OPINIONS LIVE MUSIC CAN ENHANCE YOUR COLLEGE EXPERIENCE

CATHERINE CUNEO | OPINIONS CONTRIBUTOR

Blacksburg’s unique local music scene offers everyone a worthwhile experience.

As a college town, Blacksburg has always been known for its close-knit community and exciting atmosphere. When people think of the town, they usually think of Virginia Tech, football and the lively downtown area. Since Virginia Tech is known predominantly for its STEM majors, many people don’t associate it with the arts. While the majority of students are in STEMrelated programs, there is a large presence of the arts at the school and in the town. The local music scene has especially been growing in recent years – as the scene grows, the variety of music expands as well. Whether you’re into rock, funky pop or experimental music, going to see the many local bands in the community is a great way to discover new music, passions and friends.

Compared to hearing music through a speaker, live music tends to be much more interactive. When a band is right in front of you, it’s hard to tune it out as background noise. Instead, people gravitate to the music and the energy of everyone else in the space. It’s incredibly fulfilling to experience music in person with others rather than alone; seeing the band on stage and being surrounded by tons of people who are singing and dancing truly lights up the entire room. Experiencing such a fun environment is guaranteed to put a smile on your face.

Andrew Donaldson, a sophomore civil engineering major, attests to this with his own experience with live music.

“It’s just really fun. People just love going to see live music, you don’t get to hear live music a lot so it’s just a different atmosphere.” Donaldson said.

Donaldson plays rhythm guitar in the band

Rassa Frassa, one of the many local bands in the Blacksburg area. He goes on to talk more about how performing live has impacted him.

“It’s one of my favorite things to do, it makes me really happy just to share music with other people and see how it makes them happy,” Donaldson said.

The local music scene has inspired people who share the same passion for music to create their own sound. Experiencing live music with others in the community is not just exciting, it has also been proven to decrease stress and to improve one’s overall well-being. As a student, assignments and multiple other responsibilities pile up, especially as the semester nears its end. Live music creates a perfect opportunity for students to take a break from school and recuperate.

Not only does music bring people together, it also allows many bands in Blacksburg to play for charity events to bring awareness to issues and organizations in the community. An example of this is Relay For Life, a major fundraiser for cancer research. This year on Friday, April 7, the Virginia Tech Relay For Life will be having Rassa Frassa perform during the event.

“We’ll be playing from 11:30 p.m. to 12:10 a.m.,” Donaldson said. “It’s right after one of their big memoriam ceremonies so it’ll be really cool.”

A live band playing at an event like Relay For Life not only entertains the people at the event, but also aids the cause of the event itself. The band draws more attention to the event resulting in higher attendance and more donations. Going to Relay For Life and seeing music live is a great way to get involved and to support both local bands and a good cause.

By attending and supporting local bands, you are not only supporting the music but the locations the performances are held at as well. Many shows occur downtown in places such as the Milk Parlor or XYZ Art Gallery. These venues not only provide a place for bands to share their music, but also a place where other forms of art and entertainment can be appreciated. For example, the XYZ Art Gallery hosts a variety of artwork done by students. Their art is thus showcased to a whole new group of people, exposing them to even more local talent. Exploring one form of art can lead to the discovery of many.

Whether you are aware of it or not, music is a large part of our life. It’s something that brings people together despite their differences, and in Blacksburg the local music scene does just this. It introduces people to new sounds, new friends and new opportunities. College is all about discovering yourself by trying new things; checking out the local music in the area could open up doors that you never even imagined. Why not try something new and check out all of the musical talent that Blacksburg has to offer?