The Racquette

Issue date: 3/19/10 Section: A&E

Media Credit: Ben O'Brien Smith Percussionist Hirano fits his beats in perfectly with the rest of Bearquarium.

The Java Barn put on yet another incredibly successful show recently with the band Bearquarium. Hailing from the city of Burlington, Vermont, Bearquarium is a band on a mission to make you groove. There was no doubting their success during a Friday night performance in the ever-popular Java Barn at Saint Lawrence University in Canton, NY.

Bearquarium, with genre styling similar to Java Barn favorite Rubblebucket Orchestra, is an eight-man operation lead by front man and vocalist Justin Panigutti. The band is as tight as can be, locking in to a groove even when the meter shifts. Likewise, the audience seemed to follow the music with just as much intensity throughout the show.

Percussionist Daiki Hirano and drummer Corey Wilhelm were in perfect sync throughout the night, often playing off of each other's rhythmic improvisational bursts. Hirano did a great job of filling in the gaps of the groove without stepping on toes or over saturating the song.

Horn players Dave Purcell and Gordon Clark were similarly on top of their game. Though the volume level is notoriously high at the Java Barn, both musicians maintained solid intonation throughout the night. Though Clark looked occasionally uninspired, you wouldn't have guessed it from his performance.

The mix balance throughout the evening was quite good, as I've come to expect from shows at the Java Barn. It's a cinch that they have their gear under control and know how to get a great sound in their space. Kudos to their sound engineer!

It's amazing how the Java Barn manages to pack every show they put on, regardless of the genre. I often run into SUNY Potsdam students and other people from off campus in addition to the regular Saint Lawrence students. Despite the fact that most shows run late into the evening, the crowd stays strong until the last note is played. This show lasted until after 1 a.m. It has become obvious that performing at the Java Barn is an absolute pleasure for every group that is booked.

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