Hardin-Simmons hosts rock show during STAMPEDE

(ABILENE, Texas)–Kicking off the new year on a high note, HSU Rocks, a student-lead rock show, is performed each year during STAMPEDE week. The show is set towards the end of the week to amp the students up for the following events such as Paint Wars.

HSU Rocks was created by the Dean of Fine Arts, Dr. Robert Tucker, in 2015. Tucker originally came up with the idea while teaching a History of Rock Music class in London for a different university in 2012. “While teaching this course, I just thought it would be cool to have a rock show on campus and I did what I could to start one,” he explained. In London, the show was called Rock Through the Ages, but it was modified when Tucker came to HSU.

Jonas Sims performs a classic Elton John song called “I’m Still Standing.”

In 2015, Tucker transferred to Hardin-Simmons and brought his production with him. The first HSU Rocks was held in 2015 and was originally called HSU Rocks the 40 Acres but the name was later shortened. Although the production is now held every year during STAMPEDE week, the two were not held in conjunction until 2017; the original show was held in January.

Each year, a music business major oversees producing the show. Senior Ricky Ramirez produced this year’s show, which was his first major production. “It was really cool to do this because I got to create a show where I knew the audience would enjoy it and have that hour or so to just take a break, forget about their stress and have a good time,” he said. Ramirez returned to HSU for the fall semester from Nashville, Tennessee, where he studied at the Contemporary Music Center.

Because some of the songs the artists were singing required special instruments that were not available to use on stage during the performance, Ramirez created tracks called stems that create the sound of the instruments playing for each song. These tracks were created using computer software called Logic Pro X and then played through the sound system for the audience to hear.

Kathryn Darwin sings “Before He Cheats” by Carrie Underwood.

The show included a setlist of 17 songs and artists; While some musicians had performed in HSU Rocks before, some were performing for their very first time. “I’m a BFA Musical Theatre major and have been performing all my life, but this show was a whole different style; a different energy that I’ve never experienced before,” said sophomore Kathryn Darwin, “I don’t think I was nervous, because HSU Rocks was one of the first times during Stampede last year that I really felt at home here, so I was mostly just excited to be that for some of the new freshmen, if I could.”

With songs including “I Wanna Dance With Somebody” by Whitney Houston and “Treasure,” by Bruno Mars, the show was filled with high energy with students dancing around, and even fist-pumping. “This was my first year participating in HSU Rocks and the capacity in which I got to participate was so much fun,” said junior Dylan Scott. “The memories that will stick with me are the late rehearsals and the reaction the band received when we first walked on stage during Stampede!”

Emily Hatch invites the crowd to sing along to Evanescence’s “Bring Me to Life.”

Although Tucker said he would not mind performing for his students, he is proud of the way it has become a student-lead event. “It’s very gratifying to me to see students to this,” he said. “I think it’s the way it ought to be.”

Currently, HSU Rocks is in the books for STAMPEDE 2020, but a producer is still needed. If interested, please contact Dr. Tucker at Robert.L.Tucker@hsutx.edu.