A Libertyville High School tradition that had been put to rest for the past four years has been brought back in a new and organized fashion. Band Jam, an event that was created with the intention of bringing young musicians together, has made a statement and will possibly be here to stay.
On Friday, April 10, several students and faculty gathered to share their appreciation of music by watching student performers play musical pieces. There was everything from guitar solos to full band acts displaying what Libertyville’s music is made of.
“It [the Band Jam] used to be an event that happened consistently years ago, but in recent years has kind of tapered off,” explained Ms. Kolish, manager of the Write Place and leader of Fret Boarders, the club in charge of organizing Band Jam. “So when I inherited the club, I wanted it to be a goal to bring back Band Jam for the next years.”
Fret Boarders, a musical club at LHS, was responsible for this year’s band jam, and years past as well. Meeting every Thursday in the Write Place, all students are welcome to share their music and collaborate with other musicians.
The name Fret Boarders originates from the fretboard of a guitar, but the club isn’t meant for only guitar players. “It was originally supposed to be poetry, work that you’ve ever done, things that you perform, like a guitar circle sort of thing. It slowly evolved into more of a sort of music, anything you’ve written, collaborating with people, so it’s more of just a music club,” said senior Nic Bone.
Organizing this event, however, was not as easy as deciding on a date and getting the acts lined up. After talking to those at school who are in charge of planning events, Fret Boarders had to raise money for food and drinks, find a place for the Jam, publicize it, set it up, and find someone to help them with sound and lights.
“We started [preparing] back in January. Mr. [Eli] Kelly — he’s in IT– he had helped out with the event when it happened years ago, and so he was really vital for me to kinda figure out how is this going to work because I don’t really have musical background, so I don’t know all the sound equipment that we needed, or all the lighting.” explained Ms. Kolish. In addition to Mr. Kelly, the Band Jam performers also teamed together to help Ms. Kolish organize the lineup and sign-ups for the show.
After months of preparation, the night of the Band Jam finally came. With excitement flowing through the cafeteria, 10 students prepared to perform their music, and around 25 people came to watch the show. “I really liked how informal the event was. It made me a lot less nervous,” said Emmalee Berger, senior and singer at the Band Jam. With a large tapestry and tiny white lights surrounding the cafeteria, the setting gave a very relaxed, and welcoming vibe.
Fret Boarders wishes for the Band Jam to become an annual gathering for LHS’s musicians. Allowing students to express themselves on stage and bringing those who are musically inclined together, the Band Jam is a get-together that causes these things to happen.
“I always like performing and I also enjoy watching other people perform… you never know what happens at the school unless people come up on the stage and show it. It’s just fun to get everyone together,” voiced Bone.
