As stage monitors shook from the aggressive chug of distorted guitars, Stony Brook students thrashed, kicked and shoved each other around the floor of the school’s University Cafe last Friday, kicking off the first RockYoFaceCase concert of the fall semester.
RYFC shows have typically been built around a specific theme and last week’s was no different; the concert served as a celebration of punk rock and hardcore punk music.
This semester, however, marked a major change for the concert series from behind the scenes.
Until last Friday all RockYoFaceCase concerts were run by lead organizer Patrice Zapiti, a Stony Brook student and musician who started the concert series in 2006 when she discovered that there were no regular concert events for rock bands on campus.
Zapiti graduated in 2010 and remained lead organizer throughout the 2010-2011 school year as part of a transitional period, making Friday the first official RockYoFaceCase she did not take part in.
The concert was not without its hiccups. Four bands with limited material were slated to fill a three-hour concert. When hardcore punk act Downtime canceled on the night of the show, the event staff was tasked with finding a new band willing to play that night without time for rehearsal.
A band called Soda Bomb took Downtime’s place as the second act. Consisting of only singer-guitarist Taylor Berke and drummer Jon Gusman, Soda Bomb’s songs were short and raw; their opening number was less than a minute long.
But the audience danced and cheered for the two-piece band and Berke said that they would gladly play RockYoFaceCase again.
The closing act was Lost in Society, a touring three-piece band from Asbury Park, New Jersey. Singer-guitarist Zach Moyle said that the crowd didn’t disappoint.
“This is our first time playing on Long Island and we’ve traveled a lot further for much worse shows. This was amazing.”
Soda Bomb singer-guitarist Taylor Berke, left, and drummer Jon Gusman play “i wanna die,” from the band’s first EP, “Hooligan.” They played the entirety of the EP and two newer songs totaling in a 20-minute performance, the shortest of the night. September 28th, 2012. Photo by Mike Klapak.
Lost in Society’s lead singer and guitarist Zach Moyle, left. shares a smile with bassist Nick Ruroede during a cover of Weezer’s “Say It Ain’t So.” Lost In Society’s longer time slot led the band to begin playing covers before their closing number, “My Door,” a song that does not appear on either of the band’s two albums. September 28th, 2012. Photo by Mike Klapak.
The crowd occasionally broke into mosh pits throughout the night, with some students backing off and forming a circle around the pits. This student is slam-dancing during Lost In Society’s set. September 28th, 2012. Photo by Mike Klapak.
From left to right: Guitarist Zach Zajmi, singer-guitarist Nick Ohrnberger, drummer Brian Marion and bassist Dan Sandoval of the B-List perform. The band’s four-piece lineup initially posed a challenge for arranging the equipment onstage, which forced Sandoval to take his position in front of the stage at the beginning of the set. Later on during their performance, a stage hand was able to move some of the monitors out of the way so that Sandoval could join his bandmates. September 28th, 2012. Photo by Mike Klapak.
The B-List’s lead singer and rhythm guitarist Nick Orhnberger belts out the chorus of the band’s closing number, “Don’t Say Forever.” September 28th, 2012. Photo by Mike Klapak.
Lost In Society’s singer-guitarist Zach Moyle, left plays a guitar solo next to moshing bassist Nick Ruroede and drummer Hector Bonora. Lost In Society was the only non-local band to perform at this event; Lost In Society is based in New Jersey, while all of the other bands that performed are from various towns across Long Island. September 28th, 2012. Photo by Mike Klapak.
For their final song, “Don’t Say Forever,” the B-List’s singer-guitarist Nick Ohrnberger, top right, laid down his guitar to lead the audience in the last few rounds of the song’s chorus. Several audience members rushed the stage, leaving a stage hand, far left, scrambling to move some of the onstage equipment out of their way. September 28th, 2012. Photo by Mike Klapak.