Using Skype technology, Oswego State students were able to experience music from a band over 4,000 miles away. Serdce, a contemporary fusion-rock band from Belarus, performed four songs and held a discussion with Oswego State students Sunday, Oct. 7 at the Campus Center Auditorium.
Before each song, the band’s lead singer and guitarist Nick Goroshko recited the song’s lyrics in English to help give the students in attendance a better understanding of the meaning behind the songs. After each song, the floor was opened up for students to approach the web cam and ask the members of the band questions.
“We are more scared of you than you are of us,” Goroshko said to initially hesitant crowd.
Questions were asked first in English then repeated through the Russian speaking translator located in the auditorium. Questions ranged from asking the band’s influences to the affect of their country’s politics on their music, even including a question about whether or not the band had “groupies.”
“We have very good friends,” said Goroshko when asked about groupies, laughing the question off with the rest of the band.
The band listed many of its influences on the back of the concert’s flier. They included a diverse range of musicians such as Audioslave, Bjork, Coldplay, Korn and Mozart.
Many of the students in attendance were a part of a music and politics course, leading the conversation to steer toward how the politics of Belarus, formerly part of the Soviet Union, affect how they perform as musicians.
“The political powers are not trying to ban the music,” Goroshko said. “It is more economic issue that create the problem.”
Goroshko spoke about how the economy of the band’s country affects the amount the band is able to grow.
“There is a world economic crisis which affects not just bands in our country, but even U.S. bands,” Goroshko said.
Goroshko added that the economic issues have affected the band’s ability to play shows the most.
“The infrastructure for concerts is not well developed,” Goroshko said.
Goroshko said the band has also had problems finding promotion to spread knowledge of their band worldwide.
“All the people who promote the music on the West are not interested to work with groups like ours or others in Russia,” Goroshko said.
Goroshko said the band maintains its own MySpace page, where they post their new music and show times. Goroshko added that the band is currently in the process of adding the songs from their new album.
Serdce, which is translated to “Heart” in English, performed four of their new songs at the show, each ending with a loud ovation from the audience.
Goroshko and the three other band members said they were appreciative of the support and “do not believe the stereotype that Americans are not interested in other cultures.”
“Let’s be friends,” Goroshko said to conclude the show.
