By I have always been an avid fan of the theater in all forms, and Friday night was a refreshing break from faculty-run music events at the Bob Cole Conservatory. However, there is no such thing as a perfect performance, and last weekend’s student-run production, Beach Café, was no exception.
The first half of it seemed humorous, opening with the “Anvil Chorus” by Giuseppe Verdi, but it consisted of some cheap laughs caused by shirtless vocal majors that detracted from the overall power of the song.
“Just a Gigolo,” a cover of a classic song full of stripper pants and banana hammocks with dollar bills hanging out, elicited the same response.
“A Place” was a typical rock song that felt restrained by singer Zach Pagter’s awkward trying-to-rock attitude and uncomfortable harmonies at the end.
Toward the finale of act one, there was a glimmer of hope through Molly McBride’s rendition of Ingrid Michaelson’s “Everybody” because it seemed to be the first non-camp number. Compared to the others, it was like being transported from an amateur vaudeville act to a coffee shop open-mic night. However, it was still hard to push through a first act filled with campy and raunchy humor.
After a quick intermission, act two began, and that’s when I realized why I attended the event.
Squarefish, a Long Beach favorite, was next with “500 Miles” by the Proclaimers. It featured yet another rock band setup, but the talent of the musicians and vocalists kept me from questioning one bit of their legitimacy. Compared to the awkward restraint of the first act, Squarefish was the most professional small ensemble.
The one humorous musical piece of the act was “Sorority Girls,” which also forced some laughs because of its pure ridiculous subject matter, revolving around their narcissism.
Alex Jordan, Will Brahm and company’s rousing instrumental climax of “Layla” included several guitar solos and earned a notable ovation.
The energetic finale of Beach Café was “River Deep, Mountain High,” featuring rich vocals by Becky Hasquet and a strong house band that left me feeling fulfilled.
Overall, the night was pleasant, but the second act truly showed the potential of student-run events. Unfortunately, the downfalls to those are the lack of organizational planning and the necessity of being more selective with the acts.
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