To liven up the Dartmouth music scene, a group of students banded together in 2004 to create Friday Night Rock, a student-run club that brings bands to campus to play three or four concerts in Fuel each term.
Evan Curhan '14, one of FNR's publicity managers and a San Francisco native, said he jumped at the opportunity to help bring live music to campus when he found out about the group.
"I went to the first meeting they had and I loved the people, loved what they were doing," Curhan said.
Booking manager Matt Knight '11, who has been involved in FNR throughout his four years at Dartmouth, said he had a similar enthusiasm for FNR as a freshman.
"Once I had my foot in the door there was no stopping me," Knight said. "I just thought it was the coolest thing that a group of students is able to have the resources to put together these awesome shows and have such control over the entertainment on campus."
FNR shows are held in Fuel on Friday nights, with the doors usually opening around 9 p.m. Snacks are provided and beer served to those over 21. Although the format of the shows is pretty consistent, the acts are constantly changing.
FNR members try to scout out fresh new bands in a variety of genres in order to appeal to a diverse student audience, according to general manager Elizabeth Hunter '11.
Hunter said the diversity of bands hosted by FNR marks a change from previous years.
"When we were freshmen the people in charge were very much about bringing only the kind of music that they wanted to hear to campus," Hunter said. "I think that over the last few years one of the things that has become most important to us is bringing more students to the shows."
According to Knight, the group of concerts FNR sponsored in Fall term was more eclectic than usual and included a performance by the gypsy rock band Guignol.
FNR's schedule for Winter term is more focused, Knight said.
Barefoot Truth an indie-folk group originally from Connecticut played in Fuel on Friday, Feb. 4, with an opening performance by Tica Douglas '10. Students in attendance reacted positively to the concert.
"I thought it was fabulous and Tica Douglas was amazing," Leah Feiger '14 wrote in an e-mail to The Dartmouth. "The vibe was really cool, interesting people listening to good music. It was pretty packed."
On Feb. 18, School of Seven Bells will visit Dartmouth on its concert tour, stopping in Hanover en route from Montreal to New York.
Knight expressed excitement that School of Seven Bells are willing to stop in Hanover, as they are a big-name band that would not typically play in such a small college town.
Anamanaguchi, which Knight described as "a really high-energy rock band," will open for School of Seven Bells.
In addition to this action-packed show, FNR has an alumni and student showcase planned for Feb. 25.
According to Hunter, this kind of show marks a return to the original FNR goal to provide a space for campus musicians to perform. Hunter said many of FNR's first concerts featured bands its members had founded.
The set list for the performance is still a work in progress, according to Knight.
FNR members encouraged students who have never been to a show or never even heard of the bands to attend one of the upcoming performances.
