Loras Welcomes the Return of Fern

March 2000

Mark Collins
Lorian Staff Reporter



The Alumni Campus Center (ACC) walls rocked and the speakers blared during the Fern concert last Saturday night. The rising band from Springfield, Mo. that wowed Dubuquers at last year's MP3 concert made a triumphant return to show off their alternative power-pop sound. "They got such a popular response when they came the first time," sophomore Kevin Jestice, College Activities Board (CAB) concert chairperson, said. "They're a rising band whose popularity is rising, It is great for Loras to get a band before they hit it big."

Over one dozen people made inquires to CAB about Fem after their first concert. "We came back to Loras because it was one of the best places we've played at," Fem's lead singer Jason Gaylord commented. "There was a really great crowd. Plus, they had general admission, so everyone was invited, which was great."

Drummer Jay Sandidge added, "We got a great response from the fans and from the school. They wanted us back, so here we are."

Fern received another positive reaction from the students at Saturday's solo concert, similar to the one they appreciated at last year's multi-band event. The slowly growing crowd enjoyed the music everywhere, from the base of the stage to out in the ACC lobby. Before long, over one dozen students were drawn toward the dance floor, feeling the music's pulsing vibrations.

"It's great to see the crowd's reaction and to see them getting into the music. That's what we do it for," Fern's newest member, lead guitarist Eli Southard, said. Southard, who replaced Brian Pierson last November, was recommended to the band by a mutual friend and seemed to fit in well with the rest of the group. "These guys are my best friends," Gaylord remarked.

Despite the friendly nature of the band and the power of their talents many students were disappointed with the small Duhawks turnout. "The people planning events don't advertise them enough," sophomore Liliana Ponguta said. "If they do, they don't do it effectively because (Fern didn't) have the outcome they deserve. They are not motivating people the right way." Despite the posters hung around campus, many students agreed that this concert was inadequately advertised.

"With a band of this quality there should have been more people here," sophomore Sean Hamerlinck said. The vast majority of the 70-plus people in the crowd consisted of non-Duhawk Dubuquers.

"They rocked!" local Dubuquer Krista Woolf said about Fern.

The crowd who attended the Fern concert had a wonderful time. Many of them enjoyed the music so much that they brought Fern paraphanalia in the form of CDs, T-shirts and tapes home with them. For the people who were unable to experience Fern's first full-length CD "Monologue," it is available at the MP3 website, MP3.com/fern. Their second CD is currently in the works and will be available online within months.