Like Mindz
Lower Quad
Saturday, 3:00 p.m.
"There ain't no band Like Mindz" is their motto, and quite frankly, that's pretty much on point. Like Mindz is Penn's only R&B-soul-hip-hop-funk-jazz live band that covers hits by other artists and are talented enough to perform music that they have produced and written themselves. Like Mindz is currently composed of lyricist Nana Tuffor, singer Kristan Sock, drummer Jason Edwards, bassist and Haverford student John Daise and keyboardist Hayling Price. In a brief interview with Price, he discussed the musical dynamics of the group as he stated how Like Mindz intertwines his classical piano training with the West African drumming techniques of Edwards and the alternative rock music played by Daise in order to reach across musical boundaries. Price explained that the group's eclectic origins influence the way they interpret the music they perform as a "post-modern, soulquarian, neo-jazz jambalaya of sound." When asked why we should come to the Quad to listen to them perform, Price responded: "Big things are going to happen, but we can't let the cat out of the bag yet." So if you're wondering what the hell a post-modern, soulquarian, neo-jazz jambalaya sounds like, then you're going to have to come out to Fling in order to find out.
-Rhaisa Kai
Mark Williams
Lower Quad
Saturday, 2:00 p.m.
He began playing music at age four, started performing live when he was nine, released an album at 15, but now at age 16, Mark Williams has finally reached the pinnacle of success: the Quad stage at Spring Fling. Williams is a sophomore in high school, but he attends classes on the road through the Pennsylvania Cyber Charter School, an online K-12 program. While this does allow him to constantly tour and work on his music, there are drawbacks. "I don't see a lot of people on a regular basis," says Williams, "I don't see my best friend everyday. But when I have time with certain people I cherish that." If there is a bright side, it's that this provides material for songs. "I like to write about the whole lifestyle I live," he says.
Williams plays with two other teenagers in the Mark Williams Band. Their music is a polished brand of mainstream alternative rock, with howling vocals and chunky guitars comparable to Taking Back Sunday and Paramore. This will be their first Philadelphia show and they seem prepared for the Fling atmosphere. "It's really all about adapting," Williams says, "If they're trashed and they want to hear guitar solos, that's what we'll give them. They want some metal? We can do that. It's totally about making the audience happy."
-Ben Rosen
Liam And Me
Upper Quad
Friday, 5:30 p.m.
College looked like the end for high school punk band Mad Mardigan. Theirs was a familiar tale of recording demos and playing friends' parties, and the West Philly natives were ready for bigger things (like Penn). And yet, they couldn't quite forget the band. In 2004, five years after their inception, singer Matt O'Dowd and the rest of the gang hit the studio again. They had a new drummer and a new name, Liam and Me, inspired by a line from The Big Lebowski. They also had a new sound, influenced by a diverse group of bands including The Cure, Modest Mouse and Stevie Wonder. "Ultimately," says O'Dowd, "we're trying to make great pop/rock songs with cool arrangements that people will want to learn how to play on guitar or sing at a karaoke bar." This philosophy appears to be proving successful, as their debut will drop this summer on the Thrive/Sony Red Ink label. Equally encouraging has been the response to their shows, where "People dance like crazy, have too many drinks, disrobe, etcetera," attests O'Dowd. He recounts one instance during a gig where a particularly passionate female fan made amorous overtures to several of the members. "It was weird, but we rolled with it," he says. Sounds like the Fling crowd will be no sweat for Liam and Me.
-Frances Wright
matt duke
Upper Quad
Friday, 11:00 a.m.
Matt Duke has come a long way since those days in high school when he would play his guitar after school in deserted classrooms. He has since scored a deal with Drexel's MadDragon record label, played on the air at WXPN and filled tons of venues all around the Northeast. He has a versatility on the guitar that is tough to pull off - each one of his songs has its own character and personality.
Matt usually rocks the crowd with a full band, but the occasional solo performance is just as lively, filling the stage with an energy that doesn't feel like it is coming from just one guy and six strings. His songs are inspired; the lyrics come from deep down inside (or at least it sounds like it).
This is his third year playing Fling and it most likely won't be his last. He loves it here, especially how all the music seems to "just sort of transform into one giant block party." He explains, "I have a great time just being there regardless of how my set goes." Sure to mix a little old and new, Matt's lineup is not going to disappoint. It'll be well-worth the free that you're spending.
-Dan Mingle
