Rockfest features live bands, low attendance

Rockfest, which took place in the Indiana Memorial Union Saturday, featured a free concert by local bands Abercrombie Skins and Kirkwood, a make-your-own music video activity, food, bowling and billiards. Union Board, which hosted the event, was less ambitious about the turnout at its beginning because of IU's basketball victory.\nDrew Goldberg, director of the Union Board's Major Attractions committee, was primarily in charge of the event.\n"I think it's something that we couldn't have foreseen necessarily," he said. "IU ended up beating Duke, and by chance the Elite Eight game was scheduled for the same night as Rockfest. So naturally attendance will be down ." \nGoldberg still felt confident about Rockfest despite set backs.\n"We just wanted to have a free concert and provide the opportunity for local bands to showcase in front of a large audience," he said.\nAbercrombie Skins performed first.\n"They're trying to give kids the opportunity to do things that aren't so typical of college life -- of beer time," front man and junior David Hillfiger said. Hillfiger sported green hair and black eyeliner at the event. \nAbercrombie Skins, whose music Hillfiger described as a "mixture between The Queers, Skreeching Weasel and Grim Reaper" played to a diverse crowd of people with shaved heads, spiked hair and a girl in a ballerina costume.\nKirkwood played to a smaller group of people. \n"We are looking to show people a different approach to a rock band," fifth-year senior and lead singer Brad Schaupeter said. \nSophomore Stephanie Gadient called the band's style "piano rock with a twist." Each band played for approximately an hour. \nGoldberg said his committee picked these bands because of their inclusion in this year's "Live from Bloomington" CD for which proceeds benefit the Hoosier Hills Food Bank.\n"We wanted to support that project," said Goldberg.\nPeople were able to make their own music videos as the concert played. Mike Connors, a Bloomington resident who played a key role in the activity said there was "a moderately enthusiastic crowd despite the plethora of other activities available to the student body."\nParticipants danced and sang karaoke-style in front of a bright green background. That green background was later replaced by the background of the student's choice. Costumes and props were provided.\n"We were going to do bowling but we nixed that to do karaoke," said sophomore Emily Spitznagle, wearing a funky hat with brightly colored yarn braids protruding from the sides. She and sophomore Chemagne Doyen were next in line and planning to sing "YMCA" by the Village People.\n"We were going to go ballerina bowling," said freshman Gizmo Fack, who wore her ballerina costume to the event. "But my friend didn't have her tutu."\nUnion board committees main attractions, Live from Bloomington, fine arts, marketing and advertising all played a part in making Rockfest a reality. Delta Sigma Pi also provided volunteers.