The stage that was once empty was soon filled with a variety of electronic gizmos and gadgets. Each item was stacked up on top of each other, minimizing the space free for walking. I nearly was run over by a guy carrying a guitar case backstage after Alan told me to fetch a cheese pizza that he'd bought along with the rest of the band's pizzas. The pizza and I made it off the busy stage without injury and without getting in anyone else's way. At first, I felt a little shy around most of the band members. I'm usually really comfortable with strangers, especially because I have such a carefree attitude about status. Honestly, I was intimated by them. They were carrying around large cases, instruments, chatting with other band members, all in a sort of rhythmic beat that I was not tuned in on. Star struck, hardly, struck and seeing stars was more like it in retrospect, I wasn't used to the beat yet.

The first band up was the Avenue; they took a little while to sound check everything. The lead singer, Sam Patterson, was pretty sick, he even said so at the beginning of the show. I was not aware how sick he'd been until after the show and I saw and heard how stuffed up he was. But it did not matter! The lead singer was actively preforming all over the stage, sweeping from side to side and belting his heart out. I must have been really tough under those lights, and he did really well for someone as sick as he was. The rest of the band was just as excitable as Sam.

The vocals of Chris Perez accented Sam's perfectly and enhanced the overall song quality. Ricardo Fearing had no boundaries on stage and started off the night with a series of jumps and tricks that seemed to continue all throughout the night. Even though Colin Smith had to deal with a broken string during the performance, he was actively present on stage with a signature JMU hat that I asked about later in the parking lot. Dana Scobey was definitely present, I could hear his crash and ride cymbals reverberating to the back of the theater all while playing the drum set.

After the show, I went out to the parking lot to get some pictures of the Band members. While I was out there, I had a chance to ask Colin if he was just supporting the local college, JMU or if he actually attended. He said that all of the band members were actually JMU seniors, I was really shocked that there were people from my college performing at our event. How come no one told me, Alan?

Anyway, while I was asking Colin about each of the band members majors, Chris's car door shut locking his car keys in the car. Chris broke off his antennae from the front of the car and the Photographer as well as Ricardo jumped into to try to help Chris break into the car. A fire sheriff pulled up on the road by side the theater and Chris asked him to help him get the door open. The sheriff replied that he couldn't open the door unless there was a child in the car. The photographer that was there asked if a Guitar counted as a child. Unfortunately, I started hearing the next band performance through the side door to the theater and so I had to go back inside before I could get a good group picture of them.

Next up was Secret Ninja Death Squad, try saying that three times fast. After the show, I was talking to some of the girls that had stayed behind to see all the performances and one enthusiastically said these guys were the best ones and her favorite of the whole night. Secret Ninja Death Squad had an interesting mix of music. They flowed from one rhythmic beat to the next, blending all sorts of beats into one musical performance. I had to admit that scarf was pretty fantastic and really awesome to watch bounce up and down on the bass, nice detail! One of the band members commented about the fact that he'd felt like he just started playing while we were waiting for all the band members to gather for a group picture. I also thank the guys for the light teasing because I did accidentally take a video instead of a picture the first time I attempted at getting a shot of them. Oops? I hope I got you guys' good sides.

Sequoyah Prep School snuck up on me and tagged me in the back of my brain with their music. I guess I wasn't sure what to expect, I mean the front man was dressed in what I call typical 'Carolina Style.' I almost half expected a barn and some mud flappers to suddenly spring out from their guitars, but I decided to give them the benefit of the doubt. As soon as they started playing, I realized my stereotyping had almost made me miss a really awesome band. Justin Osborne, the front man,'s voice was smooth and clear. But most of all the playing was perfectly suited for his voice. Now granted there was a bit of a southern feel to some of the twang of the instruments, but it reminded me of that good ol' southern rock style of bring what the south is most recognized for to a rock perspective. Needless to say, they were fantastic.

Though I must say, I'm a little disappointed guys. My favorite song of the whole night (my apologies other bands, I know I'm supposed to be politically correct in loving all of your songs) was their About Rain; it's even on their myspace if you'd like to listen to it. I personally prefer the live performance of it, just because it sounded so good live compared to the myspace version. But guess what, they don't have that song for sale. What?! Come on guys! I suggest everyone reading this blog to to Sequoyah Prep School's myspace and demand not only a live performance track but also make the one up on their myspace page available!

Up next, was The Anytime, they were kinda quiet about getting on the stage. I really hadn't noticed that they were up there, until they started sound checking.

I could tell from the sound checking that the front man, Andrew Gates, was going to be loud but very, very good. I appreciate loudness, this is something that I'm comfortable with. Being good is just expected when you're loud, so I was expecting excitement to be delivered. I wasn't disappointed.

