Online Exclusive: Additional Family Weekend coverage
Performers, audience kick off Family Weekend
Jesse Disbrow
Issue date: 10/9/03 Section: News
Audience participation was key last Friday as parents and students enjoyed a show at the McCann Center to begin Marist's Family Weekend. Musicians Dave Binder and Paul Stowe, as well as the Airborne Comedians juggling act, drew a full house.
The evening began with a concert by singer/songwriter Binder, an artist who has played at Marist for the past 15 years, performing at his first Family Weekend.
"It's great to be playing on parents' weekend," Binder said during the concert. "You guys [referring to the audience] are old enough to know most of my music."
The musician, who specializes in James Taylor covers, was able to touch the entire audience with a variety of music and sing-alongs that included songs by Taylor, John Mayer and Binder's original compositions. His sing-alongs were especially entertaining, as the entire crowd joined in, singing and dancing to fast food restaurant names set to music, as well as Binder's famous 1969 sing-along.
Along with his humor and fun songs, Binder also played some appropriate and sympathetic songs about life and being away from family and friends. His original song "Love is Where You Are," received a standing ovation as the audience made a connection with the song.
Paul Stowe, a long-time friend of Binder, took the stage to deliver a few meaningful duets with the veteran Marist entertainer. The two complemented each other as they sang songs from Crosby, Stills and Nash and Simon and Garfunkel.
Bob Lynch, a friend of the two and director of college activities at Marist College, soloed during one of the duets, jokingly crashing a cymbal. Despite the joking, Lynch thinks that Binder and Stowe are great musicians.
"They're not only my friends but very talented musicians," Lynch said.
In addition to the concert, the Airborne Comedians, Dan Foley and Joel Harris, performed comedic juggling acts, balancing acts and songs, with some acts including audience participation. Occasionally, the performers deviated from their mundane tasks of juggling six batons, six aluminum folding chairs or balancing unicycles on their heads to juggle more interesting things like birdbaths, giant foam words and electric guitars.
After the event, the crowd left with smiles on their faces, feeling an enjoyable start to the weekend.
"The point of this night was to start the weekend off real well," Lynch said. "And I think they did that."
The evening began with a concert by singer/songwriter Binder, an artist who has played at Marist for the past 15 years, performing at his first Family Weekend.
"It's great to be playing on parents' weekend," Binder said during the concert. "You guys [referring to the audience] are old enough to know most of my music."
The musician, who specializes in James Taylor covers, was able to touch the entire audience with a variety of music and sing-alongs that included songs by Taylor, John Mayer and Binder's original compositions. His sing-alongs were especially entertaining, as the entire crowd joined in, singing and dancing to fast food restaurant names set to music, as well as Binder's famous 1969 sing-along.
Along with his humor and fun songs, Binder also played some appropriate and sympathetic songs about life and being away from family and friends. His original song "Love is Where You Are," received a standing ovation as the audience made a connection with the song.
Paul Stowe, a long-time friend of Binder, took the stage to deliver a few meaningful duets with the veteran Marist entertainer. The two complemented each other as they sang songs from Crosby, Stills and Nash and Simon and Garfunkel.
Bob Lynch, a friend of the two and director of college activities at Marist College, soloed during one of the duets, jokingly crashing a cymbal. Despite the joking, Lynch thinks that Binder and Stowe are great musicians.
"They're not only my friends but very talented musicians," Lynch said.
In addition to the concert, the Airborne Comedians, Dan Foley and Joel Harris, performed comedic juggling acts, balancing acts and songs, with some acts including audience participation. Occasionally, the performers deviated from their mundane tasks of juggling six batons, six aluminum folding chairs or balancing unicycles on their heads to juggle more interesting things like birdbaths, giant foam words and electric guitars.
After the event, the crowd left with smiles on their faces, feeling an enjoyable start to the weekend.
"The point of this night was to start the weekend off real well," Lynch said. "And I think they did that."