Forsyth Park gets a little ‘retro’ with SCAD New Alumni Concert
The SCAD New Alumni Concert will be held at Forsyth Park this Friday, May 31, at 6 p.m. It is a free event open to the public and held at the end of every school year to honor new SCAD alumni and their achievements.
This year get ready for an infusion of sixties and eighties groove. The Greyboy Allstars, Gringo Star, and Mayer Hawthorne will be performing in this years’ New Alumni Concert, filling the air with acid jazz, retro beats, and classic rock ‘n’ roll.
The Greyboy Allstars are an acid jazz/funk band from San Diego, Calif. whose members include Andreas Stevens, known as DJ Greyboy, Karl Denson, Michael Andrews, Chris Stillwell, Aaron Redfield, and Robert Walter. In 1995 Greyboy and Denson created their own record label called Greyboy Records and that same year released their debut album, “West Coast Boogaloo.” The band released their newest album last month, “Inland Emperor,” a purely instrumental collection of songs filled with modern electronic sounds and a 1980s flair.
The concert also features Gringo Star, a group of 21st century rockers from Atlanta, Ga. who play 1980s style rock ‘n’ roll. The band was created by brothers Nick and Pete Furgiuele, and their friend Pete Delorenzo. In 2008, they self-released their album “All Yall” with new band member Matt McCalvin. In 2011, they signed with Brooklyn-based record company Gigantic Music to produce their newest album, “Count Yer Lucky Stars.” Known for their explosive performances, these guys cannot stay put and actually rotate instruments as they perform.
Last but not least is Mayer Hawthorne, talented solo artist from Ann Harbor, Mich. who composes what today is referred to as retro music. He claims his inspiration came to him as a child when he listened to the local radio’s blues and jazz songs while sitting in his dad’s car. In 2006, while living in Los Angeles, Mayer showed a few of his songs to Stones Throw Records founder, Peanut Butter Wolf, who was baffled by his use of retro style melodies and beats. Mayer began writing music early in life but never saw it as a way of making money or becoming famous. He has now released two albums, “A Strange Arrangement” (2009) and “How Do You Do” (2011). His music has grown to be extremely popular and has received much praise from renowned artists such as John Mayer, Justin Timberlake and Kanye West.
Visit Forsyth Park on May 31 at 6 p.m. for the SCAD New Alumni Concert.
