UNCW students can now enjoy their lunch hour rocking to their favorite musical genre with regularly scheduled outdoor concerts on the campus commons. Campus Activities and Involvement Center is UNCW’s organizer and planner of campus entertainment. CAIC has a series of live outdoor concerts set up from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. for the remainder of the semester and is free for students. Concerts on the Commons will feature local as well as regional and national bands complete with just about every musical genre from rock, reggae, to punk or jazz.

UNCW’s Campus Activities Coordinator Krista Harrell said “The series aims to present good programming to the UNCW community.” Harrell assists in coordinating Concert on the Commons. “For me, music opens doors,” Harrell said. The programs goal is to expose students to a wide range of artists and musical genres in order to reach students with new music.

According to Harrell CAIC has “added even more diversity with the acts.” Scheduled for mid-semester, CAIC has national band Shanti Groove, which is known for its jazzy roots and rock style music, much like bluegrass. This group will play at the Commons Amphitheater Sept. 12. Shanti Groove has preformed in national venues executing their groovy style of music. Not only are they known for their chill music, they have electrical improvisations as well as audience participation included in their performances.

On Sept. 22 CAIC will bring reggae group Scholars Groove to the campus commons.

Last Thursday, North Carolina’s Cosmic Grove Lizards played at the commons. The Cosmic Groove Lizards are a music mix of folk, rock, funk, hip-hop and bluegrass. Group members include Mark Herbert, lead vocals, guitar and harmonica player, and Perry Smith, guitar player, who co-founded the band. The other two members are Ron Wilson, percussion and graphic designing, who designed the band’s album covers, and Dave Hearvy on bass.

Come out to see what these featured bands have to express.

“I think it will be pretty fun to go to. It’s cool to walk out of a stressful class and hear music you like in the background,” junior Brandon Bonnette said. For more information on the bands and CAIC, call 962-3553.