By Ellen Garnett
Staff Writer
Music, sunshine, and a mission to raise awareness for reproductive justice set the scene for the Calling for Choice: A Music Festival for Reproductive Justice last Saturday on the Simmons residence squad.
The concert was sponsored by NARAL Pro-Choice in Massachusetts at Simmons and the Sexuality, Women, and Gender Center. Although the concert was free, there was a raffle that concert-goers could enter with band merchandise and products from Good Vibrations which supported the Eastern Massachusetts Abortion Fund.
Bands and performers included Bobby Mahoney and the Seventh Son, Stephanie Parsons, The Young Pop Cherrys, Coquette, James Roseman, and Portraits (a band including Simmons’ own Catherine Conley).
Students laid out in the sun and gathered up by the stage to enjoy the music, which varied in style. There were some folk bands, some bands that were more rock ’n’ roll, and some that were alternative.
Portraits, Conley’s band, had a certain eclectic feel to it. Conley played the autoharp and the tambourine, which, in this author’s opinion, are very underused instruments. It was refreshing to hear Conley’s music.
She also sported a wedding dress during her performance, which gave her music an interesting touch because the audience was left wondering if her clothing pertained to her music in any way. Overall, Conley gave a lovely performance with her partner, who occasionally drummed.
To learn more about reproductive justice, feel free to visit the NARAL Pro-Choice Massachusetts at Simmons, SWAG, or the Violence Prevention and Educational Outreach Center.
