"I feel like FNR shows can bring together a really diverse crowd," Kaye, who works in tandem with Gabe Rosenstein '13, said. "You come to [Fuel] and it doesn't really matter what your affiliation is. Everyone is really there for the music."
Although Fuel, located in the Collis Center, has been home to Friday Night Rock performances for the past several years, the organization will soon be making the transition to the Sarner Underground, a new alternative social space in the basement of the Class of 1953 Commons. The new space, which was designed with input from Friday Night Rock, is partially designed for musical acts and has a higher maximum capacity than Fuel. The organization filled out a petition to incorporate student input in the planning process when they heard that the space in '53 Commons was being designed, according to Friday Night Rock general manager Alexis Monroe '13.
"Basically, we wanted our needs to be thought of so that the venue could be equipped for us but also versatile," Monroe said. "A lot of great things have happened in Fuel. We have a lot of good memories there, but we're looking forward to Sarner."
Friday Night Rock only has one band officially booked for the fall, but its popularity will likely attract a large crowd to the first show in the new venue. The low-fi garage-rock stars Dum Dum Girls will Christen Sarner as the first act playing in the space, performing on Oct. 18.
"[Dum Dum Girls] revival garage rock is a good fit for the ethos of FNR," Kaye said. "We're really excited for them."
The California-based all-female rock band has performed at widely acclaimed music festivals such as Lollapalooza. Although they are more mellow than acts like Danny Brown or Dan Deacon, Rosenstein said that the laid-back style of the Dum Dum Girls mixed with their catchy dream-pop tunes are sure to bring the house down.
Although they only have one act officially booked, Rosenstein said that members of Friday Night Rock are talking to a very wide-range of musical acts for the fall.
"We're talking to people ranging from fem-rock to Colombian-punk to Italian-style disco," Rosenstein said.
Although booking bands can sometimes prove difficult, especially for those at a school as secluded as Dartmouth, members of Friday Night Rock find that the low-stress and fun environment they promote make artists enjoy playing at Dartmouth venues, according to Kaye.
"Sometimes bands are willing to get paid less because they know it will be really fun," Kaye said.
Friday Night Rock's high-energy scene tends to be filled with dancing and attendees do not necessarily need to know the acts before attending.
"A lot of times people haven't heard of the band," Monroe said. "They just want to dance."
The organization prides themselves on their ability to attract a diverse crowd, no matter the performer. Although the turnout is a big indicator for Friday Night Rockers of the success of a show, there are other gauges of popularity.
"Another sign of success is when we kill the keg," Rosenstein said.
With crowd-pleasing acts like the Dum Dum Girls and a diverse lineup for the fall in the works, Friday Night Rock seeks to kill some more kegs on Fridays this fall in a big way.
