Electric Bus brings music's roots to students

A piece of rock rolled onto campus Monday.\nThe Electric Bus, a mobile music museum, pulled into Memorial Stadium's Orange Lot No. 4. The 18-wheeler unfolds into a 10,000 square foot exhibit featuring a variety of music history, artifacts, video clips and interviews, as well as instruments and recording equipment for students to experiment with.\nThe bus explores every aspect of music's history, from Britney Spears to Bob Marley, from gospel and blues to metal and rap.\nWhile touring the Electric Bus, students find quotes and video clips from popular performers such as Bonnie Raitt, Bruce Springsteen, Elvis Presley, Beck, Ani DiFranco and Bob Dylan. One exhibit explores the meaning behind popular songs and the stories associated with them.\nIn the artifacts room, visitors can view handwritten lyrics for Jimi Hendrix's "Love or Confusion," Dylan's harmonica, one of Kurt Cobain's smashed electric guitars and one of Hendrix's acoustics. Handwritten lyrics by Public Enemy's Chuck D, Cobain and Carole King are also on display.\nAnother room features a number of interactive booths where visitors can sing lead vocals, mix popular songs, learn to play piano or write their own songs. \n"It reminds me a lot of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame on a smaller scale," said senior Charles Wood. "The interactive stuff is really cool. I like getting to mess with mixing and song writing."\nProfessor of Music Glenn Gass was contacted by the coordinators of the Electric Bus about adding IU to their fall tour. Gass then contacted Union Board, who set out to find a place to put the exhibit.\n"We found out it was coming in August," said Luis Muralles, a UB staff member. "We were trying to find a level place on campus big enough to hold it. The athletic department was a big help in getting it set up at the stadium."\nIU is one of nine universities chosen to be included in the fall tour, which includes Virginia Tech, Princeton and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.\n"We're excited that it could come here because we have a large music history department," said UB Concerts Director Andy Proctor, a senior. "It's a good break for students throughout the day, too."\nThe exhibit will be at the Orange Lot facing 17th Street until Thursday from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. Admission is free. Students can tour the museum on their own, or take part in organized song writing labs at various times throughout the day. Wednesday's labs will take place at 11 a.m. and 2:30 p.m.\nThe bus was organized by the Experience Music Project located in Seattle and debuted at the 2001 Grammy Awards. EMP is a non-profit interactive music museum that is sponsored by Microsoft.