4 men playing instruments on a stage

The Degenerates (left to right) Martin Bailey, Caleb Roberts, Jakob Hoffer, Carson Knecht

The underground in the Trojan Center of the DSU campus is known for all sorts of events, some of these being karaoke and CRU events. Friday night, the 28th, DSU Live hosted an event called Rocktober Fest V, where two bands played original songs and even a cover. DSU live had worked hard to plan this event and, according to Kinsey Pickering, they had planned and put together the event starting last summer. Working on the equipment to create the best show possible, took around a month. Following all the work, two local South Dakota bands played at the event.

The first band to play, The Degenerates, is comprised of four DSU students; Jakob Hoffer, Martin Bailey, Carson Knecht, and Caleb Roberts. The Degenerates played several original songs, many of which were written by two members, Hoffer and Knecht. Asking several crowd members their opinion on the show, the consensus was positive. One student, Corbin Mackaben, a freshman at DSU exclaimed, “I like the loudness of the music. I’m taking music appreciation, so I know my [stuff]. The drummer Caleb is amazing.” The band played incredibly, and the vocals were impressive. The crowd seemed to enjoy the show, headbanging and dancing through the entire set. The Degenerate lead singer, Jakob Hoffer, hopes to have their songs released on Spotify in three months for fans to enjoy.

Following their performance, Lilac Jam, a band from Watertown also consisting of four members, took the stage. They played several original songs, one of which I especially enjoyed, titled “Gaslight,” hyping up the crowd with alternative vocals, and ending the show on a very high, and loud note.  Many other songs can be found on their YouTube channel, which I encourage readers to check out if they enjoy alternative music.

Rocktober Fest was a great time, giving students of DSU to unwind and enjoy some music created by local bands. If you missed this event and are a concert enthusiast, remember to keep an eye out for Rocktober Fest VI next year to rock out, courtesy of DSU Live.