Local bands rock back to school show

On Friday night, over 200 people came out to see three local acts perform at The Tavern. Les Doux, Casual Karate and The Mount Rushmores came together to provide concert-goers with a variety of musical stylings, from hardcore to indie-rock.

“I wanted a diverse lineup so that there would be a diverse crowd,” Casual Karate lead singer Marcos Qunito, who also booked the show, said. “Music is about bringing people together from all different walks of life.” Qunito is also a senior vocal performance and Spanish double major at the University of Southern Mississippi.

Kicking the show off was local hardcore band Les Doux. This band never fails to impress audiences with their passionate performances, and Friday night was no different.

“This song is about a girl,” said bassist and vocalist Chris Evans before playing Kingsbridge Blues, one of the band’s newer songs. Evans used an empty Woodchuck bottle to create a slide effect on the song’s opening bass line. This song seems to be one that really hits close to home for the three members because each one throws himself into his performance.  
After the high energy opening act, Casual Karate took the stage. This band is the newest of the acts to hit the scene, making Friday night’s performance their seventh show since forming.  Originally started in late 2011, the band was forced into a two-month hiatus after guitarist Tony Hill sustained significant injuries when a drunk driver hit him while he was walking to work.  
After his recovery, the band was ready to get back to work, and the variety of musical tastes among the members cause their overall sound to be very eclectic.  The five-piece group is made up of individually talented musicians, so when they come together, their music is full of subtle complexities and very skilled performances. The indie-alt rock group had significant support from the audience, who seemed to enjoy every minute of their set.

Rounding out the night was Hattiesburg music scene veterans The Mount Rushmores. Friday night’s show was the group’s debut of their newest drummer, Paul Howayeck.

“The Mount Rushmores killed it as always,” senior kinesiotherapy major Shawn Chambliss said. “The new drummer fit in seamlessly, and the new arrangements in preparation for their upcoming album blew me away.”

The band performed a Death Cab for Cutie favorite, “Sound of Settling,” which elicited a sing-along from the crowd. The Mount Rushmores concluded the night with a thunderous round of applause from the attendees with their first single, “The Saint.”

Quinto was incredibly pleased with the evening’s turnout.

“The mosaic of a crowd that all three bands brought was amazing with tons of energy,” Quinto said. “We love the Hattiesburg scene and in a way want to be a part of its upward revival. This goal is shared by all the bands that played last weekend, which is yet another reason why I asked to bring us all together.”