Basin and Range

In the dimly lit Agate Hall CQ on Saturday night, four bands performed for the Eugene community in an effort to reach people through music and bring different groups of people together.

Created by LightWorker NonProfit Productions CQ, the event featured Basin and Range CQ, a jazz funk group that lit up the stage with its energy and quick pace. Several children joined in on the fun, swinging around on the hardwood dance floor to the soft, sax-based tunes. A young girl with a multicolored hat stood at the edge of the dance floor, clutching her doll, mesmerized by the music.

Linh Renken CQ, violinist of Basin and Range who's been playing for nearly 15 years, said on stage, her chemistry with the band was undeniable and the group appeared to be having fun. The wailing combo of the violin, drums and guitar melded into a harmonious and catchy beat.

"Nothing makes you feel better than getting a whole crowd dancing," Renken said. Midway through the show, many adults joined the children out on the dance floor and let their bodies move to the music. Renken said she likes how the musicians work together and how the audience responds to that.

Next in the lineup was Japanese hip-hop artist Ronin Ichikawa CQ. Dressed in an army coat, black baggy pants and sunglasses, she rapped her name repeatedly to the beat of the drums. As Ichikawa jumped up and down, a silver chain dangling from her neck, the walls shook with thumping vibrations.

The third act to perform was Lucidic CQ, an electro-fusion funk band. Their songs "Arithmetic" and "Whales" got the crowd on their feet, rocking out to the music. Women in high-heeled boots and skirts swayed around the dark room, bobbing their heads to the rhythm. Men in snow caps and button-ups watched the instrumentalists with admiration, their own fingers twitching, playing imaginary notes in the smoky air.
- oregon Daily Emerald