Friday nights in Tuscaloosa aren’t known for being quiet. Normally, the excitement of an upcoming football game and the ubiquitous call of “Roll tide” are trademarks of a weekend at UA. Friday, September 23rd, however, was a little different. On this Friday night, the sound of experimental music filled the campus for two hours as the first installment of Exposure: A Local Music Series had its debut.

The Friday night show featured electronic musician Justin Peake with Neal Riley and student band Kadesh and the Perfect Strangers.

Kadesh and the Perfect Strangers took the stage first, exciting the crowd with their vibrant stage presence. The members, Ryan “Kadesh” Davis, Jake Smith, Adrian Marmalejo, and Michael Batitto, effectively combined their diverse musical backgrounds to produce truly original musical works. With the unique addition of a trombone by hip-hop vocalist Davis, the band presented a thrilling performance that blended elements of rock, jazz, and blues.

Naomi Thompson, a freshman majoring in Psychology, found the band to be refreshing. “I loved the different elements in the performance,” Thompson said. “He was rapping to rock music, and I liked how they mixed that.”

The show’s momentum continued with the next performance by Peake and Riley. Peake, a former Tuscaloosa resident, had his unique electronic-based music accompanied by computer-generated-music-inspired visuals by Riley.

The collaborative efforts of these two artists created an engrossing effect on many audience members and provided for a captivating audio-visual experience. The combination of music and images was taken on very favorably.

Students at the spectrum were impressed with the mishmash of music and visual art. “The effects are really cool, very modern and abstract. I really like what I am interpreting as the message from the visuals, “said Vincent Ciampaglia, a freshman majoring in Astrophysics.

When asked why he chose to attend the concert, Ciampaglia added, “The problem with a lot of people is that they focus too specifically on one genre. I like to get as much of a complete music exposure and possible and broaden my horizons.”

Ciampaglia hit on an important note indicating the very basis and premise for the design of Exposure. Exposure was initially a result from the evolution of the Fountain Music (then Lakeside Music Series) that was began as a Creative Campus project in 2007.

Taking the program in a new direction, Beth Hataway is the Creative Campus Intern spearheading the music series. Hataway a New College senior majoring in ethnomusicology understands keeping music on the edge and on the forefront of students’ minds.

“The series aims to expose students to musicians from Tuscaloosa and the surrounding area, specifically targeting residential life that cannot yet go out to bars or prefers to stay on campus,” Hataway said.

“In order to have a centralized, all-ages venue, we host our series in the Ferguson Game Room so that all students can drop by, listen, and check out what’s going on in Tuscaloosa,” Hataway continued.

Did I mention it's free ?

Exposure serves to try and solve some of the major issues involving the local music scene. By existing on campus, Exposure eliminates the problem many students face when bands utilize bars as their main avenue for concerts. The ‘under 21’ student population is no longer segregated from local music. (That’s of course not to say the ‘21+’ crowd isn’t also invited!)

At the peak of the goals for Exposure is addressing the need of local artists to be not only exposed, but sustained by the campus community.

Hataway elaborated, “The majority of bars only book cover bands or bands that don’t do anything experimental. While that’s not necessarily a bad thing, those who do try to make their own musical creations are at a loss because they have no opportunity to…continue their creative endeavors,” Hataway said. “Exposure tries to help artists gain visibility on campus, and build an enduring fan base.”

Hataway isn’t alone in her feelings about the local attitude towards music. Ross Owens, a sophomore majoring in Archaeology, expressed similar sentiments. “I think UA should be more supportive of local musicians and supply a more welcoming venue so new bands and artists can get their name out,” Owens said. “This is a step in the right direction.”

The importance of supporting a monthly event like this did not go unnoticed by audience members. Corey Fox, a freshman Philosophy major, was one of the last to leave the event. “Having events like these definitely make our campus more vibrant and helps to engender further artistic expression on campus.”

Exposure: A Local Music Series provides an all-ages venue for students to experience new, experimental music they might not have the chance to hear otherwise. Once a month, it allows students to take a break from their long weeks and hang out with friends in a comfortable environment—not to mention do something a little different when their weekend activities get redundant. Experimental music, friends, fun, and it’s free. What more could you want?

For more information on upcoming Exposure events, please visit www.creativecampus.ua.edu

by Seema Kumar