The Rochester Public Market on Saturday mornings is a great place to find local produce, eat a fantastic breakfast or lunch, or watch people from all over the city. On Friday, Sept. 13, the area that usually hosts the public market hosted a gathering of food trucks and fantastic music.
Rain could not wash away the smell of fried dough or keep SoundExchange, a group of musicians from Eastman, from bringing the heat at the “Food Truck Rodeo.” Fall has made its way to Rochester early this year, bringing with it some cloudy days and chilly nights. But when you invite the general public to come eat delicious food and dance to music with friends, a little bit of typical Rochester weather will not keep them away.
Seniors Matthew Cox and Kurt Fedde, producers of the show, worked with SoundExchange, directed by Emily Wozniak, to put together a show that lives up to the values that SoundExchange is founded on: creating a concert experience that breaks the barriers between the audience and musicians to enhance the traditional concert experience.
In the past, they have done performances that involved members of the audience seated within the orchestra. SoundExchange has performed outreach concerts at venues such as the Museum of Play and Strong Hospital, and are known for reaching out to the Rochester community with events such as these.
For this event, the producers brought together a group of singers and instrumentalist from Eastman to perform hits of various genres. The set list, which was very different from that of other concerts they have performed, ranged from Justin Timberlake, classic Pop, to Fiona Apple, modern Folk.
Jacqueline Dreher ‘13, co-president of “Eastman for the Earth” which focuses on sustainability on Eastman campus, was milling around in the audience. She brought with her instruments made out of recycled materials. She gave these out to audience members so that they too could join in with the music making.
SoundExchange has worked this year to collaborate with the Greentopia Festival. Bringing awareness to recycling and offering simple examples on how to make music with recycled materials was a brilliant touch to the performance. Children and adults of all ages came to pick up the shakers and played along with the music being performed.
When I heard about this event, I knew I had to go. I have worked with SoundExchange before, and I love to show support when they put on a concert that I’m not performing in. This group is comprised of, in my opinion, some of the best talents at Eastman, and Eastman’s strong sense of community showed through by the large attendance of Eastman musicians in the audience. I was surprised to discover how many local food trucks rule the area. They range from sushi to grilled cheese to fried Oreos. Having this event at the Rochester Public Market was a great idea. People were able to walk along the paths to try out different foods and then sit and enjoy the music while they ate. As a musician, I love seeing groups of students that may not ordinarily spend time together collaborate in a project like this; it goes to show music brings people together.
The food truck rally was an enjoyable, unique event that will definitely be repeated in the future. For me, it was a great way to find some great food and have a great time. Grilled cheese with macaroni and cheese, pulled pork, and pepperjack, check. Great music with wonderful friends, check. A Friday night in Rochester well-spent? Check.
Fayazi is a member of the class of 2014.
