USF’s underground music
If you are looking for something to do on campus this weekend, make sure not to miss the Basement Band Series events.
Starting tonight at 8, Super V, Helmut Hampton, Holly Taylor and Kris Nichols will enter the stage for 45 minutes each in the game room located in the basement of the Phyllis P. Marshall Center.
Once a month, the Basement Band Series presents an event during the week. It began last fall and is in full force this semester, according to Brian Joyce, graduate assistant for the Basement Band Series. He said it gets the attention of a lot of people just walking by who stop for a few minutes to listen the music.
Today the Basement Band Series gives you an opportunity to listen to some local and regional music.
A rock band called Super V opens at 8 p.m. At 9 p.m. Helmut Hampton and Holly Taylor, both USF students, and Kris Nichols, a singer/songwriter from Orlando, will enter the stage.
Nichols will be playing an acoustic set of original songs. He describes his music as alternative rock, however, it is much more than that to Nichols.
“I try to use interesting compositions and lyrical imagery to create a mood and tell a story or convey emotion,” he said. Nichols has been playing guitar since he was 15 years old and started creating his own music at a young age. He said it gives him a creative outlet for his feelings. Nichols said he is “totally excited” about playing at USF and would love to see a huge and enthusiastic crowd.
The Basement Band Series event started two years ago, according to Joyce. Every Friday night at 9 in the MC Games Room, students gather to listen to local and regional music. The crowd is diverse and it varies depending on the night and who is playing. He said that they have experienced a better crowd when students play because other students will show up to support their friends.
“It is an evening weekend program, Joyce said. “We wanted to provide something for students to do during the weekend.”
The event brings musicians to USF for a fun-filled evening with quality music, free games and refreshments, Joyce said.
“It is a relaxing atmosphere,” he said. “There are constantly 50 students here on a Friday night, and we have had up to 100 people, depending on who is playing.”
Joyce said some students come just hang out on the couches or play free pool, while others gather in a circle supporting the different musicians.
“It has become a real campus tradition,” Joyce said. “People know it is here and know what to expect. It is catching on, becoming more like Movies on the Lawn, but it is still growing and it continues to build.”
Joyce encourages students to come out and enjoy the events.
“It is a great time,” Joyce said. “We bring a diverse group of musicians, and it is always quality music. Everything is free and it is something to do on the weekends on campus.”