House of Woodbury is featured in January as the first artist in Beef's Band Series that may become a weekly tradition.
SPECIAL TO THE ORACLE

Students making their way to Beef O’ Brady’s tonight will be greeted with guitar riffs and thumping bass lines instead of the usual stream of crashing helmets and referee whistles typically heard from the big-screen TVs in the sports-themed restaurant.

Last week was the start of Beef’s Band Series that features local music every Tuesday, starting this month with the local band House of Woodbury.

“Our team took a look at how we could strengthen the student community,” said Ashley Horowitz, marketing manager for USF Dining Services. “Beef ‘O’ Brady’s in the Marshall Student Center is located in the heart of campus in an area bolstering with campus involvement and student life.”

Horowitz said the idea for live entertainment first occurred after she noticed the unused stage in Beef O’ Brady’s. She said the unused stage offered potential to take USF’s dining and entertainment to the next level.

Richard Woodbury, lead vocalist of House of Woodbury, proposed the Beef’s Band Series at the beginning of the spring semester as a means to provide USF students with a quality music venue without the hassle of transportation and inflated ticket prices.

“I visualize House of Woodbury as merging between the musical community and the institution of USF,” Woodbury said. “The act of coming together is an art in itself. That’s what the ‘House’ represents. The music is what keeps the house operating.”

The music isn’t the only attraction, as the series, which takes place from 8-9:30 p.m., offers half-priced appetizers while students tune in to House of Woodbury’s eclectic musical performance. 

With influences ranging from blues inspired by Otis Redding to poppy funk inspired by Prince, House of Woodbury’s diverse genre-blending music offers something for every music aficionado. 

They are currently booked to play every Tuesday in January. Other musical acts that are interested in performing during the band series are encouraged to reach out to USF Dining. Horowitz said she hopes by listening to student feedback, Tuesdays at Beef O’ Brady’s will become a staple of USF student life.

“I think the band series created an atmosphere all of it’s own,” Tina Hart, a server at Beef O’ Brady’s said. “At first it was weird having a live presence performing while we worked, but the crowd that turned out had a lot of fun, as did the staff.”

Until now, Tuesday nights at Beef O’ Brady’s have been business as usual. But Hart believes live music is here to stay.

The members of House of Woodbury believe the same. 

Ahmad Assad, a USF junior majoring in industrial engineering, attended the Beef’s Band Series with friends, accidentally. He said he often eats at Beef O’ Brady’s in the MSC, but Tuesday night was his favorite experience at the restaurant.

“Beef’s felt less like a restaurant and more like a live music venue,” Assad said. “I don’t go to very many concerts, but this is something I might attend regularly. It doesn’t hurt that it’s free.”