Weekly B-Sides concerts bring folk, funk and fresh beats to Messiah College
October 29th, 2008
GRANTHAM, Pa. (Oct. 29, 2008) – Sponsored by Messiah College’s Student Activities Board, “B-Sides,” a semester-long concert series, brings bands with diverse musical styles to campus every Wednesday night at 10 p.m. for free concerts. Each concert is open to the public; no tickets are required. All bands perform in Larsen Student Union, located on the college’s Grantham campus. (Please note that there will be no B-Sides concert on Nov. 26 due to Thanksgiving recess.)
The Psalters, Nov. 5
What do eight people, two dogs, one robot and two ships have in common? They all belong to the current music phenomenon, The Psalters. More than 100 psalters from 12 countries have been involved over the years to form a fluid group whose mission is to be followers of their First Love, their Hope, and Pillar of Fire, Christ. Their music, classified as punk, folk rock with a splash of melodramatic pop, engages audiences around the world.
Bombadil, Nov. 12
Bombadil’s sound ranges from straightforward rock to Bolivian waltzes, from heartbreaking piano-driven laments on loss of life to swashbuckling, raucous marches. Their live show has an undeniable appeal earning them the accolade of being one of the freshest bands to emerge in a long time.
Josh Garrels, Nov. 19
Midwest native Josh Garrels has been creating music since he was 12 years old. “I put a voice to those things in song that stir emotions and understanding,” Garrels said. His music, described as “a mix of surf-infused folk, Afro-Caribbean hip-hop and Southern spirituals,” reaches audiences with sounds similar to those of Jack Johnson’s. His latest release, “Over Oceans,” also features his wife, Michelle.
West Philadelphia Orchestra, Dec. 3
In September of 2006, Gregg Mervine assembled seven musicians on a West Philly porch and attempted to play his various transcriptions. Since that jam session, the West Philadelphia Orchestra (WPO) has developed into a group of about 15 Philadelphia musicians from different backgrounds playing different sounds from different countries. WPO is an ensemble for both children and adults, one that sounds fantastic in darkness and sunshine, and which represents inspiring standards of excellence—which, like an orchestra, can express the entire gamut of human experience.
Farewell Flight, Dec. 10
Touted as “the hardest working act in Pennsylvania” in “CCM Magazine,” band members Luke, Marc, Robbe and Timmy collaborate to produce “true emo” in a group called Farewell Flight. The band’s latest album, “Sound.Color.Motion,” was released in mid-August.
Pattern is Movement, Dec. 17
Indie rockers from Philadelphia, Andrew Thiboldeaux and Chris Ward, are the current members of the sensation known as Pattern is Movement. With its inception in 2001, the group is now a two-piece ensemble generating sounds with a unique flavor and appeal. “[The show] was a strange sort of Baroque carnival featuring the vaudeville vocals and piping organ of front man Thiboldeaux and enough fills and polyrhythms from drummer Ward to knock down a skyscraper,” raves the “San Diego Citybeat.”
About Messiah College
Messiah College, a private Christian college of the liberal and applied arts and sciences, enrolls 2,800 undergraduate students in more than 60 majors. Established in 1909, the primary campus is located in Grantham, Pa., near the state capital of Harrisburg. A satellite campus affiliated with Temple University is located in Philadelphia.