Horizons Online Edition

Issue date: 10/27/06 Section: Diversions

The pinnacle event of this year's Octoberwest weekend was the Punk Rock band Recycled Percussion. Recycled Percussion, a band from New Hampshire, uses instruments entirely made up of common or industrial products, such as plastic bins, fire extinguishers, power tools, and garbage cans.

The gymnasium was packed with eager students and friends noisily waiting for the show to start. The lights finally turned down, and the show started with blaring music controlled by the band's PHAROAH. The adrenaline in the room skyrocketed, and with only a little push from the PHAROAH, everyone was standing, clapping and screaming.

Each of the other performers was introduced and the drumming commenced. They drummed exactly in sync with each other, and the sound was rhythmic and intense.

The performers playfully competed with eachother to perform various tricks, such as drumstick twirling and tossing. While drumming, the performers would dance and jump around to entice the audience and to show their enthusiasm for the music. Once during the show, the PHAROAH and Greg Kassapis used power tools to create fountains of sparks in an arc over Justin Spencer and Ryan Vezina drumming.

In between songs, Recycled percussion would get the audience to stand, clap, and scream. Spencer would also play with the crowd, such as throwing drumsticks at the audience and see if they could get him to catch it while still drumming.

The audience was further included when about ten volunteers were allowed to come onstage to compete. The volunteers weresent offstage when one of them failed in the competition. These events included halting their drumming when Spencer stopped drumming, performing drumstick tricks, and repeating rhythms.

Once down to two volunteers, Spencer tossed drumsticks to them from increasing distances. The last two volunteers were an Embry-Riddle student and a young girl. This young girl never ceased to amaze the audience and Recycled Percussion by performing each and every test given. After a couple long distance drops by the young girl and to the dismay of the audience, the Embry-Riddle student was named the winner and received a pair of drumsticks.

Recycled Percussion did not limit their musical talents to just drumming. Both Spencer and Kassapis demonstrated their Beat Boxing talents. Vezina managed to create a pretty good beat by hitting various parts of his torso and stomping his feet in what Recycled Percussion called Body Music.

To finish their show, Recycled percussion paid tribute to various artists and songs with drumming beats, finishing with the famous, "Stairway to Heaven". During this final sequence, the rocking Embry-Riddle fans formed a mosh pit and even "crowd-surfed" a student. Afterwards, while the stage and gymnasium were being torn down, the band signed autographs and talked to any one who stuck around.

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