man in the Well,"
"The Dealer," and "Circus."
Next up was Parachute. I personally only knew one of their songs, but I was impressed with their stage presence. Parachute is a rock band from Charlottesville, Va. The band, originally named Sparky's Flaw, changed its name to Parachute in 2008. Members of the band include Will Anderson for vocals, guitar, and keyboard; Johnny Stubblefield on drums; Alex Hargrave on bass; Kit French for saxophone, keyboard, and vocals; and Nate McFarland for guitar and vocals. Even though Parachute is famous and signed on with a well-known record, I still felt as though Girlz Girlz Girlz gave out a better performance in regard to roping in audience participation.
Howie Day graced the stage next. Howie Day is a rock artist/singer-songwriter from Bangor, Maine. Howie Day played amazingly. He sang his heart out to multiple songs, including his hit song "Collide"- which consequently sounded exactly like his album. Day has released five albums, a feat that has resulted in many famed singles throughout his ongoing career. I think what really set him apart from the rest of bands that had played before him was his attitude. He was making puns left and right and going along with the general sway of the crowd. I was slightly disappointed in how he ended the concert-a simple wave and a disappearing act, but overall the performance as a whole was well-rounded and good.
After so much debate about the 6:50 time slot, Jeremih was the big winner. The school shelled out several grand for a 23-minute show; I know because I counted. I would say that overall I was very disappointed with Jeremih. Not only did he perform "Birthday Sex" twice, but he only had about four songs in total. It frustrated me because after the huge controversy surrounding the entire time slot and the trouble that Mortar Board went to securing another artist to perform, he had an uninspiring performance. In the end, he simply stated that he was hungry and disappeared from the stage, to the surprise of those that expected a 70-minute performance. I know I wasn't the only one disappointed; many claimed that they had been looking forward to the performance after the decision to exclude Three 6 Mafia from the lineup.
I know I am being biased because I love country, but I thought Randy Houser had a stellar performance. He had such a powerful voice and his band did a great job projecting the music across the grounds. It was funny to watch the change in audience as Jeremih left the stage and Houser alighted to it. He played hits like "With My Boots On" and many others, but the best part was that he played for almost two hours, allowing the audience to applaud him back on stage for an encore. I was really impressed with his dedication to his performance. Unlike other artists, he was taking this opportunity to perform in front of a live audience seriously and not just a way to make easy money. I really appreciated that kind of dedication, especially since I was surrounded by fans that, I am sure, felt that same appreciation tenfold. The best part of the night happened after all the bands had played and gone; we waited around and by a stroke of fate were able to get our hands on paper and pen and a one-man chance for an autograph. Suffice it to say, someone walked away with a stunned expression and Randy Houser's signature glued between their thumbs.
Randy Houser wrapped up the night with a two-hour performance that kept the audience excited, so much that they demanded an encore.
