Fair weather keeps summer scene alive

Telesha Smith and Marianna Beard pulled their blanket closer to the concrete stage of Dunn Meadow, but they weren’t sitting for long.

Smith, a graduate student, and Beard, a senior, were soon dancing to The Main Squeeze’s funky jams. The local band was one of many to play Saturday at Audio Scenery’s first concert of the semester, a free, all-day music festival filled with body-painting, hula hooping and sunbathing.

“The Main Squeeze is one of our favorites,” Smith said. “We know all of their music.”
Beard added that they were excited to find out the event benefited the Middle Way House. Each of Audio Scenery’s next concerts, on Oct. 1, 15 and 29, will take donations for a different cause.

The concerts feature a wide spectrum of artists and are in Dunn Meadow, the centerpiece of downtown and campus, said junior Mckenzie Earley, founder of Audio Scenery.

“The main reason (for the concerts) is to promote local and regional musicians as much as we can,” Earley said.

As evening set in, they anticipated the music of Flow Theory and the headliner, Kaleidoscope Jukebox.

“It’s really cool,” sophomore Jack Whittle said. “It’s a little ghetto, but the music sounds really nice.”

Dog-walkers, families and Frisbee throwers stopped by to listen, and much of the crowd wore red and white from the football game.

“I support local music, especially on a beautiful day,” senior Linda Sapp said.

Senior Sujal Patel had been at the concert since it began and described it as recovery from tailgating earlier on. Like many other attendees, he was pleased the weather had turned out so well for the concert.

“I can see the sun reflected off of everyone’s smiles,” he said. “There’s this feeling of joy.”

Senior Caren Charles also appreciated the fortunate weather. She described the concert as a wonderful way to hold onto the last leg of summer.

“Everyone loves music during the daytime, and it’s a great cause,” Charles said. “You can’t go wrong with that.”