Retriever Music Society’s (RMS’s) recent live show Junk Drawer, celebrated diversity in music delivered by University of Maryland Baltimore County (UMBC) students. The performers featured on the bill were: David Cosio, who goes by DLC (senior, media & communications major), Logan Williams (sophomore, music technology major), Peter Alman (junior, mechanical engineering major), Neil Bolima (graduate student in cybersecurity), and Noah Stuehler (junior, music technology major), also known to many as the lead singer of the beloved UMBC band, Fly By The Seat.
With Junk Drawer, each artist brought their own unique vibe to the stage. Performances differed between genres, with artists performing covers and original songs. This freedom allows these talented artists to showcase their specialized niches. Although it would not be typical to see so many different genres played at one show, the variety of the music is exactly what makes this show special.
A large number of students turned out for the event. But when the show began in the Sports Zone at 6 PM, music could be heard in the distant areas of The Commons, which decidedly piqued even more students’ interests in checking out the show.
The show started out with some acoustic sets, with Stuehler being the first to take the stage. Like many artists of the evening, Stuehler was no stranger to the stage. His great stage presence and voice were captivating, exuding a calming energy. He easily had the crowd hanging onto his every word. Stuehler’s playing looked like it came naturally to him, demonstrating a true aptness on the guitar.
DLC followed up next, also on the acoustic guitar, with a few covers on hand. DLC had a diverse setlist crossing through multiple genres. One of his most standout choices was his cover of Juan Karlos’, Buwan, a song entirely in Filipino.
DLC brought a grunge vibe to the stage with him. It is impressive how strong and versatile he is as a vocalist. Cosio was a fan favorite of the audience, which makes sense as he is someone who regularly performs at RMS’ jam sessions. His passionate renditions were very melodic and much enjoyed by the crowd.
After DLC, Williams ambled up to the stage, anxious to start his set. This was the first time Williams performed solo music, so he felt a bit out of place now being the center of attention. Accompanied by his drummer Charley Gray, (senior, music technology major), Williams started off on the ukulele, performing a heartfelt cover. Then, Williams continued his set by sharing with the audience a couple of his original songs.
His song, The Person Who Knows Everything was a soulful number. It began very somber, and developed with the addition of a punchy drum beat. The crowd was fully immersed by the playing of both Williams and Gray.
Williams ended his set with a second original single, Mainline, which was a more powerful song in contrast, with its much more drum-heavy orchestration, and addition of bass guitar. Looking back after the show, Williams said, “The song that sounded the best was the last one I did called ‘Mainline,’ that was probably my favorite one because it means a lot to me.”
After Williams, it was up to Peter Alman and Neil Bolima, and their band, to close out the show. As a frontman, Alman brings a reckless abandon to the stage, which immediately perks up a crowd. His riffs are a clear indication that he is a skillful lead guitarist, and Bolima has an impressive command over the keyboard.
Overall the band has an undeniable chemistry, quickly able to improvise when necessary, making them very fun to watch.
The band performed a few hit rock songs which was fitting as Alman has a voice that undoubtedly draws inspiration from many of the greats of the genre. One of the covers they performed was Bruce Springsteen’s, “I’m on Fire.” Audience members showed their support by pulling out their phone flashlights and waving them in the air during the song.
As per an audience request, the band ended by bringing the house down with Lynyrd Skynyrd’s, “Freebird.” The crowd became very excited throughout the band’s performance of this classic song.
All in all, Retriever Music Society’s members seemed satisfied with how their very first showcase went. Alman, who in addition to being a performer is also the president of RMS said in an interview, “I think everybody had brought great energy,” he said.
RMS’s student showcase was meant to display the musical talent of different students on campus, no matter their musical background. Williams stated, “There’s a lot of musical talent outside of the music program, nursing majors who just also happen to be really good R&B artists and stuff like that. Just lots of different people doing lots of different things. This was the perfect place to showcase those talents. It was great seeing everybody do their thing.”
The Junk Drawer Student Showcase successfully provided talented students with a unique opportunity to perform for an audience and hosted an enjoyable and diverse array of live music for those who came out to listen.
RMS will be hosting two more showcases this semester, as well as an Emo Night. For updates on these events, and many more events, follow RMS on instagram @rmsumbc.
Cristina Reid is a senior English major, with a writing minor, and am Arts & Culture writer for The Retriever. Contact Cristina at creid1@umbc.edu.
