The University News

Issue date: 2/23/09 Section: Culture

Media Credit: Chris Lynch Plain Wight rocked out before getting their hair cut.

Media Credit: Chris Lynch Drummer Liam Sumnicht loses his locks.

Ben, Liam and Jesus rocked Jerry's Bait Shop in Lee's Summit, Mo. last Saturday.

The band, Plain Wight, created a group on Facebook, saying, "If 1,000 Kansas Citians join this group by January 1, we'll cut our hair!"

And that's exactly what they did.

The band, composed of Jesus Butler (guitar, vocals), Liam Sumnicht (drums, backing vocals), both UMKC students, and Ben Johnston (bass, backing vocals), decided to use their network and notoriety to perform a charitable action.

The whole purpose of this event was to offer their hair to a charitable organization called Locks of Love, which provides hairpieces to children suffering from medical hair loss.

The band was accompanied by The Karma Effect and My Only Danger.

More than 200 people attended the show.

"We chose Jerry's Bait Shop because it allows all ages," said Butler (who is also Assistant News Editor for U-News) as he welcomed people attending the event.

The atmosphere was warm and welcoming, with customers, audience and artists sharing conversation, beer and pizza.

The show was sponsored by Monster Energy Drink, Budweiser True Music, Scion and the Green Beauty Salon & Day Spa, which provided a stylist for the haircut itself.

At 5 p.m., My Only Danger took the stage and played an impressive thirty minute set. The Karma Effect followed with an agitated wild hair moving show, asking the audience to come to the front of the stage.

Plain Wight appeared using intense drums, strong bass and a powerful lead guitar, and rocked Jerry's Bait Shop.

They asked the audience to bang their heads with them.

"If your hair is longer than 6 inches we want to see your head bang, and if your hair is 6 inches or shorter then we want to see your head bang," Butler said before performing his last song with long hair.

Audience members joined the band onstage for the last song, headbanging as hard as they could.

"It's time to cut my hair," Sumnicht said when the last song with long hair came to an end.

The haircut itself was full of emotion. The guys sat in front of the audience while the beautician from Green Beauty Salon & Day Spa went to work.

The audience stood nervously awaiting the haircut, including Sumnicht's mom, Butler's nephew and friends and classmates who couldn't miss this event.

"I have a sinking feeling in my stomach," Sumnicht said while his hair was becoming shorter.

At the end of the haircut, the band wanted to make sure that this lack of hair wouldn't disturb their ability to rock, so they performed the song "What Doing This Means" for the first time.

We can bet this means that they have a lot of support, considering their Facebook group now has more than 1,800 members.

It might also mean that Sumnicht's hair will not get stuck on the drum sticks anymore.

jlebrument@unews.com

Page 1 of 1

Article Tools