Imagine for a moment, a time when most of the musical artist you currently know, and love, don’t yet exist. Jay-Z was just Shawn Carter, a young man who received recognition early in his career in freestyle battles. And hip-hop artists couldn’t get away with wearing pastel colors or knapsacks; definitely before “George Bush hated black people”.
This is a time before Coldplay provided us with enough adult-contemporary to last a lifetime; a time when the band actually went by the name Starfish. This is a time before John Mayer became a household name, and a common fixture in the tabloids; a time when he recorded in the bathroom at music school. His band, LoFi Masters, frequented coffee shops and small venues.
Before they were stars, they were just regular people with a dream and ambition. This brings me to the topic of this column. Tonight, Program Council’s Open Mic Night Concert Series will have its premiere on the steps of Austin Hall, providing a creative outlet for young musicians.
There’s no book you can read, or class you can take, that can prepare you for performing in front of an audience. If someone wants to go into a conventional profession, they can get an internship into that area of study. It’s a little different in the field of art. There’s nothing like doing your thing in front of people. And that’s the basis of this event; we want to give people that opportunity.
The underground music scene has been running for about five years now. Many bands have come and gone, but this is the first time a real music festival type of this sort has been offered to Sam Houston, let alone Huntsville.
And no, Huntsville Idol does not count. This is the first time a show has been about the Huntsville music scene, and about the artists themselves. Here is a glance at the artists performing on Sept. 9th. Jacob Carr is a great pianist, and wonderful songwriter. He has performed at various places around town. Trent Hanna, who has his doctorate and teaches at Sam, composes some of the most beautiful music ever to reach the ears of Sam Houstonians.
Alex Eisenberg, a great performer, has also been very active in the music scene through out Huntsville, and his lyrics are always very catchy. Sara Hamman, an incredible writer, has the most incredible voice. She is truly captivating. K.P. and H.A.V.O.C bring a true conviction to the stage when performing together. When they preach, they do it in a very motivational way. Either way, this concert series has a little something for everyone.