Stand For Tomorrow, Everyday.

Seeing Murphy’s Kids this early in the semester is like an official welcome back to school: the year has now, officially begun.
“It’s great to be here,” shouted lead singer, John Charlet of Murphy’s Kids from the stage of Rocktown Bar and Grill, “It’s always great to be here!”
The show was put on by local concert production and promotion company Blame it on the Train Productions, which is working to bring another major act to the JMU campus. Last fall the student-run organization brought Pink Floyd tribute band The Machine to Memorial Hall and raised over $5,000 for the Susan G. Komen Foundation for the Cure. Currently, BIOTT has not decided on a charity to donate to this season, but all proceeds raised by shows put on in conjunction with the company will go towards fund-raising for a worthy organization.
The Richmond-based Murphy’s Kids performed following fellow JMU favorite, Blatant Vibe; comprised of Aaron Walker, Kunal Jhahjee, Daniel Attaway, Julian Astri and Casey Flanagan, who warmed up the crowd with old favorites that had fans singing along and their own version of “Another One Bites the Dust”.
“This is our first time out to see music,” said freshman, Jessica Ashley who was joined by freshman friends Katherine Peters, Laura Filkoski and Ben Rellick. “We are up for seeing anyone, anywhere, but this is our first show at JMU, so we’re excited to see what it’s like.”
Judging by the sweat on their shirts and smiles on their faces by the end of the show, it seemed to be a good first choice thanks to the recommendations of Rellick.
“I’ve been seeing Murphy’s Kids for over 2 years now,” explained Rellick. “I’m from Richmond and always try to make it to their shows, but haven’t seen them since April. It’s been so long!”
However, absence makes the heart grow fonder and Rellick was no exception.
“I knew every song and it was great,” he said upon leaving, with his new Murphy’s Kids shirt and sticker. “I can’t wait for Spaghettifest!”
Others shared similar reactions including juniors Lauren Murphy and Vanessa Shepperson.
“Murphy’s Kids was amazing, as always,” Shepperson said still smiling, even after hours of dancing and singing in the front row. “I am so excited to see them at Spaghettifest!”
Shepperson and Rellick are not the only ones who are anxiously anticipating Spaghettifest 6, set to take place the final weekend in September 26-28 at Natural Chimneys Regional Park in Mount Solon, VA.
“We are so excited for the festival this year,” expressed Blatant Vibe’s keyboard player, Aaron Walker. “We want to learn two new songs and another cover in 14 days for it and we plan on playing all our tightest-sounding, crowd-pleasing best songs. It’s going to be bigger than ever.”
With all the buzz surrounding the weekend-long Spaghettifest, last Wednesday night’s show served as a perfect warm-up for both fans and the bands with energy exploding from the stage and reflecting back from the audience. The floor of Rocktown was littered with students and friends, moshing, crowd surfing, dancing, sweating, singing and smiling the whole night. After hours of non-stop energy on stage, the crowd asked for more and still, the bands delivered.
Blatant Vibe entertained the audience with funky instrumentals and Kunal Jhanjee’s dexterous raps, some of which the crowd recited and others, they could only listen to in awe as he raced through rhyme after rhyme. John Charlet, Reid Attaway, Adam Bonini, DJ Kyriakides, Nate Koch and Dave “Gibby” Gibson of Murphy’s Kids played a slew of favorites including “Are You With Me,” “Stand for Tomorrow,” “Richmond Bands,” “ManDate,” and “Hands On” and kept the audience engaged at all times thanks to their lively stage stunts and constant audience interaction.
“I’ve seen them a million times and they have always been awesome,” praised senior Steven Wilson. “They were great at the Holiday Inn and Festival Fest in the rain was the best, most insane show ever.”
At one point in the night, Charlet stopped and asked how many present Wednesday would also be joining them at Spaghettifest. When the entire floor erupted in a wave of raised hands and voices, the whole band could not help but smile.
“That’s amazing,” Charlet said. “That is going to be an incredible weekend and I can’t wait to see you all there.”
This year Murphy’s Kids and Blatant Vibe will be taking the main stage of the festival on Friday evening and will be joined throughout the weekend by acts like Scratch of the Roots, Midnight Spaghetti and the Chocolate G-Strings, The Afromotive, Future, 40 Dollar Mule, HeartGetsMonkey, DJ Maskell, Red River Rollercoaster, Rubberlegs and many more. To join in on the action, tickets are available online at www.myspace.com/mkrva where sales will show support for MK.
Perhaps what is most appealing about both Blatant Vibe and Murphy’s Kids is the positive atmosphere both bands seem to create and promote throughout their shows.
When asked what he thought of the night and the bands as Rocktown was shutting down, fellow Spaghettifest performer and Wednesday night attendant, Christopher Hall profoundly tried to capture the essence of the night saying, “Seeing them, I think, ‘sing loud, love louder’.”
Though his comment seemed unusual next to other reactions from the night, something about it made perfect sense. Murphy’s Kids and Blatant Vibe really make fans feel something more than the music and as loud as they scream, sing or rap, the comradery and love of the atmosphere really does speak louder.

For more on Murphy’s Kids: http://www.myspace.com/mkrva
Blatant Vibe: http://www.myspace.com/blatantvibe
Spaghettifest 6: http://www.spaghettifest.com/