Guster at Case Western Reserve University

05/06/05

By Stormy Knight,
Staff Writer

On April 14, 2005, four of my friends and I took a road trip to Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland, Ohio. No, we were not going to a college visit; we went to see a Guster concert! I am sure many of you have never heard of Guster, other than seeing the “Guster is for Lovers” bumper sticker on the Volkswagen bug around campus. Truthfully, it is very hard to describe Guster’s style of music--they’re one of a kind.

The band met in 1991(they called themselves “Gus” at Tufts University, and they have been producing nothing but harmonious melodies since. Adam Gardner plays guitar and sings, Brian Rosenworcel plays the hand drums, and Ryan Miller plays guitar and also sings. The band mates often switch which instruments theyâ€(tm)re playing, and they specialize in vocal harmonies. The result: beautiful, deep, feel-good music that so many people have fallen in love with.

The concert was held in the university’s gymnasium. To get into the gym, everybody presented their ticket and a police officer marked hands with either one X or two, clearly marking who was 21 and who was underage. Cups of beer were served for $1.50, and this shocked me considering it was a school event. The band heckled the school on stage for not allowing them to drink, which also surprised me because the students were permitted to drink. Luckily no one got out of hand. The concert was mellow yet full of energy at the same time.

Everybody was enjoying themselves, and Guster stole the show. The music sounded surprisingly great in the gym, and tons of Guster fans packed in to listen.

The performance at Case Western was Guster’s first time back on the road in five months. We had the distinct pleasure of hearing new songs from their upcoming album first, which was really exciting. They sounded fantastic, although Brian looked like he was in pain from banging on the hand drums.

If you have never heard Guster, I strongly recommend checking them out. They have song clips on their website, www.guster.com. Give them a chance; I’ll admit I was not crazy about them at first, until my boyfriend made me go see them live. The music is so refreshingly different. Also, look for their single “Amsterdam’ on MTV and on the radio. Overall, I give Guster a huge A in my book.

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Posted by Setonian Online at May 6, 2005 09:08 AM