Libba Smith

A&E Editor

Sometimes, the pounding emanating from the UG isn’t the latest Black Eyed Peas song for a Friday night dance party; rather, it is the sound of students making their own music.

Covers, a Wooster tradition for several years now, showcases the musical abilities of the Scots, as it gives students the opportunity to cover their favorite songs.

Covers began in Kenarden Lodge as an intimate and laid-back way for friends to play for each other; groups could simply get up on stage and begin playing without much formal organization. In 2010, the event changed venues, moving to the UG. The move gave the event a different atmosphere, and allowed for more space for both the acts and the audience. Linda Kuster ’11 became the Covers coordinator, and she turned it into the regulated showcase that it is today.

Each Covers event begins with a theme. Past ones have included Sweets and Treats, Bucket List, Creature Features and Love Bites.Each theme can be taken as literally or as creatively as students would like. The event is then publicized on Facebook, where groups must sign up. Time is limited to two hours, so only the first groups that post their names get to play, which usually translates to about 15 songs.

Since Kuster graduated, the event has been taken over by Emily Mitchell ’13 and Alexa Norris ’13. The pair learned the Covers ropes by shadowing Kuster before her departure. Both chose to work Covers because of their love for the event.

“I’m a big fan of live music on campus,” said Mitchell.

The two plan to continue holding the event roughly once a month in the UG.

The theme announcement is perhaps the most highly anticipated aspect of Covers, since it is only released a few weeks before each new performance. This month’s theme, “Space Jam,” will feature songs about anything space-related. The Facebook page for this month’s event is already full of song reservations, ranging from “Fly Me to the Moon” by Frank Sinatra to “Supermassive Black Hole” by Muse.

The year’s first Covers will be held Saturday, Sept. 29 in the UG, and begins at 9:30 p.m.