The Music Notes

People filled the downstairs of Blackbird Coffee last Friday night to hear Nick Simmons, a freshman at GC&SU. With no empty chairs, listeners were forced to sit on the floor in this quaint, personal setting to hear Nick share his music.

Several of Nick’s friends from Parkview High School came to support and enjoy his unique sound.

John Fogleman a freshman at GC&SU went to high school with Nick and said there is no one else to compare him to. He said Nick’s style is more individual and less mainstream.

“He’s funny in between songs,” Fogleman said. “It’s a laid back atmosphere.”

Nick opened the night on the guitar, but alternated instruments playing songs on his keyboard as well. Nick interacted with the crowd and kept them entertained.

“This isn’t the State of the Union, you don’t have to clap after everything,” he said after one song.

Listeners and friends of Nick agree that he is funny and say that they like his weird sense of humor. He joked throughout the show and wasn’t afraid to be real and express himself.

“Nick Simmons is awkward and amazing,” said Rachel Hotchkiss a freshman mass communication major.

Although he is very comfortable with the audience and at times random in his comments, Nick is clearly talented at what he does. From the fast picking on the guitar, to the enchanting melodies on the keyboard, Nick creates beautiful music that takes you to other places you’ve never been before.

“I just think he’s really talented,” said freshmen Melissa Marshall. “He plays his instruments really well and that’s rare cause like everybody plays the guitar, but they don’t really sing that well and play the keyboard.”

Nick’s parents attended the show and supported their son. His mom, Suzanne, admits that although he might get some of his humor from his parents, he didn’t get his talent from them.

“He’s very sensitive and he is a friend for life, if you’re one of his friends. He’s very devoted.and he loves his momma,” commented Suzanne.

She also claimed that he’d rather be doing music, than going to college.

Nick said that although he likes this school and has some good classes, school is rarely engaging.

“I’m not a big fan of education. Honestly, I’m kind of here for kicks,” he admitted.

Nick has intentions and dreams of doing much with his life. He is willing to explore and wants to continue creating something from nothing.

“There are a lot of things that I’m going to do. Music is one of them.I don’t like to say that I’m a musician, because it’s something that I do and it is a facet of how I look at the world,” Nick said.

Although Nick wants to write stories and wants to render himself in various media, he said that music is a part of who he is. He said he hopes to bring to life the wonderful and excitingly beautiful things happening in the world that people don’t even realize.

“I guess I like to write about things that I don’t think other people notice as much, things I don’t notice at first and I really have to think through and figure out what they are,” Nick said. “If it turns out that people don’t want to hear anything like that, I’ll probably keep writing them anyway because I really don’t care.”

Nick is fascinated with life and learning and he said he pretty much wants to know everything about everything, if possible. Passion explodes through Nick and his dreams extend beyond this world.

Nick claims, “When we colonize space, I’m going to be there. Oh, I’ve wanted to go to the moon so bad.”

Posted by Colonnade Archives on Feb 10 2006. Filed under Other. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can leave a response or trackback to this entry