Plethora of Punk and Indie music transforms ’Burg

Matt Styer

Restoring Poetry in Music at the Pub’s hip-hop show. The six-member band hails from Washington, D.C., and performs a mix of hip-hop, jazz, and funk.

An almost schizophrenic mix of music hit the walls and windows of various MACRoCk concert venues around Harrisonburg this past weekend.

Over 100 bands performed at the eighth annual Mid-Atlantic College Radio Conference. The bands' music was as wild and varied as their audience's dyed hair and cut clothing. Musical styles ranged from hard-core to indie rock to hip-hop to Americana.

MACRoCk is a not-for-profit festival organized by WXJM, the JMU student radio station. The conference "strives to recognize lesser-known bands that are overshadowed within an industry dominated by corporate record labels and commercial bands." MACRoCk focuses on building a support network among stakeholders in all aspects of the independent music industry.

MACRoCk attendees with their fluorescent wristbands, the majority of them college and high school students, were seen all over Harrisonburg throughout the weekend. MACRoCk manager Justin Bridgewater told the JMU Breeze that over 4,000 attended the weekend. Turnout was higher for the 2003 festival, which saw about 6,000.

Concerts were held in locations all over Harrisonburg. Bands were organized according to their genre. Hard-core groups such as Red Chord and Stretch Armstrong performed at Godwin Gym Friday night. Indie bands The Carlsonics, Mates of State, and headliner Pedro the Lion performed at the PC Ballroom.

Other locations included Court Square Theatre, Dave's Downtown Taverna, and the Little Grill. New to the conference this year was a hip-hop show at The Pub. Restoring Poetry in Music performed there on Friday. The six-member band mixes funk, jazz and hip-hop with drums, percussion, bass, guitar, keyboard, voice and trumpet. Little Brother, who is hailed as "the 50 Cent of underground" closed Friday night's show at The Pub.

The weekend was not only about the bands. Saturday afternoon also featured panel discussions focusing on various aspects of the music and independent label industry. Panels addressed issues such as how to make and release music independently, independent activism, and film. Mark Andersen, a community organizer and arts writer from Washington, D.C., lead a panel entitled "Turning Music into Action." Andersen talked about challenging energy into social activism. An avid music fan, Andersen founded the punk rock activist group Positive Force DC.

Activism and politics were strong undertones throughout the weekend. MACRoCk flyers encouraged attendees to "buy locally." PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals) handed out propaganda about going vegan. Various groups performed songs about the state of the world. Decahedron sang angrily about the war in Iraq after encouraging their audience to vote in the upcoming election. David Bazan, lead singer for Pedro the Lion, also encouraged voting.

California band Mates of State performed before Pedro the Lion. The band is composed of a husband and wife duo who "quit their day jobs as teacher and cancer researcher in 2001, got married, and hit the road." They used only drums, organ, and vox to fill the room with their catchy pop-based melodies and competing harmonies.

The conference also included a label expo and film festival on Saturday.