Twitter
Facebook
Reddit
Digg
Tell us what you think!Send a letter to the editor about this or any other article in The Maine Campus.
The Maine Center for the Arts will showcase a jam band dream show tonight as Rusted Root and Strangefolk take the stage at 7 p.m. Student Entertainment has deviated from the standard show lineup for one of the final concerts of the semester, booking two renowned groups, both with rabid fan bases drawn to their style of jam and bluegrass-based rock.
“We wanted to bring something a little different from the past couple concerts to give more variety to what we have seen this year,” said Amanda Brown, vice president of Student Entertainment.
Rusted Root formed in 1990 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. They have released seven albums since their 1992 debut, “Cruel Sun,” including a live double-album and a greatest hits disc. Their sophomore effort, “When I Woke,” went platinum and is arguably their most well-known release, featuring the popular song, “Send Me On My Way.” That song and others were featured in films like “Matilda,” “Twister” and the television program “Ally McBeal.” Rusted Root fuse a bluegrass-style rock with a distinctive, powerful percussion section that radiates tribal sounds ranging from African to Latin American and Middle Eastern influences.
“We hit campuses whenever we can because we love the energy there,” said Patrick Norman of Rusted Root via e-mail. “Those shows often rock a lot harder than at a stuffy theater.”
Strangefolk, a five-piece from Burlington, Vt., frequently plays shows at Sugarloaf and elsewhere in Maine. They have released five studio albums, two live discs and a live DVD. “At the heart of Strangefolk’s songwriting is a seamless blend of narrative lyrical content and inventive melody. Rock, folk, blues and bluegrass influences converge to create an instantly recognizable sound, which keeps Strangefolk’s listeners moving from start to finish,” reads the group’s MySpace bio at http://www.myspace.com/strangefolkmusic. Strangefolk has hosted an annual festival known as Strangefolk’s Garden of Eden for the past nine years.
“I am very excited for this show,” Brown said. “I think that we appealed to a slightly different audience by bringing both these bands, and I think that bringing a variety of events is something Student Entertainment should be able to pride itself on.”
Doors open at 6:30 p.m. and the show is slated to begin at 7. “Both Strangefolk and Rusted Root are known for playing longer sets, so hopefully it will go until at least 10 p.m.,” Brown said.
Tickets will be available at the door at a rate of $15 for students with a MaineCard and $24 for non-students.
