WAC hosts Wooster alumni bands
Nate Weaver
Staff Writer
The Wooster Activities Crew (WAC) is putting on a concert series performed by Wooster alumni this Saturday, April 21, from 2-6 p.m., in the terraced area between Lowry and the PEC.
The College of Wooster invites back Miles Schneider ’11, as well as the band the Whiskey Shivers featuring Evan Heidtmann and Bobby Fitzgerald, both from the class of 2009.
This is the first official alumni concert that WAC has hosted. Isaac Galef-Brown ’13, one of WAC Coffee House Directors, who coordinated the concert on Saturday, would like to see an alumni concert become a yearly WAC event. “It would be a really cool idea” he said.
The show will begin with a 90-minute performance from OUST (Miles Schneider). Schneider was a neuroscience major at The College of Wooster, but has recently been working on his music career in electric violin. He started playing violin when he was five and was trained in classical and acoustic. As a teenager he said, “I started branching out into alternative and rock, and eventually picked up electric violin.” Schneider said that he usually “has a catalogue of 20 or so songs I choose from when I perform. In the 90 minute slot I’ll probably choose 16 or so from that list.” Schneider also provides a prediction for the type of music he will be playing on Saturday saying, “I’ll be playing experimental rock and covers on Saturday.”
The Whiskey Shivers will follow Schneider’s act. The band was formed in 2009, and plays bluegrass music. Two Wooster alumni Evan Heidtmann (banjo) and Bobby Fitzgerald (lead vocals and fiddler) play in the band. They have become quite famous, and recently have been opening for Sleigh Bells.
Wooster makes an effort to keep in touch with those who have graduated. Bringing back COW musicians is a great way of connecting the newest generation of students with the members of the community who have already graduated. Both current students and alumni want to make an effort to connect graduates to those here now.
Schneider said “I would love to stay involved in alumni events.” Although WAC does plan many events, this one is special because the performers are Wooster alumni. Many seniors remember Heidtmann and Fitzgerald, and Schneider was a student here only last year. As Galef-Brown said “It’s more of an attraction because Miles only graduated last year.”
WAC puts a lot of effort into their events and this concert is going to be a great one, with the performers having a personal affiliation with the school. As Galef-Brown mentioned, “It is a really good idea to support small name artists, especially Wooster Alumni.” WAC hopes that a large part of the student body will come out, listen to great music and enjoy some nice spring weather.