The Mandarin Taste lounge was jamming Wednesday, April 18, as PSU student band Officially Broke took the stage. The group was joined by Blue Camp guitarist/vocalist Kellen Rattigan.
Rattigan led the night off, accompanied by Officially Broke’s drummer Kevin Smith and bassist Ryan McGonagle. The trio got the crowd pumped up for the main event and helped pack the room.
At 11 P.M., Smith and McGonagle were joined by their fellow band-mates: pianist/vocalist Jeff Leroy, guitarist/vocalist Ryan Erickson, trumpeter Ian McCarthy, trumpeter Tim Polhemus, trombonist Dano Lader and saxophonist Dan Heffernan.
They rocked a mix of original songs and some covers. Much to the delight of the crowd, Leroy pulled out his infamous keytar and jammed. The popular Officially Broke song “Fire Bush” was also a crowd favorite.
Senior Meredith Barrett said, “I love shows like this, these guys always switch it up. I liked it when Kevin took off his shirt.”
When the lights flicked on at the end of the show a few fans mingled with the band and discussed the show and congratulated the band on a job well done. A good time was had by all who attended.
The band has also played shows in the Grafton and Blair Residence Halls, Jose’s Mexican Grill, and the HUB Fireplace Lounge. To learn more about Officially Broke’s upcoming shows, check out their Facebook group “Officially Broke,” or their website, OfficiallyBrokeMusic.com.