As students prepare for midterms, projects and extracurricular events, the Student Programming Association decided to reward them with a relaxing performance from the stylistic selections of Plastic Musik.
As students took a lunch break yesterday afternoon, Plastic Musik enticed a crowd of about 100 students in the HUB-Robeson Center.
The percussion company performed more than 10 songs from a wide range of genres, from hip-hop to classical music.
Some popular songs included “Right Round” by Flo Rida and, “Poker Face” by Lady Gaga.
The crowd clapped to the beat of the music and applauded as the performance ended.
Plastic Musik — an “abstract percussion group that uses boomwhackers to create familiar melodies,” as Plastic Musik member Andy Burnette said — acted as a special treat for Penn State, as the demand for the innovative group has risen in the previous years.
“We’ve been to ‘America’s Got Talent’ and have performed at NBA halftime shows,” Plastic Musik member Josh Meadows said.
The performance group has also performed in Paris, Mexico, and in 46 of the 50 states, Meadows said.
But despite the rising popularity of Plastic Musik, the members of the group still attest to countless hours of practicing to reach perfection.
“Sometimes we practice 12 hours a day, every week,” Burnette said.
Burnette said that the mastery of the music accounts for the majority of their practice time.
“We worry about the choreography last,” Burnette said.
As most professional entertainment outlets resemble, Plastic Musik is not merely a percussion group, but a performing company, as it incorporates choreography, tricks and stunts into each performance.
All are welcome to listen, and join, “if you’re up to traveling,” member Robert Hairston said.
A beneficial aspect about Plastic Musk that the performers all share is the love of music and the ability to play a variety of genres.
“The great thing about it is we can play in all genres,” Burnette said. “I’m in another band and I’m stuck to one thing, with this I can play all types.”
