April 22, 2013
April Wefler
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The end of April usually indicates the start of studying for finals. More people pour into the library, and the weeks of stress and cramming a semester’s worth of curriculum begins.
For students who need a break from studying or enjoy listening to music and eating free food, the Office of Student Activities is hosting the UCCS Spring Music Fest on April 27 from 4-8 p.m. on the West Lawn.
The free spring music festival includes free food, such as turkey legs, hot dogs, hamburgers, and the Colorado Springs Cupcake truck.
Additionally, there will be a mechanical bull, a rock climbing wall, games and prizes. Performers for the music festival include The Martini Shot, Tyler Hilton and Preston Pugmire.
According to the band’s website, martinishotband.net, The Martini Shot, whose members include several local music teachers, “is a cover and original six-piece Pop-Rock based out of southern Colorado.” The band was created in 2000 and is influenced by Barenaked Ladies, Reel Big Fish and 311.
The band consists of Andy Clementi on lead guitar/vocals, Ryan Walter on lead guitar/vocals, Brook Mead on bass/vocals, Greg Trujillo on drums/vocals, Rob Smith on sax/keyboards/vocals and Brian Person on trumpet/vocals.
“The name, ‘Martini Shot,’ refers to the Hollywood slang term for the last shoot of the day,” the band’s page stated.
Another performer, Tyler Hilton, who starred on the WB’s and CW’s “One Tree Hill,” thought the spring music fest sounded like a good time. “I love playing colleges,” he said in an email.
Hilton first became involved with music because of his family. “My dad played a lot and he taught me guitar. I loved the original songs my dad and my uncles wrote and I wanted to do the same thing,” he said.
Hilton said his inspiration comes from Bob Dylan, Muddy Waters and Woody Guthrie. “I love roots music like blues, folk and country. I love the rock ‘n roll that comes out of it, too.”
He added that his best experience was playing shows with Keith Urban and John Mayer. “That was just insane; those guys are so cool and really fun to hang with. Those shows were just surreal and the crowds were so into it.”
Preston Pugmire is another performer. Pugmire, who was recently named Campus Activities Magazine’s 2013 Best Music Artist, has a unique show. According to campusactivitiesmagazine.com, the show involves “an interesting technique called ‘looping.'”
Looping, according to the site, is Pugmire recording “what he’s playing live, then loops it over again so he can play other parts on top of it simultaneously. This allows him to play his own backup, sing his own harmonies, and by the end of the song, he sounds like a full band.”
Additionally, Pugmire’s music “is upbeat, melodic, and soulful. His style has been compared to Jason Mraz and Ed Sheeran, with a bit of Justin Timberlake.”
For students wanting more information about the music festival, UCCS made a promo on YouTube. The video can be found on the uccsOSA channel.