By Derek Westra
More than 500 fans crowded into a small, student house Saturday night to support their favorite local bands and guitarists whose music might have been a bit too edgy for Guitars Unplugged at BYU.
Dean Cheesman, host of what he affectionately calls ?guitars plugged,? said he used food, drinks and music to lure the crowd to his house for the concert.
?Provo needs more stuff like this,? said Cheesman, who played guitar, recorded the music and even grilled burgers for the show. ?I love planning events and giving people something to do on the weekend. When some friends of mine and I didn?t make the final Guitars Unplugged auditions, we decided to hold our own.?
Performers were given the choice of an acoustic show in the living room or a full band in the garage. Students and other music fans filled the home in southwest Provo to capacity. Cheesman, who holds monthly open mic nights at his house, said this was his best turnout yet.
?We planned on so many people coming that I had to ask my neighbors if they were okay with it,? he said. ?They are sweet older couples and they said it was fine. One man actually came over and watched for a while. I think he liked it.?
Steve Cannon, a UVSC student majoring in psychology, played guitar and sang with his band Valence. They are regulars at the monthly jam sessions.
?We had all types of music represented. Alternative, some hard rock and some chill acoustic stuff,? Cannon said. ?We are seriously looking for a new drummer so it was great to get the word out to so many talented musicians from Provo all at once.?
It?s local musicians like these that Cheesman is interested in helping. He said he thinks venues like Muse Music and Starry Night are great, but they have so much overhead that they need to charge expensive ticket prices.
?Even I might have to start charging just to break even, but if I did it would only be a buck or two,? he said. ?I paid quite a bit out of my pocket for Saturday?s show, but people gave donations, bought shirts and I?m still having people stop me on campus to give me a couple bucks to help pay for it all.?
Walter Maycock, a senior from Atlanta, Ga., has attended five open mic sessions and said he is happy to contribute to the monthly guitar nights.
?Not only are these songwriters talented, but their songs and performances are hilarious,? he said. ?They are great entertainers. It gives you something unique to do on a Friday or Saturday night.
Valence?s lead singer got up to play his set dressed as a giant brown teddy bear.
?He gave no explanation for the bear suit,? Maycock said. ?What?s great is that it wasn?t out of the ordinary. It?s just the kind of stuff you can come to expect at these shows.?
He said original songs are mixed with covers to create an eclectic mix that is different with every performance.
David Smith, a Salt Lake City native and exercise science major, said he was impressed with the quality of music and the laid-back atmosphere the musicians created.
?I?d like to see something good happen with their music,? Smith said. ?I think some of them are good enough to make it on a professional level.?
Cheesman said he doesn?t know if music is in his professional future, but he?s not ruling it out just yet.
?I love playing and being a part of the music,? he said. ?It?s more of a hobby right now, but I love to plan these things and see them happen. It?s fun.?
The next open mic night will be April 1. Students who would like to be added to the mailing list should send e-mails to guitarnight@byu.net.