Alexandra Henriques/Fourth Estate
Local festival connects the D.C. music scene with the Mason community
BY ALEXANDRA HENRIQUES, STAFF WRITER
WGMU Radio held its second annual music festival, Amplifest, at Jammin Java in Vienna, Virginia on Thursday, April 17. Amplifest serves to connect Mason students with the rich local music scene within the D.C. metro area, while simultaneously uplifting a variety of local bands. This year, Amplifest’s lineup included Night Hawk, ARAUJIA and Gerf.
Night Hawk opened Amplifest with a dreamy yet energetic eight-song set that showcased a mix of their released music and upcoming songs, such as “Paper Receipts,” which was the song’s debut live performance. The band, formed by Colter and Peyton in Maine during the COVID-19 pandemic, is reminiscent of a large found family.
While Night Hawk is primarily based in the District, they have bandmates in New England, so the music making and performing process often differs. Night Hawk’s upcoming album, which includes “Paper Receipts,” will have songs that feature their New England bandmates, and others where it is just the D.C. crew.
(Photo courtesy of Amal Qazi)
“Depending on who we play with, we let everyone put their own kind of spin on it. So, Eli’s going to play the drums a bit different than Courtney, who is our drummer up in Maine…Each show is unique, depending on who is there,” Peyton, the lead vocalist, said.
One thing that separates Night Hawk from other indie-rock bands is their gravitation towards string instruments, including a cello in the past and a violin. Now, Emma shines playing the violin in the band, adopting parts that would traditionally be taken by a guitar. At Amplifest, she had an abundance of solos that contributed to the enchanting and bouncy sound of Night Hawk.
Night Hawk is releasing “Paper Receipts” on May 2 and an accompanying music video on May 9. Additionally, they will also be playing Pearl Street Warehouse on May 30.
ARAUJIA, a four-piece band made of Georgetown University students, takes on alternative metal and shoegaze sounds in a unique, exploratory way. Their performance at Amplifest was electric, as they encouraged the audience to come closer, sing along and dance.
They performed at Music Production Club’s Plazapalooza last spring, so Amplifest was their second time collaborating with Mason’s student organizations, and each time, they bring something new to the table. At Amplifest, ARAUJIA performed a garage rock rendition of Chappell Roan’s “Good Luck Babe!” while also showcasing new original songs.
ARAUJIA is currently mixing and mastering songs for an upcoming EP, which is expected this summer. The EP follows “virtues” and their most recent single, “time slipping.” In the past, Andres was on his own creating music for ARAUJIA. Now, he has three bandmates to help.
(Photo courtesy of Amal Qazi)
“Most of the songs we’re playing are songs we have all written together. Working with them, us bouncing ideas off of each other, has made us a more dynamic, better band…It’s really powerful, and [the new EP] is very autobiographical,” Andres said of their upcoming music.
When asked about their favorite part of the D.C. music scene, Andres explained that it is the tight-knit community where “everyone knows each other,” due to a common overlap of band members and performing at local venues together.
The overlap of band members and close community was even proven when Blas, the drummer for Gerf, told a story about how he sat in for Night Hawk once when their drummer was out. However, the folky, indie sound of Night Hawk and his style of drumming were too different, so they mutually decided it was not a fit.
Gerf closed Amplifest with a dynamic set that began with a lively performance of their song “Cheddar Mac & Cheese.” Gerf combines garage-rock with surf-punk, a unique and captivating sound. Their songs all contain catchy melodies and choruses, which they optimized as they taught the crowd lyrics to their songs and had the audience chant them back.
Gerf also sang covers in their style, including “All the Small Things” by Blink-182 and “Teenage Dirtbag” by Wheatus. However, one of the band’s favorite songs to perform is “Couch Sex,” their most popular song with over 200,000 Spotify streams.
(Photo courtesy of Amal Qazi)
“That’s always when people start dancing, so it’s my favorite moment in the set,” Gareth, the lead singer and guitarist, said.
Gerf released an EP, “Fever,” on April 4, and is projected to release at least two new singles in the upcoming months. They are also a part of Plenty Happening, a D.C. compilation supporting gender affirming care at Whitman-Walker.
“A bunch of local bands are a part of it. It’s just a big collective album from a bunch of local musicians and hands, and all the proceeds are going to the hospital,” Blas said. “It’s super cool.”
Overall, Amplifest was an amazing night for both WGMU Radio and the local bands that were celebrated.
