By: Chris McGregor
This weekend I saw a music festival outside of an independent music store. Although the weather was frigid, I enjoyed the music. Many of the acts I had seen before at Booby’s, but the Americana-influenced band St. Valentines Day Suicide Pact stood out as a bright spot in an exceptional local music scene.
I am rarely excited about local music scenes, but seeing bands show honesty and personality is refreshing. I enjoy anytime a band is willing to brave the stage and play deeply personal songs. I’ve never been able to understand how bands reveal so much depth to an unknown crowd, perhaps it is meditative for them, but I do appreciate their efforts. The event could have been marketed better, the parking lot was certainly not at full capacity but a fair amount of people did show up. I’m positive there is a big enough group in Carbondale to fill the parking lot because I see Booby’s filled every weekend and I’m sure many of those people would have made it to this show with some better marketing.
The show itself followed your standard local music set up, no stage, a few speakers and a mixed crop of talent. Also like most local shows, the volume at times was turned up a bit too much. I was overall very impressed with the local scene down here; some acts were wonderfully versed in music and show the strengths of their knowledge very well.
