By Ivaylo Pasev
This Friday Lane is having its own Lane-A-Palooza that will showcase some of the rising high school bands from all over the city and, unlike the Lollapalooza, there is still time to buy tickets (which are being sold in room 152 and on Lane’s website).
It will take place in the auditorium “hopefully for a full packed audience,’’ said Mr. Hudson, guitar teacher, participant, and organizer. “We have so much talent here at the school and other schools as well, that we just want to showcase it,’’ Hudson said.
Admission is $3 in advance and $5 at the door. The show starts at 3:30pm and will go on until 5pm. This is just the pre-show however, called “Battle of the Bands,” which is open to Lane students only. After 5pm, there will be a break for pizza, pop, and other things available for purchase in the lunchroom.
The Battle of the Bands has a twist. Bands must consist of a mix of students and faculty. A month before the show, the names of faculty participants were thrown in a hat and the bands chose a name. They had to incorporate that faculty member in their performance somehow. Mr. Sweet, the guitar teacher and organizer, believes that students will be interested in seeing a teacher playing with some of their friends.
After the short break, the entertainment will continue in the auditorium with the official Lane-A-Palooza. Performances will include Mr. Sweet’s band called the Chicago Blues Syndicate featuring Kiara Lanier (2009 Lane graduate and American Idol contestant), the Boxers, the UnGnomes, the Blisters, and Digs and the Dynagrooves featuring Lane’s very own Dr. Dignam. The show will conclude at about 8:30pm and will be the first of its kind at Lane.
Though comprised of teenagers, some of these bands have been together for a while. One band, the Blisters, first played together as 12 year olds at the elementary school where all members attended. The performance went horribly, however, and they had to stop in the middle of their song and walk off stage embarrassed.
Much has changed since then and members of The Blisters now attend Whitney Young (Henry Mosher on lead vocals and guitar), Lincoln Park (Hayden Holbert on guitar), Northside Prep (Spencer Tweedy on drums), and Columbia College (Tory Postilion-Lopez on bass). Their first professional show was at Second City’s annual Letters to Santa benefit. They have since preformed at Subterranean, Metro, The Hideout, and Schuba’s.
“We’re just happy to be playing Lane-A-Palooza and we’re excited to have fun with some kids who haven’t heard us before,” Tweedy, said. ”We’ve been a band for a long time—the experience and skill that comes with having played a lot of shows is certainly something that helps us.”
The Blisters are releasing their first album in May and are performing at Schuba’s on May 31.
Money raised from Lane-A-Palooza tickets and t-shirt sales will be used to support Lane’s Music Department, including the new Sound Engineering class offered next year. A lot of expensive equipment is needed to properly furnish a recording studio. Lane will be the only high school in Illinois to offer a Sound Engineering class.
“Nobody even knows how much it’s going to cost,’’ Sweet said of the new class. “Dr. Dignam is extremely brave in just jumping in… Most principals will not even think about having the class.”
This is not the only part of the Music Department undergoing change this year.
The Lane guitar room, located in what used to be the Auto tech garage, is being renovated in order to make it suitable for playing music. The sounds of hammers and electric screwdrivers have at times added percussion and other interesting effects to guitar classes in session. Plans for hardwood floors and other upgrades have been proposed to make the room better absorb sound waves and become a true guitar room.
Sweet wants to make Lane-A-Palooza a bi-annual event, one in the fall and one in the spring, if it is successful. He believes that because more and more high school students are playing in bands there is a greater need for opportunities for them to perform. Lane-A-Palooza offers such an opportunity to showcase the musical talents of students while raising money for a good cause.
Though playing in front of a big crowd may be a new experience for several musicians participating in the event, Hudson is confident it will be rewarding.
“I can assure them [the bands performing] that even if there may be some nerves, the experience will be worthwhile and it’s so exhilarating and so enjoyable to play music for an audience,’’ Hudson said. “This concert is a representation of bringing the music away from the typical institutions and taking it right from the students. The students create the music. The students make the lyrics… This is an opportunity to showcase that.’’
