At 8 p.m. this Saturday, the College of Idaho’s K.A. Albertson International Center Shannon Lounge will host four talented bands for the C of I Musician Showcase, hosted by the C of I Tech Committee. And for many of these groups, the showcase is more than an opportunity to perform for their fans — it’s a chance to embrace their own C of I roots.
The C of I has served as a stomping ground for each of the rising groups performing — Midnight Legs // Marathon Lungs, Nullus Notio, Town of Trees and Rosemeade, all of which feature C of I students in their lineups, including groups that have formed entirely on campus.
“I am so appreciative we have an environment here at C of I that’s so conducive to creativity and allows students opportunities to share their art and their talents,” said C of I sophomore Bryan Weatherston, who plays bass, guitar and vocals for Midnight Legs // Marathon Lungs. “The last on-campus shows we’ve set up and participated in were definitely successes for us. We’re hoping for another and even better experience this Saturday.”
Weatherston is joined in Midnight Legs // Marathon Lungs by C of I senior Dallin Kroon on percussion, who have been close friends since middle school and have played music together for years. They came together to form the group in 2015 as a trio along with their mutual friend from high school, guitar player Chris Duggan, beginning to play at venues throughout the Treasure Valley. The band grew into a four-piece with the addition of synthesizer and guitar player River Merrill last fall, and are planning to release a new collection of material within the next year.
Weatherston and Kroon said their group is hard to pin down in regards to genre, with Kroon listing progressive, alternative, shoegaze, pop, rock, and metal as inspirations for their sound.
“The songs we write are typically lengthy, crescendo-driven compositions with progressive song structure,” Weatherston said. “They’re moody, dynamic and atmospheric. We have a lot of fun writing them.”
Midnight Legs // Marathon Lungs will be joined on-stage by psychedelic rock group Nullus Notio, which utilizes Spanish and Ecuadorian influences in rhythm. Like Midnight Legs // Marathon Lungs, Nullus Notio also began as a trio, although its founding members — Rodrigo Coronel (guitar/vocals), Brandon Young (lead vocals/guitar), and Lorena Rebón Rincón (keyboard/flute/backing vocals) — formed the group after meeting each other during their freshman year at C of I in 2014. Two other C of I students, senior Leo Trujillo (bass) and freshman Sierra Duarte (drums), joined the group in 2017.
“Brandon and I started as only a jam band,” Coronel said. “We only improvised, never writing a song, just playing. Once Lorena joined, we started writing songs and performing live.”
The band has embraced its international roots as well as its C of I roots. Half of Nullus Notio’s lineup consists of international students, with Coronel hailing from Ecuador and Rebón Rincón and Trujillo with Spanish and Venezuelan roots. The group originally began as a group performing at events held by the College’s International Student Organization, but has since branched out and performed at other venues in the Boise area.
“It’s fantastic playing live, and events like vocal jazz performances, open mics, KAIC and ISO shows have given us the opportunity to share our music and our ideas,” Coronel said. “I think the amount of opportunities for other bands and musicians in general is going to increase in the coming years.”
It will also be the first ever performance for punk-rockers Rosemeade, a four piece group also based in Boise that features Duarte on the drums. She is the only C of I student in the lineup, having joined the group of Kate Butler (rhythm guitar/vocals), Ian McGeorge (guitar/vocals) and Esme Ringlestetter (bass) in September around the same time she joined Nullus Notio.
“Rosemeade is very angst-driven,” Duarte said. “We put a lot of passion and energy into our music, and my bandmates and I really pour our emotion into our Sound. Nullus Notio’s sound is more dreamy, almost surreal. One moment it’s crunchy and garage-rockish, the other moment it feels peaceful and artistic.”
Like Rosemeade, C of I freshman Danner McGrath’s group, Town of Trees, is also freshly formed and will be playing only their second show as a group this Saturday. McGrath, who plays bass for Town of Trees, is the only C of I member of the group, joined by Nick Monterio (drums/piano), Chris Deleon (vocals/piano) and Connor Hensley (guitar/drums/vocals).
McGrath said he was excited to follow up their successful first show at the Boise Hive with a performance at C of I — sentiments shared by Duarte.
“I think it’s amazing to perform on campus,” she said. “It makes me feel so happy to be able to play for my peers and to show what I’m super passionate about. I doubt I’d get to be able to do this at any other school. This truly demonstrates what C of I and the YoteFam is all about.”
Midnight Legs // Marathon Lungs, Nullus Notio, Rosemeade and Town of Trees will perform at 8 p.m. on Saturday, Jan. 20 in the KAIC Shannon Lounge.
The College of Idaho has a 125-year-old legacy of excellence. The C of I is known for its outstanding academic programs, winning athletics tradition and history of producing successful graduates, including seven Rhodes Scholars, three governors, four NFL players and countless business leaders and innovators. Its distinctive PEAK Curriculum challenges students to attain competency in the four knowledge peaks of humanities, natural sciences, social sciences and a professional field—empowering them to earn a major and three minors in four years. The College’s close-knit, residential campus is located in Caldwell, where its proximity both to Boise and to the world-class outdoor activities of southwest Idaho’s mountains and rivers offers unique opportunities for learning beyond the classroom. For more information, visit www.collegeofidaho.edu.