Did you know that The Beach Boys performed at Colby College on May 13, 1973? Or that we hosted R.E.M. in 1983, before they made it big with hits like ‘The One I Love’ and ‘Losing My Religion?’ No shade to Waka Flocka Flame, but these are Rock & Roll Hall of Fame-ers. Who knew Colby was so cool back in the day?
I’m slightly ashamed to admit that, as a senior, I attended my first Colby a cappella sampler last Friday. I managed to squeeze into the last remaining front-row balcony seat above the entrance of Lorimer Chapel, securing a great view of the proceedings. I was blown away by the Colbyettes’ angelic voices, thoroughly amused by the Blue Lights’ performance of a song from Kpop Demon Hunters, and saw some of my best friends performing with Mayflower Chill. The Colby Eight (there are actually 13 of them) ended the show with three songs.
My concert attendance that Friday night may have been an act of procrastination on my extensive list of midterm assignments, but I did learn something: the Colby Eight has a long-running tradition, dating back to 1947, of performing an arrangement of ‘Mood Indigo’ by Stevie Wonder. The “lore,” as Jack Brenner `26 shared with the packed audience last Friday night, is that the Colby Eight asked Bowdoin’s a capella group for their arrangement, and were denied. However, they met them at a bar in Brunswick and asked the group to perform it. Of course, the Bowdoin men were proud to show off their musical prowess. The Colby Eight had the Bowdoin singers perform the number enough times for the Eight to memorize all the vocal parts. Now, the arrangement is passed down to every new member of the group.
The nugget of history above inspired me to do some of my own digging around the origins of music history here at Colby College.
Colby’s radio station has been around since 1949. It originated as a weekly show called Radio Colby on the Waterville AM station. In 1973, Radio Colby transitioned to an FM radio station. After renovations to Roberts Union in 1978, Colby’s radio station, WMHB, moved to its current space in the building’s basement. Meaning, they’ve been down there for nearly 50 years.
In 1959, construction of the Bixler Art and Music building was completed, which meant a new hub for music on campus. The building was named after Julius Seelye Bixler, Colby’s sixteenth president.
In terms of outside groups, Colby has hosted some popular groups. As I mentioned above, we had The Beach Boys and R.E.M. perform here. We also hosted Indigo Girls in 2000, The Replacements in 1989, LL Cool J in 1985, Spin Doctors in 1991, Guster in 2009, Wiz Khalifa/Big Sean in 2011, J Cole in 2012, and Kesha in 2016.
Some notable alumni musicians throughout Colby’s history include Jeff Potter `78, original drummer of the Broadway rock opera Rent; prominent composer Arthur Levering `76; country and bluegrass musician Tim O’Brien (dropped out in 1973); and violinist Linda Hurwitz `80.
~ Alayna Blier `26
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