Walking around the PMAC on Friday nights, you’re likely to experience some strange sights—late-night painters, flutists “cramming” for their next orchestra solo, wandering a cappella groups… Now, though, you might stumble upon a new group: C Underground Rock Band. The club hosted its first meeting last Friday in the PMAC Recital Hall.
C Underground Rock Band club, dedicated to listening, learning, and playing rock songs, meets every other Friday to perform rock music. The ensemble varies weekly depending on membership, and the band instruments range from traditional rock instruments to the triangle and harmonica. “C Rock is really relaxed,” said Elena Turner ’17, a vocalist who attended the club’s first meeting. Elena added, “I don’t play any instruments, but I got to try the drum set and the timpani at the meeting.”
Despite the name, C Rock’s music is not restricted to rock. “We’re currently focusing on rock artists that the group expresses interest in, which means the club is really shaped by its members,” explained Mckynzie Romer ’17, who leads the club with Claire Stover ’17 and Martin London ’17. The club’s emphasis on member feedback means that the songs played will vary weekly depending on student interest; Romer and Stover hope that this will create a personalized experience. Currently, possible songs range from Heart’s “Magic Man” to The Rolling Stones’ “Paint it Black.” However, C Underground Rock Band is also willing to branch out and play songs of other genres: “Many of the members were interested in playing acoustic songs like ‘Hey, Soul Sister,’ so we’ll make that happen,” said Stover.
The club isn’t all about the underground, though. C Underground Rock Band hopes to expand its presence on campus through jam sessions and potential performances at school meeting. “Rock is something that really was missing from campus,” explained Stover. “We have a range of musical ensembles here, but none of them engage with rock music in a significant way. C Underground Rock Band was made to solve that problem.”
Members seem to agree. “Choate has so much underground potential, and C Rock is a great way to refurbish it and harness it in a fun way,” said Turner. “I’m excited to bring it back!”
