'MACRoCk is an orgy of music'
By Zachary Beard, staff writer
Posted on April 10, 2006

Vinnie Caruana is never going to Google Scott Stapp lyrics. Ever. The frontman for I Am The Avalanche shared his encounter with the former Creed star on stage Saturday afternoon at The Pub.

Caruana was less than impressed with Stapp’s inflated “rock star” performance and songwriting.

Although Caruana is the first to decry majestic Christ-like poses and all things “butt-rock,” he is a strong advocate of the road trip.

“We traveled 35 hours to play here,” said Caruana, which means Toledo, Ohio, is either really far away or someone Googled the wrong map directions. Exaggeration aside, many bands make the yearly pilgrimage to the Valley every year, from places like Oklahoma and Oshkosh.

While Harrisonburg isn’t quite the indie rock mecca, the Mid-Atlantic College Radio Conference (MACRoCk) has become a big deal. According to Jess Woodward, the 2006 coordinator of the event, MACRoCk was started in 1997 by volunteers at the student radio station as a reaction to the increased commercialization of the music industry. The creators wanted to have an event where students at other college stations and all music lovers could be exposed to the independent and under-promoted bands that were coming up, in an environment not tainted by sponsorship and major labels.. Now 10 years strong, this year offered over 100 performances, a label expo, panels discussing the issues of  media and the independent music scene, a film festival and the potential to catch the next big band.

Past MACRoCk alumi include: Thursday, Coheed and Cambria, Elliot Smith, Alkaline Trio, The Get Up Kids, Dillinger Escape Plan and Dashboard Confessional, to name a few.

“MACRoCk is an orgy of music,” said junior Shane Spitzer. “I can’t believe I can go from seeing Mass Movement of the Moth to Gym Class Heroes.” To catch these acts, the concertgoer must hopscotch around Harrisonburg for everything from spazz to hip-hop.

Venues were scattered over two days between Godwin Hall, Guzman’s, Captain Tee’s, The Little Grill, The Pub and Court Square Theater. 

Spitzer plays bass in Never Ending Story, a local band from Broadway. He hopes that his band can play a future MACRoCk event. 

That hope is what MACRoCk inspires; that independent music can come together and have a chance.

CEER!US is a promotions company based in Virginia Beach that supports the independent scene.  Their company, along with a few dozen others, was at the label expo. CEER!US just released a clothing line, but they are much more than that.

“We sponsor bands and act as their family. Anything they need we take care of for them. We are home to five bands who we sponsor,” said CEER!US representative Windsor Lovette, claiming that MACRoCk is, on the local level, by far the biggest event of the year for the company.

It also may be the most unique. The event managed to bring out the esoteric emo via keytar—in an ’80s Scandinavian synth-pop opera kind of way.

The Richmond trio Rah Brahs revived the crowd at Guzman’s with the virtuosity of the keytar, played by bassist Dave Nesmith (think an operatic Postal Service on speed).

“Everyone was standing around, not knowing what to expect,” said sophomore Andy Anderson. Anderson was on his way to Godwin to catch the Metal showcase when he turned to hear the shredding synthesizers.

Many concertgoers meet the full-out energy of the bands with a wallflower-caught-in-the-moshpit mentality. But many bands such as The Walkmen and the metal outfit All Else Failed didn’t disappoint. 

The aforementioned alternative hip-hop group Gym Class Heroes, fresh off a video shoot and Warped Tour appearance last year, didn’t let their increasing notoriety take away from the intimate music experience, which is ultimately what the shows are about.

Woodward said describing the actual feeling of camaraderie is difficult. Although it’s “the largest independent music conference on the East Coast,” it still remains a close-knit network of organizations and bands.

For the true experience of MACRoCk, don’t ask and certainly don’t Google, but partake in the two-day insanity next April.