Redmond’s own Universal Soul is sitting on top of the universe.
The hip-hop group consisting of Redmond High School (RHS) students Greg Rocha and Eric Fure (DJ Fuke) and RHS alum Eugene Beliy won first place as the Old Fire House (OFH) Teen Center’s third annual Classic Rockathon wrapped up on May 8 in downtown Redmond.
Rocha, Fure and Beliy broke out of the expected hip-hop mold with their performances of “The Trial” from Pink Floyd’s “The Wall” and Aerosmith’s “Walk This Way,” similar to the Run DMC version.
For a surprise finale on May 8, Kirkland-based Shotty, former Rockathon victors, entertained the crowd while judges tallied votes.
Second place winners were Flame Broiled Face from the Paul Green School of Rock in Seattle. Third and fourth place winners were Bo Tree from Sammamish and Odan from Sultan.
During three nights of live music, the 2009 Rockathon raised more than $2,000 for educational programs and activities at the OFH. Featuring music originally written and recorded from 1950-1990, the shows drew multi-generational audiences.
Speaking on behalf of Universal Soul, Rocha commented, “With our finals performance, we really wanted to take it to another level and give the audience an experience, rather than just another band covering rock songs, ya know? … Most of us have done plays at Redmond High School, so having that experience helped a lot with songs like ‘The Trial.’ It was awesome to see the crowd sing along to all the lyrics. To be able to see that they were really enjoying themselves was like the greatest feeling in the world, and as an artist, that’s one of the main things you want to accomplish.”
Since its inception, the Rockathon has been all about uniting young musicians and keeping timeless music alive. But prizes are a perk, too.
Sponsors and friends of this year’s Rockathon included the City of Redmond and Derby Days, Pacific Music, Guitar Center locations in Kirkland and Seattle, Emerald City Guitars, Donn Bennett Drum Studios, N-Tune, Seattle Drum School, Experience Music Project/Science Fiction Museum, Redmond Town Center and the Redmond Reporter.
“Sponsors donated over $4,300 worth of items, so please give it up to them,” said Chris Cullen, program coordinator at the OFH. “And as a special treat, all four finalist bands will have the opportunity to play the Redmond Town Center summer concert series on August 12.”
As first place winners, Universal Soul will play the Redmond Derby Days main stage and received $1,600 worth of prizes including custom guitars and amps, soft carrying bags, a professional microphone and 15 hours of recording time in the OFH Media Lab studio.
Second place winners got a $1,300 prize package, third place winners got $1,000 worth of gear and the fourth place winners received prizes worth $400. Plus, each finalist band received “the amazing Rockathon gift bag,” said Cullen.
Until next year, rock on.
For more information about the Old Fire House Teen Center, 16510 NE 79th St., call (425) 556-2341 or visit www.theoldfirehouse.org.
