If you drive west on Cross Street, just before Dominos, you can see a house on the left with a large porch. It’s an almost entirely unassuming house; there’s little to distinguish it from the neighboring properties, save for a sign leaning against the wall just to the side of the front steps. It’s a whitewashed piece of wood with three symbols spray-painted in flat black across its center, left-to-right: a Pokéball, a Tri-Force symbol,and an “Rx.”
This house is EMU’s musical Mecca. It’s home to motley mock fraternity Poke Tri Rx. This group of strummers, drummers and general music lovers hosts free musical events on an almost monthly basis.
If you inquire to the right people how such an oasis of creative energy came to existence, one name is consistently dropped: Seth Logan Weddle.
Weddle plays a significant role in organizing the house’s events, records many local artists and almost single-handedly runs EMU’s biweekly open mic session in the Student Center. This is nothing new for him; he’s been organizing his own gigs for the better part of a decade.
“My first show was in 2004,” Weddle said. “It was a Halloween party and it was me and a couple friends playing cheesy Nirvana and Blink 182 covers.”
His events have developed and matured since then. Most events boast a lineup of at least five bands or more. Furthermore, each event offers a remarkable variety. At a single show, you might hear beautifully abrasive metal-infused techno, delightfully volatile jam band noise rock, old time gypsy rag folk, elaborate and overdriven rock ‘n roll tinged with ska or even soft-voiced ukulele ditties.
Weddle is hesitant to take credit for any of this. He attributes most of his success to luck and the talented community of musicians he’s been able to organize.
“I look at it and I don’t understand how on earth I’ve come across so many unique individuals where everyone has something that makes them special and really pulls together to make this collaboration and this group so unique,” Weddle said. “It’s not just me. It’s not just the shows I put together. I can’t do that without all these people in their groups giving me ideas and thinking of the goofy things that I don’t really think of.
“We all complete each other in a way. It’s really amazing how this type of community has formed here because it’s truly unique and rare. It’s completely beyond anything I’ve found anywhere.”
Along with the success of his self-organized shows, Weddle has made accomplishments with his open mic sessions.
“When open mic started, it was me and four friends standing on stage,” he said. “It’s evolved into something much larger. Now we have to limit each group to a 15-minute spot and the entire event takes up a four-hour time frame.”
He said he finds new members for his army of creative minds through these sessions quite frequently.
“It’s created a really strong sense of community,” he said. “From that, I’ve grown really close with a lot of people. I’ve met a lot of people that I wouldn’t have otherwise. I’ve been recording local musicians and the majority of them are people I’ve heard and enjoyed at open mics.”
That’s what’s really so astounding about Weddle and about Poke Tri Rx as a collective community. Despite the overwhelming current of uniquely creative energy, there’s a noticeable lack of pomp and pretension.
There’s no elitist exclusivity. In its absence, there’s a warm welcoming sense that everyone is encouraged to ‘come as you are.’
Ever-eager to meet new passionate people, Weddle encourages anyone interested in playing or listening to come to his open mic sessions. He is especially encouraging to anyone interested in performing but too timid or insecure to do so.
“One of my current band members started as just an attendee of my open mic nights,” he said. “At first, he just listened. Then he became interested and started playing ukulele. He had never played before, but spending a semester watching everyone inspired him. That’s all he needed to actually push him to start performing live. It took time and he knew his strengths and his weaknesses. He really was able to improve on all of those things and really has turned into an amazing performer.
“It’s not to say that everyone will become someone who’s an amazing musician, but everyone can at least have fun.”
Keep your eyes open this semester for fliers advertising shows at the Poke Tri Rx house and campus open mic. Come play. Come listen. Come be yourself and become part of something beautiful. You will not find a
more welcoming, creatively inspiring and generally encouraging group of people anywhere.
The gang is moving to a new house on College Place, but fear not — little will change. The walls will resonate the pulsing reverberations just as viscerally as before, no matter the location.
