LPC’s Musicology Club delivered the East Bay’s indie-punk scene to the Black Box Theater. A day before the April 12 “Spring Stage Rock” show, alternating drummer/guitarist and Las Positas student Geovany Garcia told The Express, “It’s the only show in recent memory where I’ve been nervous. I’m excited for how it’s gonna go.” His band, alternative three-piece, Juniper, was the second of two to perform on Friday. Reno-based, desert rock quartet, Charity Kiss, went first.
“For the organizer, I can tell it’s been stressing her out,” Garcia said. “ I hope it’s a good show. All of her hard work would’ve paid off.”
The organizer tasked with the drudgery of event planning: Musicology Club president Anandi Joshi. Said volunteer labor received compensation in the form of crowd exultation. The free show nearly filled the 100-person capacity venue—with attendees decked in low-waisted cargo shorts, off-the-shoulder band tees, septum piercings, funky earrings and an eclectic mix of hand-held camcorders and film cameras. Cigarettes were smoked. Vapes hit. Heads banged. Punkish footwork was bungled. The energy conveyed felt transported from Berkeley or San Francisco.
The fundamental difference? A distinct lack of moshing.
“My expectations?” started LPC sophomore and punk show frequenter, Ally Lagodzinski. “Pretty much that we’d come here and listen to lit rock music [and] jam out. I [just] thought it was gonna be more moshy.”
Not to be.
“No moshing. It’s a liability thing,” Juniper’s lead singer, guitarist, and part-time drummer, Lukas Whipple, said. An absence of the pit didn’t deter good times. Lagodzinski thought the show was “awesome” anyway.
ALLY LAGODZINSKI, third from left, a sophomore at LPC, didn’t get the mosh put she expected but still rubbed elbows with fellow fans. (Photo by Olivia Fitts/ The Express)
Friday night had its share of concert-going revelations. Post-indie original, Charity Kiss’ drummer had the crowd hear it for the “inevitable march of time.” Later, Geovany’s dad, Rudy Garcia, and Lukas Whipple’s kid sister – both in the audience – were endowed with proper shoutouts from their respective relatives.
“I can’t believe it,” Geovany’s dad said after his first show. “It’s amazing for me [to see Geo up there]. I’m so proud of him.”
Standing next to an exceedingly proud father, Geo’s expression was earnest gratitude: “It went a hundred times better than I could’ve expected.”
Earlier, Joshi boarded the stage and joined Juniper for a couple Hum covers. The club president, like Geovany and Lukas, played two instruments for her part: bass and electric guitar. Geo and Lukas switched off on drums and six-string mid-set.
“I’ve been jamming with Juniper for a little bit,” Joshi said. “I like that they switch around, so I asked if I could switch around too. [It] was my first time signing in front of a crowd, playing in front of a crowd like that.”
A genuine jack of all trades, Joshi and the Musicology Club were responsible for last year’s Saint Luna-starring rock show, too. “And it turns out, a lot of Las Po [students] liked it, so we decided to make it an annual thing — to bring more live music to LPC.”
On advertising the club: “Do you like music? Well, obviously. We’re a music book club. We discuss music. We go to live music. We interview other bands. And we throw concerts! So, if you’re interested in doing any of that, join us!”
Musicology Club meets in room 4138—Mondays, from 2-3.
Top photo: Eli Reynolds (left) and Anandi Joshua share the Black Box Theater stage for a performance. (Photo by Olivia Fitts/ The Express)
Olivia Fitts is the News Editor and Opinions Editor for The Express. Follow her on X, formerly Twitter @OLIVIAFITTS2.
