Local bands blast it at Buffingtons
“This is our fourth time playing at Buffington’s,” said Sean, guitarist of Orange Free State. “The crowd reaction is always great here.”
The audience sang along to old favorite covers but the atmosphere escalated as the night went on peaking with the bands’ original pieces. Each band had a distinct sound inspired by different artists ranging from Led Zepplin to Shinedown. The versatile sound transfixed the audience in an uproar of excitement.
I think the last band was awesome!” said Taylor Ehramjian “I would love to hear more local bands!”
Orange Free State calls themselves a progressive rock band with a diverse range of sound. The band tries to fit in time to practice with a full school schedule even with Corey Thrower, the drummer, in high school. The other members of the group, Sean Thrower- guitar, Alex Smith- guitar, and Ricky Irvine- bass attend GCSU as full time students. The band was formed when three of the four met in a GCSU jazz group and wanted to rock. They came up with the name of the band in history class.
“We were orange first,” said Sean Thrower acknowledging a healthy competition with the other bands around campus.
“We’ve just started to branch out and we might be going to Macon,” said Alex Smith, guitar and vocals for Orange Free State. “Right now we play for the energy in the crowd.”
Headlining band O’ Brother has been together for two years touring the South at small venues and gaining vital experience and friends along the way. The members of the band, Anton Dang-bass, Michael Marten-drums, Tanner Merritt- vocals and guitar, Johnny Dang- guitar and Aaron Wamack- guitar are from the Atlanta area. The band has had no professional training and follows their music wherever it takes them. Touring in a ’93 Ford Van, the band’s latest album, The Death of Day, the Great Release will be released the first week of March.
“It would be awesome if we made it big one day, but for right now we are perfectly happy playing together. We have a great time playing and meeting so many new people. As long as the Van lasts, the band will too,” said Marten.
Coming from the Atlanta area, O’Brother seems to have a knack for college towns, stirring up the party scene and networking through local college venues.
“Everyone in college is very relaxed. You get to know other bands and learn different styles of music,” said Anton Dang
The two bands complemented each other with a well-developed rock sound. The crowd was a bit sluggish at first, but once the music started everyone felt the energy coming from the stage. Each band had a different style that brought the crowd to their feet. The bands had an excellent performance with O’Brother proving their status as an up-and coming professional rock band while Orange Free State has untapped potential to make it far beyond the streets of Milledgeville.
Students continue to go to Buffingtons Thursday night to hear live and local bands. To check out more music by O’Brother and Orange Free State, go to their Web sites at myspace.com.
Posted by Colonnade Archives
on Feb 6 2009. Filed under Features.
You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0.
You can leave a response or trackback to this entry
