Local and national bands rocked Lansing on Friday night when The Dollar Nightclub, 3411 E. Michigan Ave., hosted WWDX (92.1 FM) The Edge’s eighth birthday party.
Exit to Windsor began playing outside of the night club at about 5:45 p.m. to entertain the large group of fans waiting in line before doors opened at 7 p.m.
The party lasted until 2 a.m. and featured performances by Molly, 19 Wheels, Bliss 66, Joydrop and the Verve Pipe.
Exit to Windsor guitarist Brock Elsesser said playing in front of the nightclub was a little strange, but it didn’t bother the band.
“The biggest problem was that we couldn’t hear ourselves,” he said. “But we didn’t care, it was still a lot of fun.
“We just wanted to give all the people in line something to do.”
Elsesser also works for The Edge, but he said he took the night off to concentrate on his set.
“I was in rock star mode all night long,” he said. “This was our first time having a backstage at a show.
“We were just hanging out with all the other bands and it was awesome.”
Elsesser said one of the perks of playing early was getting to watch the other bands play.
“It was one hell of a show,” he said.
“19 Wheels just blew me away.”
Elsesser said all the bands played great, and everyone seemed to be having a good time.
“It was a blast,” he said. “All the people that came out were so much fun and I was just happy to be there.”
Accounting junior Brent Barker said his roommate won tickets to the concert by calling the radio station. When they showed up to the night club after 7 p.m., he said the line was around the entire building.
“It was really long when we first showed up,” Barker said. “But once the doors opened we got in pretty quickly.
“With that many people, I was surprised it went so smoothly.”
Barker said he had seen many of the bands, including the Verve Pipe, play live before and was impressed by Friday’s show.
“All the bands played really well,” he said. “I like it when you get to see so many good bands at one time.
“It’s unfortunate that they can’t play for a longer time.”
Physiology junior Kathleen Kolinko said she had never seen any of the bands play live before and was amazed at the performances.
“The bands were so incredible,” she said. “They all sounded exactly like they do on the radio.”
Kolinko said she and her roommate didn’t arrive at the nightclub until after 8 p.m., but they were still able to see the final four bands, 19 Wheels, Bliss 66, Joy Drop and the Verve Pipe.
“The bands got everyone into the show,” she said. “They were talking and having fun with the audience.
“They were really great.”
Kolinko said all the bands were good, but the Verve Pipe’s performance, which included many songs off their new album “Underneath,” stuck out in her mind.
“The Verve Pipe was great,” she said.
“Their new songs are really good and I’d recommend the new CD to anyone.
“They finished the set with the national anthem, which was a really cool thing for them to do.”
