The Aspen Collective held a Halloween concert in Kings Beach at the Fox Culture Hall on Friday, Oct. 25. The local teen band Serendipity performed as the opening act alongside bands Meat Blanket and In the Works.
Since it was a Halloween concert it was suggested to wear a costume, so Serendipity decided to dress up as the Scooby Doo characters. Dani Mason was Velma, Ruby Makoutz was Daphne, August Stepper was Shaggy, and Leo Murrell was Scooby Doo. For the opening song, they played the“Scooby Doo Theme Song” to match the outfits.
They performed four songs: “Scooby Doo Theme Song”, “Harness Your Hopes” by Pavement, “Truth or Dare” by Serendipity, and “Bittersweet” by Serendipity. With each performance, the energy was rising.
Although there wasn’t a huge turnout, the people who showed up seemed to have fun and enjoyed what they watched. “Serendipity was fabulous and they had a fun energy that made you want to watch more,” said Zoey Carrillo.
Serendipity was a perfect opening act. As an indie rock band, they eased their way into the night, whereas the other two bands were full rock. They’re the perfect band for people who don’t like the ‘screaming type’ of rock.
“Bittersweet” is a favorite among people and the bridge will get stuck in your head. Mason was able to draw the audience into the song by getting on their level and singing with them. As she sang “My memories become less and less about you” on repeat it gets louder and louder until the final one brings the audience back to the upbeat tempo from the rest of the song.
The four band members’ overall stage presence was entertaining. Their connection looked strong as they danced with each other on stage. Murrell and Mason both sang during “Truth or Dare” and at one point, they shared the microphone, dancing and performing beside each other having fun. During every song, you see the four looking at each other and enjoying themselves.
Various times throughout the show, Makoutz performed guitar solos, showing her love and skill for the instrument. She was dancing and smiling, and got the audience engaged in her artwork. Makoutz makes playing the guitar seem effortless, allowing her to connect with the audience.
The drum section in Scooby Doo is not an easy one. Stepper had to make the fast-tempo beat we all know and love throughout the entire song. Stepper took the challenge and helped bring together the loved theme song.
Murrell played bass and did some singing, he seemed to be having a blast on stage. At the end of “Scooby Doo”, he jumped to the beat, making the show entertaining. He showed the audience his dance moves and helped raise the energy level of everyone in the room.
Not only were there great performances but there were also amazing audience members. When the other two bands performed, they made sure that they were right in the front, dancing and getting closer to the stage and performance. They knew when to bring the energy and weren’t shy to engage other audience members. The friendship that the four bandmates have is seen both off the stage and on. For most of the night, you wouldn’t see one of them alone. They danced and laughed with each other throughout the whole night.
The other two bands had a tough act to follow but they each brought the energy. Just like Serendipity, Meat Blanket and In the Works were able to bring the small audience to life. With more and more concerts, Serendipity perfects their performance.
