Freesound Grows Up

November 12th, 2009 | By Max Calenberg | Section: Arts

Freesound artists will take the stage in the Gardner Lounge at 8 p.m., Saturday Nov. 14. The event, named “Showvember,” will feature acts ranging from Opiate’s sound-smashing metal to Italian Whore’s ambient post-rock sound.
Taking into account the wide variety of styles involved, Freesound has planned for a show that reflects a constant flow of music from genre to genre rather than a more typical divided demonstration of different bands.
“This show is just going to be kind of crazy. We are going to have a lot of different acts, just everyone who is involved with Freesound—it should be a variety show,” Mike Kober, ’10 said. ”We are going to have pretty much the same set up the entire night so bands can move pretty fluidly, people can just plug in.”
The program is as much about showcasing Grinnell talent as it is about giving musicians on campus a way to meet other musicians and collaborate, fostering artist growth for all involved. Sam Peterson ’11 and Eliyah Afzal ’11 are both members of Opiate, but they have also been in other bands in the past two years and are planning to start new bands in the next year.
“If music is your thing and you’re looking for other kinds to jam with, Freesound is your ticket,” Peterson said.
Afzal, too, sees exciting potential in the abilities of all of his Freesound co-members. “You always want to make a band, especially when you first think of the idea,” Afzal said. “You always want to do at least one show with a new band, Just to test it out.”
Since 2006, the organization has worked towards securing equipment, available practice space and building organizational structure. There is now an equipment training process for all who want to join and weekly meetings—a far cry from the stereotypical sloppiness of a high school garage band. But all this doesn’t mean it has sold out.
“Freesound, like a high school teenager, has grown up out of punk and into metal,” Afzal said. “[It is] slightly more regimented but still offensive.”