The standard sounds of Smith Union will give way to the dancey melodies of three up-and-coming bands tomorrow night. WBOR is bringing The Morning Benders, Lady Lamb the Beekeper and The Milkman's Union for its annual fall concert.
The Morning Benders, who recently migrated from the Bay Area to Brooklyn, are touring in support of their sophomore effort"Big Echo," released in March.
Their music merges harmonious West Coast melodies with edgy echoes and experimental elements. The band boasts performances and tours with bands like Death Cab for Cutie, Grizzly Bear, The Black Keys, Broken Bells and the Kooks.
WBOR is expecting a large turnout thanks to The Morning Benders' catchy and intelligent music. The band has garned much critical acclaim—Pitchfork rated "Big Echo" an 8.2 out of 10 and iTunes named the band's debut album "Talking Through Tin Cans" the best indie/alternative album of 2008—but the band has also been known to get audiences dancing.
WBOR management said it is proud to bring the The Morning Benders, which it thinks will be accessible to much of the student body.
"This is a tension we are always aware of when picking bands," said WBOR's concert manager William Albuquerque '11. "We felt they were a great choice for their combination of broad appeal and talent, similar to how Passion Pit fit last year."
The headliner, however, is not the only draw to tomorrow night's show. Portland-based openers The Milkman's Union (featuring alumni Henry Root '10 and Peter McLaughlin '10) and Lady Lamb the Beekeeper will start the show.
Lady Lamb the Beekeeper is the moniker of Aly Spaltro, who performs folk songs that are both engaging and endearing. Spaltro's compositions often evoke a sense of childlike wonder apparent in "A Dinosaur Song."
The Milkman's Union will showcase their new sound that builds off their signature book-smart lyrics and haunting melodies.
Students have said that they appreciate the efforts of groups like WBOR to bring live music to campus, especially bands that are not just connected to the College but have national renown.
"The Morning Benders concert offers a chance for the Bowdoin community to declare that live music is important to them and I hope that groups around campus, and the College itself, take notice," said Matthew Wu '14.
"I can't help but harbor the impression that the Bowdoin community on the whole is satisfied with just having DJs spew the top 25 hits off of their iPods," said Wu. "However, at the handful of live music events held this year, I've seen some pretty enthusiastic turnouts."
"WBOR is really excited about our fall concert," said the WBOR station manager Jillian Eddy '12. "We've worked very hard to select acts that will be fun for everyone to see, and I think we've got a strong lineup with Bowdoin alumni The Milkman's Union, Portland's Lady Lamb the Beekeeper, and a great up-and-coming indie band [with] The Morning Benders."
The concert will take place tomorrow in Morrell Lounge in Smith Union at 8 p.m.
It is free and open to the public.
Said Eddy, "It's going to be a fantastic show."