Chart topping band comes to Underground

CARLY DAVIS

Cover Drive, a  pop band from Barbados, stopped by the Underground at Wednesday’s acoustic night last week during their first United States college tour.

The group of four long-time friends, Amanda Reifer, Barry ‘Bar-Man’ Hill, Jamar Harding and T-Ray Armstrong, opened the show with some sunshine and their twist on Maroon 5’s “One More Night.”

Throughout the performance, a lively audience greeted Cover Drive’s catchy tunes by clapping to the beat and dancing in their seats.

Hints of the group’s Caribbean roots were present with each unique flare they provided to both their covers and original songs. Cover Drive’s easy and tropical songs delivered a perfect transition for students returning to their hectic schedules after a relaxing spring break.

Wednesday night’s performance included renditions of Ke$ha’s “Crazy Kids,” Pharrell’s “Happy,” Miley Cyrus’ “We Can’t Stop” and other popular tunes by the likes of Bob Marley and Bruno Mars. In addition, Cover Drive sang a few of their original songs such as “Hurricane,” “Explode,” and “Headphones” that were equally, if not more, entertaining.

Lead singer Amanda Reifer continuously walked through the audience to get to know the crowd. She encouraged students by bringing a select few on stage to teach them how to dance. Reifer created an uplifting energy that the audience seemed to enjoy.

“So we’re officially not strangers anymore right?” Reifer asked, “We’re friends now!”

Freshman music major Austin O’Rourk and sophomore environmental science major Cole Masaitis agreed that the performance was “awesome.”

When the group preformed a mix of One Republic’s “Counting Stars” and Imagine Dragon’s “Radioactive,” the crowd reacted with roaring applause and mid-song exclamations. During their cover of Bob Marley’s “Don’t Worry, Be Happy,” students linked arms and began swaying to the music.

For some attendees, Cover Drive’s show was their first acoustic night experience at the Underground and most certainly not their last.

“They’re really good, I liked how they really interacted with the audience,” said Victoria Lee, a freshman business major.

Lee added that she would return again for another acoustic night.

The liveliness of Cover Drive was contagious for Wednesday’s audience. When the show ended, an excited crowd earned an encore of Bob Marley’s “Looking in Your Big Brown Eyes.”

While Cover Drive performed the final song, the entire audience gathered near the stage and freely danced together.

Even though the show came to end, Riefer assured the crowd they were not going anywhere.

“Who’s gonna show us a good college time after this?” she asked.

Cover Drive’s energy was the perfect remedy for a stormy day, and the turnout was well deserved for such a magnetic performance.