Just so you know, this isn't Kutztown, since we didn't take pictures, but a Seasons stock photo used to get your attention. At least I'm being honest...
Being back at college, after graduating, can be an odd experience. After returning to Franciscan University last weekend for Holy Week (and playing at Living Stations) and last night playing an Acoustic Roadshow gig at Kutztown University, I have had quite a lot of this lately.
For me, going to Kutztown University was an odd combination of nostalgia and novelty. There were the college staples that come with the first arrival of gorgeous weather: girls strolling around campus in short floating skirts and colorful tops, guys sitting outside a dorm playing cards, and of course, Frisbees. Lots of Frisbees. Of course, my college experience with Frisbees was getting hit twice in the head with them orientation weekend while I wandering accidentally through cames thinking freshman-type thoughts (anyone who knows me will not be surprised by this) and then trying to stay as far away from them as possible for the remaining three years. But I know that most people enjoy them immensely.
As we boldly drove the red fan down a wide sidewalk toward our destination, the South Dining Hall (we’d been assured by a student that sometimes people drove down it) the similarities between my college years and this campus began to end.
Kuztown University has more than one dining hall, a fitness center with more than four treadmills (that everyone fights over), and, live music Thursday nights while students eat or study (courtesy of Acoustic Roadshow).
Upon arriving, Butch Imhoff was waiting for us and presented Grace and I each with a voucher to use at any of the dining hall options (there was an Italian station, sandwich station, coffee station, and a burger/fast food station). Needless to say, this improved our spirits immensely after an hour and a half car trip. We were both suddenly happier then we are at many higher-paying gigs, simply because we were getting free food (potential employers take note: fed musicians=happy musicians).
Once again we joined forces with the Martin Family Band, and took turns playing sets for the variety of senior citizens and college students chilling out in the dining hall. We also had the first ever team up of the Martin Family Band, Seasons, and Butch in a cover of the song, “In Christ Alone.”
One thing that Kutztown U. did NOT have when we showed up in the dining hall was air conditioning. Apparently the college had not been expecting the sudden surge of spring, and their air conditioner was still in hibernation, turning the glass- covered building into a giant terrarium.
To wrap things up, we had a great jam with the Martin family and the two Steves, whom I met back at the January session and happened to be in the audience with their flute and banjo. Grace had never played many of the tunes, so I would be hissing to her, “just play a lot of Ds!” as she tried to look professional and play along with a song she’d never heard at the same time.
So, being back at college, but getting to jam and eat a free dinner instead of studying, is a pretty swell deal, even if it is without air conditioning...
No comments:
Post a Comment