Gathering Everyone Nearby to Raucously Entertain, G.E.N.R.E. is one of many musical clubs at Iowa State, but what they do is much different than anything else you might see.

Their main goal is to keep young musicians involved in music and bring them together.

G.E.N.R.E. formed six years ago and has only gotten bigger. When it started, the club was just a way for like-minded musicians to come together and jam. Since then, however, it has become a way for musicians of all kinds of backgrounds to form bands either for fun or to really try to make it.

G.E.N.R.E. president Justin Booth said that even though it has changed a lot over the years, the original reason of the organization still holds true. They still have regular meeting and jam sessions, but now there is even more opportunity.

Booth has been a part of GENRE for the past three years. He originally joined the club since he was unable to be a part of Iowa State’s jazz band but still wanted to be involved with music, despite being a non-music major.

The beauty of G.E.N.R.E. is that anyone can join. Members do not have to be world-class musicians or even study music at Iowa State. The only requirement is to be a student.

At the beginning of the year when all the new members join, the club holds a series of “auditions.” These auditions are atypical in that the club does not determine who gets to participate and who does not. Instead they determine each musician’s style and skill level in order to group them into bands with similar musicians.

These small groups may be of similar musicians, but they all come from wildly different backgrounds. Members are as diverse as the student body, with a number of non-music majors involved in the club.

A big part of G.E.N.R.E. is the performances that they put on. The individual bands perform a lot of small shows around Ames and Des Moines, and the whole group does several shows on campus.

Last Thursday, the club performed at Musiki, a fundraising show for Hopeful Africa. G.E.N.R.E. has also performed fall and spring showcases at the M-shop among other venues.

In the future, G.E.N.R.E. is going to be a big part of the new 88.5 KURE event called Terrace Tuesdays. This event will take place on the terraces at the Memorial Union and will include live music, dancing, crafts, food trucks and other fun activities for students’ Tuesday evening hang outs. 

This spring G.E.N.R.E. will be very active:

On April 1, the Great Hall (in the Memorial Union) will host the Global Gala. This will be a showcase of music from many different countries and nationalities.

On April 15 and 16, G.E.N.R.E. will be performing shows for Richardson Court (located near Maple-Willow-Larch Commons) and Frederiksen Court residents, respectively.

With a group that has grown so much in only a few years. G.E.N.R.E. is sure to continue to grow and become an even larger presence on campus in the coming years. 

For more information on G.E.N.R.E., visit their Facebook page.