By KATIE KIERSTEAD
Arts Editor
One of the greatest things about the music industry program at Saint Rose is the frequency with which local bands can show off their talent to their peers. Anyone can play guitar on the quad, but it’s the concerts on campus that draw a crowd and give real exposure to up-and-coming musical talent.
Each semester the Artist Management class holds open auditions for three artists to be featured in a free concert at the end of the semester, which is organized and prepared entirely by the students in the class.
This semester’s Artist Management Showcase took place on Friday, Nov. 20 in Jack’s Place (located in the Hearst Center for Communications and Interactive Media) at 9 p.m. and featured three artists: singer/songwriter Sydney Schizzano, folk ensemble Cobblestone, and indie rock band Boy Go Fast. All three acts are comprised of Saint Rose music students.
The turnout for the event was impressive for a late night show: more than 70 people—friends, family, and colleagues—populated Jack’s Place to support the diverse bill of artists.
Though admission to the event was free, there was a table of baked goods and refreshments for sale to fund Rose Record Label Group, the college’s student-run record label.
Junior Meghan Mallon introduced the bands and acted as emcee for the night. Her charming humor kept the audience engaged between sets.
“Meghan brought a lot of charisma to the whole thing as emcee!” said Elena Karpoff, a freshman who attended the showcase.
Schizzano kicked off the show with a solo acoustic set. Her meticulous control over her full-bodied, metallic voice shone in emotionally-charged, Ed Sheeran-esque originals including “Gibberish,” “Angels,” and “Money.” With thoughtful lyrics and nostalgic imagery, Schizzano wowed the crowd. She also put her own sensitive spin on Tove Lo’s “Habits (Stay High).” As an artist on Rose Record Label Group, she will be performing in the label’s Indie-Cember event on Dec. 3 at the Low Beat, joined by fellow label-mates Alenni and Saint Rose alum Ryan Leddick.
Six-piece folk ensemble Cobblestone followed up with their first-ever entirely original set, including “Mind Reader” and “Soireé” (co-written by Sydney Schizzano), among others. Their modern Americana sound resembles Of Monsters and Men and The Lumineers. The band is made up of multiple songwriters, including guitarist/vocalist Zach Karpinski, vocalist Maria Malafronte, and banjoist Dan Frank, who all contributed their songs to the setlist. Joining them are violinist/vocalist Amelia Rossettie, bassist Kevin Bohen, and drummer Bud Sheer. Cobblestone was recently chosen to open for Rose Rock 2016, and they won Best Acoustic/Instrumental and Best Group at the Saint Rose Music Awards, proving they are a force to be reckoned with.
Closing the concert were energetic indie alt-rockers Boy Go Fast, a four-piece band whose catchy grooves had the entire crowd dancing along. Undoubtedly the loudest group of the night, Boy Go Fast rocked Jack’s Place with self-described “bitter pop” tunes like “Bent” and “Hey Ramona.” They also premiered a new song, “Second Time.” Singer/songwriter and rhythm guitarist William Fredette is backed up by bassist Joe DeTillio, lead guitarist Tom Bystryk, and drummer Nick Cavin. The members got together about a year ago to combine their individual influences—from pop punk to classic rock to shoegaze—to cultivate a unique and cohesive sound.
“There were just a lot of people there! It was fun to play Jack’s Place all dolled up like that. It sounded good and it looked professional,” enthused Fredette after the show.
The students in the Artist Management class prepared for the showcase for months by acting as managers for their bands and organizing all the logistics of the concert in the weeks leading up to it.
Each student wrote bios, put together press kits, and organized photoshoots for their bands throughout the semester while learning what it means to be an artist manager from a manager herself, Ms. Laura Hartmann. Her real-world experience as the owner of an independent artist management company allowed the students to see what it’s really like to work with artists on a daily basis, instead of just reading theories from a textbook. The students got to work with their artists throughout the semester, which is a win-win: the bands got free promo materials and exposure from the show, and the students got real experience communicating with bands and organizing a concert.
Specific roles, such as stage manager, promotion director, or artist liaison, for example, were assigned to the students in preparation for the showcase so everything would run smoothly. The event started right on time—an unlikely feat for most concerts nowadays—and the changeover times between the bands were under ten minutes, so the night flew right by with little wait time.
