By Arda Johnson
Beginning on 26 Sept., PSC faculty and staff had easy access attending WSRE’s StudioAmped concert series, located next to the tennis courts’ parking lot at the Jean & Paul Amos Performance Studio. With five total concerts scheduled, attendance was free and offered everyone a chance to attend a concert during different dates; the last one was on 7 Oct.
Doors opened at 6 p.m. and shows started at 7 p.m. Those who could not make it have the option to listen in on the recordings of the concerts in January when each show will premiere on WSRE PBS.
Stormfolk was one of the bands that was scheduled on 5 Oct. Recently they were ranked by audiences as “‘best band’ in Pensacola’s 2022 inweekly newsletter,” according to the group’s Instagram.
Singer and guitarist of Stormfolk, Mick Grocholl, said, “If you go to our Spotify, at the very bottom, it’ll have all our [upcoming] . . . gigs. It’ll tell you what time and where. [You can also check us out on] ReverbNation.” Lately they are scheduled for several gigs in November around Pensacola.
On stage, Grocholl was seen tapping his foot, singing, and playing the acoustic guitar. He mentioned afterwards the multitude of instruments he enjoys playing. Growing up, “I thought I was going to be in a band [and play like] Slash [since] I played a lot of electric guitar,” but Grocholl pointed out that music is subjective. He says, for instance, “I’m someone who listens to 90s grunge every day, and that’s okay. Everyone’s different.”
PSC student Natalia Moyer said, “they were inspiring because the band members were interested in a lot of the same groups that I was,” some of which include The Lumineers, Mumford & Sons, The Civil Wars, Lizzy McAlpine, and David Brothers.
Grocholl said, “I always try not to think too hard about all of it. I don’t like to promote myself too much because I feel like the people who need to hear it will.”
Whether Alternative, folk, indie, or Irish, Stormfolk offers a wide genre for everyone. The way Stormfolk described their band name was as follows: “Storm like the rain, and folk like the people.”
Grocholl’s sibling, Kaylyn Hastings, was also singing and playing the guitar for Stormfolk. On Hasting’s right was Preston Czygan, who was playing the violin and mentioned joining Stormfolk “last June or July over in Destin at The Harbor Tavern.”
With the band tight knit, they are looking for more like-minded musicians to welcome to the group: “It’s nice having someone that can do the little riffs. If you know any mandolin players or an acoustic guitar player, let us know. Eventually, once we find a mandolin player, we’ll need a keys player,” Grocholl said.
Czygan’s message for aspiring musicians is while growing up, despite wanting to stop, “You just gotta keep going.”
Along for the night joined Stormfolk’s puppy, Cleopatra, which drew hearts among the audience just as much as Stormfolk’s music.
The band members included Mick Grocholl, Kayln Hastings, and Preston Czygan.
