Edgar S.

Alvarado
March 5, 2017
FA-1090, Spring Semester
Music Formal Analysis

MARCH MADNESS

The Salt Lake Community College Department of Performing Arts presented March

Madness on Thursday, 2 March 2017, 7:30 P.M. at the SLCC South City Campus, Multipurpose

Room; located at 1575 South State Street, South Salt Lake, Utah 84115, where I attended and

lasted until 9:45 P.M. The presentation consisted of five different groups (bands); the bands

names presented and in that order were: The Pencil Discussion, Test Tube Babies, The Transits,

Weird Phishes and The Monte Thompson Fan Club; all groups from the general Salt Lake City

area and some participants are current or formal student at the college. The Multipurpose Room

was well set and distribute, attendees consisted of mostly family and friends of the musicians;

some others were musicians themselves, others current students at the college. It appeared like

almost everybody knew everybody, or that at least they have performed together at other

occasions; the place was friendly warm and the preparation for the performance went very

smooth and at the same time quick. We were presented with delicate music, booming executions,

and lots of energy inspired by not only the music itself but a couple of the singers as well.

The first group name The Pencil Discussion, cut my attention with their third presentation

(song), TNT by AC/DC; they have a total of 9 members, probably more than the original group
that sings the song, but the introduction was well executed, that I got the feeling as if for a

moment they were the true group that sings that song. It was probably Jeff Carter-guitar or

Jonathan Ricks-guitar/vocals that showed an allegro tempo, that the crowd immediately

positively reacted to the quickness of the player. Then it was the vocalization and execution of

the lyrics by Alex Ford-trombone/vocals, as he sang the choir: TNT Im dynamite, TNT and I

will not fight, TNT Im a powerful load, watch me explode; very loud staccato words that got

people exited (those that knew the lyrics) and join in to sing along with vibrant timber, clear

tone: TNT Im dynamite with more intensity, lots of energy towards the end of the song, with

a sharp and at the same time fortissimo guitar execution. Alondra Mendez-alto sax and Benito

Palafox-tenor sax, both added a intense flowing sound throughout the song. Very well start with

the first group that permitted me to get caught up in the music to the point that I decided to snap

some pictures of the moment with my cell phone, yes, it was that exiting!.

Some other well executed presentation followed; the group Test Tube Babies sang Safe

and Sound by Capital Cities among other songs. The Transits execution of War Pigs by Black

Sabbath was also intense and very high pitched among other songs they presented. Weird Phishes

added some other blended songs one of them was Cant Stop by Red Hot Chili Peppers.

The second song that caught my attention was presented by the last group: The Monte

Thompson Fan Club, Gold Dust Woman by Fleetwood Mac. The execution of that song made

every attendee a new member of The Monte Thompson fans club; it was the last song of the

group and of the night. It was sung by Ivy Smith-bass, but also vocals to our surprise at the end.
The song was of an andante pace tempo, although at time it almost wanted to go a little presto by

the execution of River Tabakian-guitar, it never got to pass too far from moderato tempo, and it

continue in that path until the end. Rhythm was even, it made me feel as if it was the same

relaxing music played at a family oriented activity, constant and of gently flowing water. At

times, the drums executed by Jackson Ludlow wanted to take over the entire song and vocals,

and kick into a staccato rhythm, but at the same time, it went back to an even rhythm, changing

the accent of the beats.

Lyrics were well executed by Ivy, never any high pitch, constant as an almost silent

flowing river, with movement but smoothly. The best part was left out to the end of the song by

Monte Thompson-keyboards/flute. The lyrics being sung wanting to go home, every member

of the group begin to walk away from stage and only Monte remained playing the flute with a

sharp pitch but never too high, as peaceful as it needed to be for the occasion that transported

every attendee to a loving place, so peaceful that no one wanted to talk nor look away from the

song being played. The tempo went from moderato to adagio until all we wanted to hear was the

beautiful flute being played for the rest of the night, until the other players begin to come back to

stage in silence, just as the rest of the audience were, reverently, lento until the end.

In conclusion, everybody in the room cheered up, and applauded not only for the last

song, but also for the well prepared presentation that all of the participants of the night had

delightfully presented us with.

Without a further discussion, it has been one of the best musical presentations by non known

professionals that I have attended in the last year. Every person in the room was excited about

every group member. I felt like I was the only new person in the entire place, was fortunate that

the others made me feel welcome and even exchanged a few words with me, as if I had been

there before. Honestly it was my first time at that room, and listening to the bands.