The University of Rhode Island Musicians Guild hosted a free music festival called Awesomer Fest on Saturday, featuring 10 artists.
The Guild is one of URI’s clubs and they are focused on creating a do-it-yourself music scene with live music on campus, according to their page on the university’s website.
The festival began at noon and concluded at 7 p.m., and featured various student-led bands throughout the day. The event took place in the Memorial Union courtyard.
First-year student Anya Black-Andrade said that having events like Awesomer Fest on campus is important because many students do not have access to off-campus concerts.
“[And] well, free music, because concerts are really expensive,” Black-Andrade said.
Laiza Lopes, lead singer of Late for School and Crushed Lyme, and second-year student, said she “just love[s] music.”
Lopes’ bands have two slightly different sounds, with Crushed Lyme being heavier rock and Late for School having a more classic rock sound. Both bands played a mix of covers and originals. Crushed Lyme covered bands such as Hole and other 90s rock bands.
Lopes started both of her bands and joined the Guild last year. She talked about how both music and being part of a group like the Guild brings people together and fosters community on campus.
“I met so many friends last year doing this, like just going to these shows,” Lopes said.
Lopes said she performs a few times a month and attends most of the shows that the Guild puts on.
Both Lopes and Black-Andrade expressed how important it is to have a forum to express creativity and share talents.
“It’s important to be able to see people in their talents and all that,” Black-Andrade said. “I’m a music kid, so music is life for me.”
As a first-year student, Black-Andrade said that this was her first time attending an event put on by the Guild, but she hopes to attend more in the future.
The Guild hosts three shows per semester, according to their page on the URI website. They also host smaller events like open mic nights at the 193 Coffeehouse in the Memorial Union.
The vast majority of their events are free and open to all students. The shows that the Guild puts on range in genres from screamo to indie-pop, as seen on their Instagram.
The Guild posts all flyers for all their shows on their Instagram @urimusiciansguild. They hold meetings every Thursday at 5 p.m. in the Memorial Union.
