The ethereal echo of wailing guitars, screaming harmonicas and gut-rumbling bass could be heard Saturday outside the Student Union as UB Jam Club hosted the first UBeephree Music Festival.
Students gathered to hear the tunes of a dozen bands that performed over 12 hours of free music in a show that lasted until midnight.
"People were dancing in the aisles," said Joe Thomas, Jam Club treasurer. "The most exuberant people who you never see in normal times were out there and they were dancing their butts off and they were having a great time."
Many of the bands that played were "jam bands," bands that generally play lengthy sets featuring long, improvised stretches of songs over a set pattern or groove.
"They all had great sets," Thomas said. "I don't think we had a single band that wasn't liked. All of the bands had pretty solid running time and I didn't hear anyone complain at all."
Some of the bands contained UB students, such as Huemonxu, which featured Jam Club secretary Adam Brownstein on guitar. There were also bands from all across the state.
"We had a band from Syracuse and one from Fredonia," Thomas said. "There were a couple people from Oneonta. We had bands from all over."
One band that played, known as The Breakfast, is a national touring band that has previously played with popular artists such as Trey Anastasio and The Black Crowes and at large festivals such as Bonnaroo, according to www.thebreakfast.org.
"Of course The Breakfast stole the show," Thomas said. "They've been doing this for years."
The bands played on two stages, one on the patio outside of the Student Union, where Jam Club typically plays, and the other in front of the main doors. The setup helped alleviate downtime between bands.
"The stage setup worked beautifully," Thomas said. "We could have one band playing and another band setting up."
The location of the concert helped attract many curious students who were walking by, while the mild weather provided an inviting backdrop for them to sit and enjoy the show.
"We had a lot of in and outs, very few people stayed the whole day," Thomas said. "By the time The Breakfast played we had a great crowd going."
The atmosphere of the show seemed to be a major draw for students who were looking to relax and have a good time, according to Thomas.
"It was so friendly," he said. "The bands were all cool people, nobody was uptight or anything like that. They were talking to the people after the show. It was a really friendly and open atmosphere."
Overall, Jam Club was pleased with the festival.
"We've never done anything like this before so we weren't sure what to expect at all, but we were very happy with the way it turned out," Thomas said. "We would really like to make this an annual thing."
Photo: Courtesy of Laron Fomby
