“Melted faces in a sweaty room. That’s what we came here to do,” said Matt Addison ’10, the drummer for Shake the Baron, a New York-based independent band. Originally hailing from Connecticut College, the group made a stop back at its alma mater last week to play a public show in Abbey House. Comprised of lead vocalist Andrew Oedel ’10, bassist Max Currier ’10, the highly energetic and legendary Jon Markson ’12 on guitar and Addison on drums, Shake the Baron is currently taking a break after recording its second album, Ghost Hits, and touring with stops in Los Angeles, Chicago, Boston and Terre Haute, Indiana.
The show in Abbey House was legendary, as was the first performance in the once-frequented living room of Abbey House. Shake the Baron, in its final song, even alluded to the community of Abbey House with mock lyrics, Markson crooning, “I love Abbey House kids; They are my best friends.” Their music was high energy with an undercurrent of reflection and dismay. Oedel and Marskon played similar guitar parts, mirroring one another to set a base theme, and then broke off into separate ideas. This splitting of harmonies provided music that was full of energy without the repetition and endless drum beats found in large portions of the independent rock scene. Nowadays, the independent scene really lacks independent thinking. Listen to Shake the Baron for a fresh view, and support some fellow Camels.
Their performance was opened up by the latest project from Andy Stein-Zeller ’14: I’ll Have Star Wars Concert Music, Please. His group has gained some notoriety in the art circles of campus recently, with a closing performance in Coffee Grounds at the start of the year. The group’s music, a mix of alternative rock and dance, sent the crowd members into a frenzy of boogie and shaking. Stein-Zeller was certainly pleased with the outcome, noting that he “want[ed] to make music conducive to people having a good time.” This theme followed into the next group, Camp. Led by Liz de Lise ’13, a back-up vocalist and guitarist in I’ll Have Star Wars Concert Music Please, Camp last played in the Arboretum’s first bluegrass festival. De Lise has played in five bands over her past four years at Conn — the most notable being Fleur de Lise.
Abbey House seems an unlikely place to hold a concert. The living room, though a bit larger than your average living room is hardly a place for a rock show. Nevertheless, after shoving in half a dozen amplifiers, a PA system, a drum set and three microphone stands, there was enough space to fit the audience, if not a bit closely. After the show started I could see why the vibe of Abbey House was so strong among the musicians: the flow of music, shoulder to shoulder crowds, shaking floor and furniture shoved to the sides of the room provided a very intimate atmosphere for the bands. If you were close enough to the stage, which most of the audience was, Oedel could be heard without the aid of the PA system amplifying his voice. Markson even took the time to roll in circles on the floor during his solo of their last piece, sending the already packed crowd into an even closer space.
The ability to have these types of shows on campus is a remarkable aspect of our college. Even better is the fact that they are comprised of student-run groups, or in the case of Shake the Baron, alumni groups. Support for MOBROC, or Musicians Organized for Band Rights On Campus, is essential in providing these types of shows. The Barn, which holds thousands of dollars’ worth of musical equipment, has been built up over the years with new gear. This outlet is an almost perfect space to practice. It is the best a college student could ask for — take that from a musician. Even though I have only been on campus for a little while, the word from upperclassmen is that MOBROC receives much less respect as a club than groups that have absolutely no output on campus whatsoever. It is evident that large portions of the student population enjoy going to student-run shows, and should continue to show their support by attending these MOBROC performances.
