Movin' On 2009 broke its 15-year curse on Saturday. The weather was rain free throughout the festival.
Kristen Laino, assistant director of the event, said she's glad it's over, adding everything went smoothly, especially with the absence of rain that has plagued the outdoor event for several years.
"We couldn't have asked for a better Movin' On," Laino (senior-public relations) said.
While the crowd and the bands endured sub-50 degree temperatures and gusting wind, the five local bands featured at the show were those affected most by the weather.
Krystal Shore, lead singer for opening band Acalasia, spent some of the set shielding the microphone from the wind that would momentarily obscure her vocals.
Some Downtown Avenue also encountered vocal issues, with lead singer Chris Rizzo (junior-graphic design) apologizing to the crowd in a raspy voice for being sick.
Devon Herrick (senior-public relations) could be seen in the crowd sporting her pink Some Downtown Avenue T-shirt that labeled her as the band's No. 1 fan.
"They want to spread their music to all different people," Herrick said, adding Rizzo was probably tired because the band has done an increased number of shows lately.
The band played a mix of ska-influenced originals and covers, including a few Save Ferris and Reel Big Fish songs.
Atlas' Soundtrack, a State College band that combines elements of hip-hop, funk and reggae, played to increasingly sunny weather. Megan Hayden (senior-agroecology) said she enjoyed the band because it gave the crowd "a little taste of everything."
Atlas' Soundtrack's set was followed by performances by fellow Battle of the Bands winners So Long, Pluto and The Sweet Mack. Electric fiddle and mandolin supplemented So Long, Pluto's eccentric pop, while The Sweet Mack featured a more traditional power trio lineup.
Some of So Long, Pluto's groupies huddled as close to the stage as possible during the set.
"We try to give them support whenever they have a big event," Greg Sanders (sophomore-aerospace engineering) said. "We yell as loud as we can."
Keyboardist Dan Dalrymple from So Long, Pluto did an energetic solo during the song entitled "Speeding." He did his solo partly one-handed as he braced himself on the floor. It got so intense he almost knocked over the keyboard, and the rest of the band members said they are waiting for the day he actually does.
Crowd members were also swing dancing during The Sweet Mack's set, which featured original tunes with everything from blues-y guitar lines to songs with a country feel.
Movin' On's national bands kept up the energy, with Someone Say Something leading off on the main stage.
Laura Reed and Deep Pocket, a soul/R&B band from Atlanta, rocked the Movin' On side stage at about 5 p.m. Reed, who is five months pregnant, said the band received a positive response from the audience, which "recharged" the band members after the long drive from Atlanta.
"People wanted to feel warm and have a good vibe and feel positive," Reed, vocals and harmonica, said.
Person L, featuring Kenny Vasoli from The Starting Line, played next.
Socratic followed with a 45-minute side-stage set, commenting on how "nice" the crowd was.
"I'll clap at you since you're always clapping at us," Duane Okun, vocalist and guitarist for the band, said to the crowd. "I'll return the favor."
Innerpartysystem's set featured a wild light show and music that combined a pop-punk style with heavy electronic sampling.
Chris Lorenz (sophomore-architectural engineering) said he hadn't heard of any of the bands on the bill this year, but was pleasantly surprised by Innerpartysystem.
White Tie Affair played to the crowd as dusk turned to night, using the darkness as a means of turning the set into a rave, throwing hundreds of glow sticks into the audience. The band mixed its pop-punk original tunes with popular cover songs, including an Auto-Tuned medley of covers: Kanye West's "Heartless," and Lil' Wayne's "Get Money."
While some in the crowd showed excitement over the band's show, Scott Sherwood (senior-education) said he wasn't that impressed.
"Nobody likes to see a nude stomach," Sherwood said, referring to the way vocalist Chris Wallace lifted his shirt up to the audience.
Wallace added he thought the performance was a bit showy.
"It was like Hanson plus U2 plus Michael Jackson," he said.
-- Collegian Staff Reporter Allie Fletcher contributed to this article.
