Some people like to play the guitar. Others prefer to wail on the saxophone. A few, however, are content to jam on the closest object. The members of student group Bangin' Everything at Tufts, or B.E.A.T.S, fall into the third category.
Warming up with a guest performance at the Sarabande! show last night, the group will showcase its talents solo this evening at their first annual spring show, "Low Key, High Profile." The show, which will feature a guest appearance by breakdance group Turbo, promises to display a wide variety of unusual instruments: from buckets and pipes to flanges and radiator pieces, no object will go un-banged.
For those of you that spend hours in Dewick tapping silverware against glasses and salt shakers or for those who look upon Stomp with awe, B.E.A.T.S knows where you're coming from. Founded in 2002, the group has attempted to buck college musical norms from the start.
"We thought a Stomp-esque group would be a nice variation among the thousands of Tufts a capella groups," said junior co-founder Stephen Leichman. "Truth be told, I decided to start it because I auditioned for both the Beelzebubs and Cheap Sox and didn't make either."
Leichman, however, refused to be denied.
"I figured if I can't make it into a group, start a group. So I did."
The show is a big step for B.E.A.T.S; although they have performed as guests for other Tufts groups such as TDC and the Jackson Jills, and at venues like Kids' Day and Oxfam, "Low Key, High Profile" marks their first feature performance.
"It's exciting that we are at the level where we can start hosting a show each semester with the other popular performance groups around campus," said president junior Chris Archer.
The feat is especially impressive considering the relative infancy of the group.
In Archer's opinion, "the very idea that we are hosting our first annual spring show after only two and a half years of existence is incredible."
Although unique to Tufts, B.E.A.T.S is part of a larger trend of percussion ensembles. Drawing upon African, Latin, Japanese, and other traditional rhythms and beats, percussion groups have long held a place in many cultures and countries around the world from Indonesia's gamelan to West Africa's drums. Percussion groups didn't burst into mainstream American music, however, until the early 1990s with the group Stomp.
First introduced to American audiences in a Coca-Cola commercial in 1993, Stomp has been playing shows in New York City ever since. Likewise, performance groups such as Blue Man Group have helped to raise awareness about other unorthodox music forms.
Just as for these other groups, however, times have not always been as easy for B.E.A.T.S. Both Archer and Leichman fondly remember a time when instruments were confined to what they "could find around campus." Since then, things have changed.
"Now we are fortunate enough to have a budget from the TCU Treasury that we can go to Home Depot and buy all sorts of crazy stuff with," said Archer.
This "crazy stuff" includes, but is not limited to, water jugs, paint buckets, PVC pipes and metal cans. This uniqueness has undoubtedly aided in B.E.A.T.S' rapid development.
"The distinct originality of our group has been successful in attracting extremely talented percussionists, which has allowed us to develop quicker than we imagined," said Archer.
And although the group has been on the rise as of late, "Low Key, High Profile" will be their last major appearance of the semester.
"After this show, we are probably going to just do a few shows at outside gatherings because of the stress that comes with finals," said Archer. "But next year we'll be back doing the bigger shows again."
And their paint cans and radiator pieces will be right there with them.
