Daily Skiff

Rock, rock and more rock.

The echoes of the drums, guitars and vocals will rise tonight. Johnnie Cochran, Automorrow, Soulever Lift and Veloura are bands that are staging their performances in a music festival celebrating International Week.

The International Student Association organized this event to assimilate American culture into international culture through music, said Lyndsay Cole, a junior marketing major and one of the coordinators of the music festival.

Maria Paula Bermudez, a junior psychology and communication studies major and another coordinator of the music festival, said the event is different this year because the association hadn't included the U.S. and its cultural diversity in their past events. ISA will celebrate North America Day to integrate the U.S. culture into the international community at TCU.

The three-hour concert showcases American culture through music and relates it to the universality of music in all cultures, Cole said.

Paul Whitney, vocalist and bassist of Veloura from the University of North Texas, said the band is a treat to the fans of alternative rock bands such as Foo Fighters and Jimmy Eat World. The four-member band is performing songs from its album "Safe and Sorry," which is releasing April 11.

Soulever Lift is also playing compositions from its recently released, self-titled album, and Johnnie Cochran and Automorrow are playing music from their upcoming albums.

Automorrow plans to hit all musical bases from heavy rock to reggae, hip-hop and electronic music, said Ben Napier, vocalist and guitarist of the three-member band.

"We are a rock band with a short attention span," said Napier, defining the band's music, which fuses different music genres and shift styles in the songs.

With influences from Prince and Van Halen, Soulever Lift defines its music as rock with a flavor of soul and R & B.

"The audience is going to be very intrigued by our music," said Mark Lettieri, guitarist of the four-member band.

Also playing in the music festival for the first time are the members of Johnnie Cochran.

Andrew Vaz, a junior e-business major and vocalist of the band, said the group is an indie rock band experimenting with some Southern influences.

Band members of the groups said they were happy to be a part of International Week.

"Music is the most universal thing found in every culture," Napier said. "When ideas are expressed honestly in any culture, they are universally appealing."

The bands hope to showcase an eclectic and energetic show for the evening.

"We plan to put forward a really tight live show, songs they can sing along and a lot of fun," Napier said.

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