MARINE CORPS AIR STATION IWAKUNI, Japan -- It was only 8 p.m. but a small crowd of people had already bought drinks and taken their seats in anticipation for a night of rock music.
Marine Corps Community Services presented this year’s Rocktober Festival in the Club Iwakuni Ballroom Oct. 8.
The line-up boasted special guests Jalopy, Watt, Dyatonic and Rock n’ Roll Junkeez, and for just five bucks spectators could enjoy five hours of rock music.
The headliners were clearly crowd favorites as the audience instantly rushed to the stage when the bands began to perform, but most interesting was the little band barely anyone saw, the Acoustics.
Their mid-tempo music provided a nice ramp-up to a night of headbanger music.
The Acoustics were not even on the event’s flyer, but in all fairness to MCCS, the band didn’t even have a name until an impromptu decision halfway through their set.
Armed with two guitars and a trash can, the band beat their way through several covers and a series of original pieces.
“I thought they did an amazing job,” said Alexander Degenhardt, an Acoustics fan. “This was their first time performing together so I was a little curious to see how they would do, and just like I expected, they killed it.”
Although the three-man band performed well for their first time, they did not garner a large crowd like the headliners.
“I think because it was the opening act a lot of people were just coming in and getting settled,” said Daniel K. Hall, a member of the Acoustics. “I think once they sat down they began to pay attention and listen to the music.”
The audience continued listening to the music throughout the night, jumping on the dance floor with heads banging and pumping fists in the air.
As it got later, the crowd got bigger with people spilling over into the adjoining bar and patio.
If success is graded on attendance, then MCCS should consider the night a grade-A event.
MCCS has sponsored similar special events in the past and has scheduled more for the upcoming months.
The next MCCS sponsored event is scheduled to be the Black Entertainment Television All-Star Comedy Tour Oct. 29 at 8 p.m.
For more information on upcoming MCCS events, visit www.mccsiwakuni.com and click on the recreation tab.