Mandolins, music and comedy shine at Underground

By AMANDA MOTLEY

On Friday, Feb. 22, students crowded into the Underground for performances by Kyle Phalen, Rain Negativity and Save the Arcadian.
Phalen and Rain Negativity both added great elements to the night, leading up the main set by Save the Arcadian. Phalen was a one-man show with his guitar and voice. Meanwhile, Rain Negativity brought a humorous spin on the night with his sarcastic comedy act, making witty comments about the bands that really had the crowd laughing.

Save the Arcadian came on last as the main set. They brought a unique musical style, offering a wide range of instruments, including the cello, keyboard, mandolin, guitar and drums. The band thrives on the folk-pop category of music, seeking inspiration from bands like The Last Bison, Arcade Fire and Weezer.

Their story is unique; Save the Arcadian features a group of five men, all affiliated with the University of Mary Washington, who formed their band about a year and a half ago by chance and circumstance.  Their performance on Friday showed the audience their unique sound through the use of a range of instruments and the songs they switched between.

Their sound was light and cheerful, bringing joy to the crowd and inspiring them to clap, dance and sing along as they played. The set included some of their most popular songs such as “Lair!,” “Walrus” and “Dance Floor.” The band showed their quirky side by adding background information between songs. This created a sense of connection to the song the audience was hearing.

Sophomore music major Erin Waters said how “cool and unique their style was and how fun the music was.” The rest of the audience echoed similar responses regarding the performance.