Radford University presents 'Rock Icons' concert series
On Friday, March 22, the first of the “Rock Icons” concerts will take place on Radford University’s main campus with the music of Sting and the Police. This free, public concert will cover some of the band’s most iconic and best loved songs as well as highlights from Sting’s solo career.
The ensemble is directed by Dave Rivers, a professor in the Music Business program. Rivers, who also teaches a Beatles class, brought last year’s performance of Pink Floyd’s “Dark Side of the Moon” album to Radford as part of the “Rock 50” series.
Where the “Rock 50” series performs a complete album from start to finish, the “Rock Icons” performances feature music from across the careers of prolific and influential rock artists, often exploring alternate versions of classic songs.
“Sting and the Police were chosen as the first in this concert series because of the wide range of styles that could be explored from New Wave and punk to rock, pop and jazz,” Rivers explained.
The music is performed by the Commercial Music Ensemble, a student band with a unique role on campus.
Established in 2019, the group plays rock and pop music concerts on Radford’s campus. The CME is the house band for the annual “Radford Idol” talent competition and regularly collaborates with the Dance department and the Radford band and choirs.
Many of the students intend to have a career in the music business and Rivers says these kinds of performances add depth and understanding to their educations.
“The student musicians and singers get a deeper appreciation of some very important music that was a radio staple from the 1970s through the 1990s and beyond,” he said.
While popular music will no doubt continue to change and evolve, having that understanding gives them a competitive framework and since of value for music produced before they were born.
One of those students is senior Anthony Del Grosso from Washington, VA. An accomplished guitarist, Del Grosso is also a member of Radford’s Guitar Ensemble and a Music Performance major.
Del Grosso says that playing the part of Andy Summers, the Police’s six-stringer, requires an appreciation for the uniqueness of the artist.
“Andy Summers is tasteful in his playing,” Del Grosso said. “He knows when to stand out and when to stand back as he carefully navigates the Police’s classic songs.”
Del Grosso says that playing in Summers’ style requires specialized practice exercises.
“Much of the guitar work of Andy Summers requires large stretches with the left hand as well as continuous barring, which is typically avoided as much as possible in guitar repertoire. This created the need for me to strengthen my left hand.”
Remarkably, Del Grosso’s study of classical guitar lead him to just the source for this.
“The perfect place to find this strength training?” he asked rhetorically. “The technical exercises written by Francisco Tarrega in the late 19th century.”
The bass player is Maddy Nase, a junior Anthropological Sciences major and Music Business minor from Harleysville, PA. The music ensembles at Radford are open to all students and she’s found the CME to be a way to maintain a lifelong love for music and performance.
“I grew up listening to the Police but hadn't familiarized myself with a lot of their songs on bass guitar, so it was a great experience to learn all of the music as a group,” she said.
“It has given me a new appreciation for all the detail and complexity that went into the compositions.”
Nase says Sting’s bass style is demanding, but fun to play.
“I think it's interesting the different techniques and tones that he plays with,” Nase said. “I especially enjoy the tone on "Message in a Bottle" because it adds to the anguished feel of the entire song.”
Sam Slaughter, a sophomore from Christiansburg in Business Management, has the job of filling Stewart Copeland’s shoes. Copeland, whose unique style blends rock and reggae with Middle Eastern and African rhythms, is typically ranked in the top 10 rock drummers of all time.
Slaughter has found Copeland’s creativity and variation from song-to-song inspiring.
“Stewart Copeland has a very spontaneous style of drumming, and he never does things the same way twice,” Slaughter explained. “He is so all over the place.”
Slaughter says he was a Police fan before, but like Nase, he has a new appreciation for the music as a performer.
“Spending this much time on it has kind of re-wired my own drumming to be more free or wild.”
In addition to the music, the Rock Icons: Sting and the Police concert will feature trivia and flashback video before the show and between sets and Professor Rivers promises a moving and timely performance of Sting's Cold War plead for international sanity, "Russians."
The show will take place in Davis Performance Hall located in the Covington Center at the corner of East Main and Jefferson Street on Radford’s main campus.
The show will begin at 7:30 p.m. with seating opening up at 7:15. The concert is free and open to the public. Tickets will be distributed at the door.