Buctainment brings first-week joy

The first week of classes may not have brought sunshine, but Buctainment made sure to bring the rainbow and music with their outdoor concert event.

On Aug. 27, Buctainment hosted Fritz & Co. at the outdoor Amphitheatre on ETSU’s campus. The event lasted from 2:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. The event also included a tie-dying event, where students were encouraged to dye their Welcome Week T-shirt.

“I think it’s a great kickoff event for the semester, it’s a good event for the ending of the first week back to school. It’s a good time for students to chill and hangout with their friends and tie-dye some cool shirts,” stated Allie Collins, Buctainment Staff Programmer. 

Buctainment provided the rubber bands, dye and dye designs for the event. Although they encouraged the use of Welcome Week T-shirts, they allowed those without to bring one item they could tie-dye in place of the shirts. 

Fritz & Co. is a local band from the Abingdon, Virginia and Bristol, Virginia area. They play a mix of rock and roll, roots-rock and the blues. Their music is inspired by their Appalachian roots and desire to maintain the Appalachian culture.

“Our area has such a dense and rich musical heritage, we appreciate those foundations, it’s important to us to honor that. Sharing a modern take on music that still has Appalachian resonance is vital to keeping the traditions going and evolving in a way that respects where we come from,” stated Logan Fritz, founder and guitar and vocals of Fritz. & Co.

The end of the first week of classes inspired Buctainment to host an event that would help alleviate the inevitable stress. This event was geared to allow students to become more engaged, not only with events on campus, but with one another as well. With live music and a creative outlet, stress levels were instantly alleviated. 

“A sense of community, some might call them bonding experiences, can help to ease tensions, help folks relax, maybe make some new connections and just be themselves. Music is an emotional universal solvent, it works with everything,” stated Fritz. 

For more information on future Buctainment events, follow their Instagram @etsubuctainment or visit https://www.etsu.edu/students/sao/organizations/buctainment.php, and for more information on Fritz. & Co. visit their website at https://www.fritzandcompany.com.