What's Up - Your guide to what's happening in Fayetteville, AR this week!
Issue link: http://www.epageflip.net/i/1299625
"It is one of my favorite shows every year," adds Travis Smith. Smith is the bar manager at the AMP and the drummer for the evening's entertainment, The Juice. "I am a tech person that's been also a bar manager forever. So if you're going to have a beer festival where the new beers are coming, and I also work in the music world, so you're going to have local record labels bringing in bands that they're supporting, I can't think of a better event around town that's supporting all of these things — local brands and bands." The Juice — with fellow members Garrett Brolund on bass, Michael Hanna on saxophone and keys and Jim Goza on guitar and lead vocals — came together early last year as a side project for the group of friends who had been running in the same circle for years. With them all involved in various other bands and musical ventures, The Juice would be a cover band they could have some fun with when they weren't busy with other gigs. "I think in Northwest Arkansas, you'll find that the community communicates with each other a little bit more, which opens up the lines of communications to form these bands," Smith shares. "It kind of ended up taking off a little bit more than what we were expecting. But in a hopeful way to where it's a good balance for our other projects." Only Smith and Goza will actually be performing during the virtual fest — a duo Smith calls "The Juice, from concentrate" — but music fans can see the full foursome perform at Happy Hour at the AMP for the second time this year on Oct. 24. "When we started this band, our lead singer Jim goes, 'I just want to play at the AMP.' And I was working here, so I knew that sometimes there are opportunities for local and regional bands — it wasn't outside of the realm of possibilities," Smith explains. "For us, it's been really fortunate to be asked to play two shows on this Happy Hour series where they're kind of looking for eclectic bands that play a variety of music like what we do. "We do kind of cater our set with a little bit more of electronic sounds and stuff like that," Smith adds of the duo going to the streaming setting. "And we're all goofy. So we try to make it entertaining and bring a little bit of comedy in. And the two-piece show kind of is a little bit more interactive, I would say. Maybe even more so with the virtual style." AMP Fest — along with events like the Art of Wine Festival in the summer and the Masquerade Ball in the winter — is a major fundraiser for WAC/AMP's arts education programming. Those programs reach kids and assist educators from all over the state, as well as provide arts opportunities for community members at low or no cost. AMP Fest has raised some $275,000 in the previous four years toward that mission and with Art of Wine's cancellation in response to covid-19, the organization is looking to make up that gap wherever they (safely) can. "This year, as we continue to confront this pandemic, our staff knows the importance of remaining flexible and finding new and creative ways to continue to serve our community," Freeman offers. "We're doing everything we can to just provide an escape and live arts to our community and to our students. And things like AMP Fest, attending Happy Hour at the Walmart AMP, seeing the films at WAC and AMP, all of that contributes to helping us continue to bring this programming and this art to the Northwest Arkansas community." OCTOBER 18-24, 2020 WHAT'S UP! 9 Cover band The Juice blends "funk, rock, hip hop, old school soul" and a few other genres from their diverse backgrounds, says Travis Smith (drums/samples). The full four piece will be in Rogers Oct. 24 for their second stint at Happy Hour at the AMP. The condensed duo — The Juice, from concentrate — join the AMP Fest livestream the following day to provide entertainment for the annual beer, music and tech festival. "We're down to do a Stevie Wonder song, straight into a Chris Stapleton song, back to Snoop Dogg," Smith muses. "Most people have a wide variety of music they like to listen to, so to us, it was kind of a no-brainer to maybe fill that void." listentothejuice.com and ListentotheJuice on social media platforms. (Courtesy Photo) Northwest Arkansas comedian Raj Suresh hosts the fifth annual AMP Fest in its "virtual with a twist" format. Suresh's debut stand-up album, "Semi Famous," reached No. 2 on the iTunes comedy charts and No. 12 on Billboard. rajdoescomedy.com. (Courtesy Photo/Brenton Clarke Little) See AMP Fest Page 10