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As Welcome Week and its numerous events rolled through UM-St. Louis, students with every background, major, and hobby found endless options for free entertainment.
Rounding out the week was a night of food and music in the Pilot House, sponsored by the Office of Student Life.
The event, dubbed BBQ Musicfest, was originally slotted for the MSC patio but was moved into the Pilot House due to Thursday's afternoon showers.
Luckily, the rain didn't stop the show, which ran from five to ten p.m. and saw a good turnout of students and their family members.
The atmosphere was ideal for a concert: the lights were low, there was plenty of seating, and the band centered on stage. In the back was space for attendants to stand, talk, and of course, dance.
The music could be heard coming down the hallway approaching the entrance to the Pilot House.
That entrance, once reached, enticed each passerby with a full table spread of BBQ goodies.
The BBQ included baskets of buns, a feast of fixings, heaps of hot-dogs, boundless burgers, and no meager portion of non-meat patties.
A steady stream of visitors made use of the plentiful food and many stayed for the music.
Dominating the stage was Fusion, an Atlanta-based act that describes their sound on their Myspace page as "Hip-hop, Neo Soul, and R&B". During their nearly two-hour set on Thursday Night, Fusion absorbed the audience and left them wanting more.
Fusion The Band is not your average group.
Featuring a whopping 11 total members, eight of whom were performing at any given time, the band has its musical bases covered.
A saxophonist and trumpeter joined the traditional core musicians (drummer, guitar player, vocalists, keyboardist, etc.) resulting in a band that really "takes the stage" when it takes the stage.
For such a large group, their sound is incredibly tight; and with the full range of instruments that Fusion boasts, they pack quite the auditory punch.
The foundation of the band's sound is lead singer Sam Drew whose strong vocal showing was bolstered by harmonies provided by two other vocalists who occasionally took the lead as MCs.
Drew's voice had an astonishing range and a sturdy, fearless falsetto that was highlighted in upper-register covers of Coldplay's "The Scientist" and One Republic's "Apologize".
Audience members who stayed through the 8:30-10:00 p.m. stretch were treated to Common Folk- Dallas based "Alternative Soul" duo who rounded out the evening's musical lineup.
Campus advertising for the event invited students to bring friends and family members and a quick glance around the Pilot House revealed that many had followed through with this offer.
Overall, the majority of audience members were UM. St. Louis newcomers: the freshmen students for whom Welcome Week is targeted.
Thomas Kent, freshman, Spanish said, "I heard about the BBQ Musicfest online and although I prefer to spend free time swimming or playing soccer, I was impressed with the music."
The whole night was so well put together that it would be impossible for anyone not to be impressed with the BBQ Musicfest, a standout event in a week of great offerings with love, from The University Programming Board, to you.
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