SPC students rock 'AlternaTV' stage

by Jennifer Conlee, co-associate editor

Many South Plains College students are unaware of the fact that they can be treated to a free rock concert in the Tom T. Hall Recording and Production Studio in the Creative Arts Building.

Those who know this have a great time attending Alterna TV, an ensemble performance that will be held three times during the Spring 2007 semester.

This year’s ATV ensemble is one of the best, according to director Scott Faris, one of SPC’s guitar instructors.

“I’ve never had a group more prepared for the show,” said Faris.  “These are pro-level players, and they are all real energetic.”

This year’s cast includes Engelo Charles, D’Etta Brown, Michelle Scott, and Jeff Newman as vocalists.

 Mark Morgan, 19, of Lubbock, and Will Boreing, of Slaton, play guitar for the ensemble.  Both are commercial music majors.

Commercial music majors Seth Ramirez, 19, of Lubbock and Cole Mitchell, 19, of Grady, play bass and drums, respectively.  Kyle Jacobs, 22, of Alamogordo, N.M., was on the keyboard.

The first show was Feb. 22, and was held in conjunction with the first Guitar Hero II tournament of the semester, which allows guitarists to show off their skills on a simulated guitar video game.

The show included 12 songs.  Brown, 21, of Lubbock, performed “Slow Ride” by Foghat, “Hollow” by Submersed, and “Face Down” by The Red Jumpsuit Apparatus.

Charles, 19, who is a commercial music major from Clovis, N.M., proved his talent with “Black Water” by the Doobie Brothers, “Broken Wings” by Alter Bridge, and “Rock You Like a Hurricane” by the Scorpions.

Scott, 20, of Lazbuddie, sang “Warlocks” by the Red Hot Chili Peppers, “Fully Alive” by Flyleaf, and “The Speed of a Yellow Bullet” by Head Automatica. She is a commercial music major.

Newman, 19, a commercial music major from Cedar Park, performed “Dublin Waltz” by Monty Are I, 311’s “Creatures,” and “Our Time is Now” by Story of the Year.

“The show went really well,” said Brown, a commercial music major at SPC.  “There was a good turnout for the Guitar Hero II tournament, and most of them stayed through the show and the championship round.”

Brown has participated in ATV for several semesters now.

“Trying out for ATV is probably the best decision I've made in the time I've been attending SPC,” said Brown.  “It's so much fun, and the band is more like a family than anything else. I've discovered so much about music, myself and the other members since I've been in it. I can't imagine not having this experience.”

For more information about ATV, you can contact Faris in the Creative Arts Department, or go to www.myspace.com/spcalttv. Future shows will be held on March 29 and April 26.