Were you bored last Thursday night looking for something to do? Well, you ?should have been at Sykes Student Union for the Residence Hall Association (RHA) Mixer!? The RHA Mixer was held in the ballroom of Sykes Student Union. It featured? free food, music and a generally entertaining time. West Chester ?University’s very own radio station was there as well to broadcast the? performances for tuned-in listeners.?
For those of you who do not know who or what the RHA is, prepare to be? informed. The Residence Hall Association is what governs the eight residence? halls on campus. Each hall has their own board of executive positions who? then report to the General Assembly that governs all of the residence halls.? All of these are run by students.?
The first act of the night was six snappy female singers called The? Grace Notes. All from West Chester University, they sang the songs they? performed in a’capella, a smooth, soulful sound that is rarely heard today.?
After The Grace Notes performed, the long awaited performance of the night ?came: America’s Got Talent semi-finalists The Fault Line. Starting out with? the hit song “I’m A Believer” from “Shrek” and ending with two encores, The? Fault Line nearly put a fault line in West Chester University with their ?phenomenal performance.?
The Fault Line consists of New York natives Adam Decker, Justin Adams, Matt Olmstead and Minnesota native Jeff Bratz. They use absolutely no? instruments except for their vocal cords. Yes, you read right: no? instruments. Justin Adams provides the sound of the drums and Matt Olmstead ?provides the sound of the bass, all with their vocal cords.?
“[Our genre] is ‘naked rock’, I like to call it,” says Jeff Bratz, provider ?of the jaw-dropping higher of the two singing voices. “It’s like, ‘Ah,? you’re naked!’…wait, you’re naked. Cool!” They originally went on “America’s Got Talent” for fun, not expecting to? make it that far. So when they were cast, it was a surprise.
“We actually ?almost broke up before we auditioned,” Olmstead said. “The gigs just weren’t? rolling in.”
Although they did not win, they did receive high publicity which? sparked more attention for their band, causing their success today.?
Their name was sparked by their manager’s son’s science project. They had? spent over three hours pouring over a dictionary and bouncing names off one? another, none of them sparking any real interest. Then, their manager called ?and suggested “fault line.” “Only if we put a ‘the’ in? front of it!” Bratz said laughing. So, the name stuck.?
Their next album is due out Oct. 12 and you can purchase their debut ?album online at www.rockthefaultline.com.
As for future goals, they “are? hoping to go mainstream eventually,” Olmstead and Bratz said, while Adam’s answer? to everything, including this question, was “everything and anything.” And yes, ladies, they are all single.?
After The Fault Line’s performance, the members of the band mingled with? the students of West Chester University as WCUR 91.7 provided music,? bringing the night to a successful close.?
If you would like to receive information on how to be a part of RHA or OCCA?(Off-campus and Commuter Association), go to the second floor of Sykes? Student Union to the Student Organizations Office or contact your RA.?
Jenn Halligan is a West Chester University student. She can be reached at JH653435@wcupa.edu.