From the get go, they started bringing people to the front of the stage. Something that I wasn't sure was ok until Andrew started petting people and saying that they were beautiful. So I guess it worked out for everyone involved. The whole set was bouncing with Andrew and certainly every one in the band was having a blast because I saw a lot of smiles being flashed all around. It was definitely an awesome time. After their set, I went out and bought an Album from JP. I think my boyfriend stole it; no, I don't think, I know he stole it.

Hotspur... what good things can I say about that band without looking particular to one band? Needless to say, really liked this band, and especially the band members. There were only two playing that night because Dave was at a wedding, which was perfectly fine.

There was a little issue with getting the sound check just perfect for the performance, since they were playing acoustic. They were really funny throughout the sound check making up for the occasional screeching. In fact they were pretty damn funny throughout the set once the sound checks were all fixed.

Even in the youtube vid that I got of them calling Dave, you can hear my occasional giggle -embarrassing-. Enough about their sense of humor, what about their playing! They were fantastic. If you go to their myspace page, you can see their new music video of their newest song 'Chandelier.' Well, see, they played it at the show, acoustic... and sounded so beautiful.

I honestly hope that Hotspur makes an acoustic album at some point in their career with Chandelier on there as well as the rest of the songs that they had played. I hate to say this, because I know it kinda downtrods the other bands but, Hotspur you were my favorite of the night. I have to be honest, have to.

Dun, dun... The Scenic! I had spotted the front man earlier (though I wasn't sure who he belonged to at the time) out in the hallway drawing. I'd felt bad because at the very next moment that I saw him he had been kicked off the table that he'd been drawing on so that merch could be put up. In between his set and Hotspur, he'd gone up to mingle with some of the audience members. One girl asked him for his signature, and in the next moment he had another girl's leg on his lap and was starting on a doodle. For all of you who don't know, doodle is a technical term in the art world. Teehee! I had to run up and snatch a few photos of the girl's leg because that was just something I couldn't pass up.

Just before The Scenic got on stage, I managed to wander outside. Look what I found, an epic game of bean bag toss. I'm not sure who won, I didn't stick around to figure out who it was.

As for the show itself, I couldn't hardly keep up with Jeremy Ryan, the front man's movements. I think he covered the entire stage, front, back and side to side. He was all over the place, but not only that he kept up the signing. It was pretty impressive.

He had a whole lot of energy and it really showed throughout the set. The whole band was definitely excited. They all rhythmical bounced with him and it was like they all got in the same beat. As soon as they finished, Jeremy was back at the concession stand asking for a piece of paper so he could draw on it.

Next up was the Years Gone By, I honestly wasn't sure what to expect from them. The front man, Nick Madore, had just told everyone to get up to the front of the stage because he didn't want anyone sitting while he played.

I could tell it was going to be interesting. But what the best part of the entire set was the fact that all the band members that were standing were jumping and spinning all at the same time while they were playing. It was pretty amazing.

They had more tricks up their sleeves than I could have ever imagined. These guys are real performers, they really know how to keep your attention not just with catchy lyrics. I was just mad that I hadn't got any really good vids of them performing all of their tricks.

Finally, Conditions were up. They were really appreciative that a lot of people stayed to listen to their set and so was I. It was late, but that didn't seem to matter because they were just as excitable as the first band had been. I want ya'll to go look at their myspace for a second. Don't worry, I'll wait while you do. You see their picture at the top of their myspace page? Yeah I saw that picture before they preformed. I had this image of guys who sang slow love songs, the kind of guys who dressed nice all the time in button down shirts with ties and slacks. These guys were the guys you could take home to mom and dad to impress them that you hadn't been making bad decisions while in college. I was utterly wrong and I deserve epic failure for that.

They were dressed in 'shred' t-shirts for the most part, why I bring this up because an audience member asked them what they meant. They had the theater turn off all the lights completely since they had their own lights for the show. Granted they were really a pain to get decent photographs of, they were loud and aggressive. A complete 180 degree turn around from what I had pictured them to be. Don't do that to me bands! I like making stereotypes! Teehee! They were alive and festive. It was a really good end to a really long show because they were so active on stage. I don't think that stage will ever be the same from how much head banging went on in the very last part of their set.

After the show, I was out in the hallway and managed to get greeted by The Anytime's Tyler Higdon to buy another album from them. I told him I'd already bought one but that I'd really liked their set a whole lot. Well, apparently he also plays jazz piano which is something that my boss really liked (my boss if a bit of a Jazz freak). It was a really nice calm end to the whole day. I was tired the next day... and well Tuesday as well it seemed to carry over. But it was definitely a fantastic show!

On Tuesday, March 17 the following bands will be performing live: THE EXOTIC AQUATIC, MILD WINTER, LEAP YEARS, & CASEY CAVANAGH TRIO... at Adona Music, downtown on Court Square - 34 S. Main St. Harrisonburg, VA 22801 (540) 434-2099. Music starts at 7:00 pm. FREE show - donations accepted.