The Breeze JMU’s award-winning newspaper since 1922
april 6, 2023 VOL. 101 NO.24 BREEZEJMU.ORG
Fraternity band forms through musical bond
By EVAN MOODY The Breeze
All Doghouse band members are also a part of JMU’s chapter of Phi Gamma Nu (PGN), a business fraternity. This has caused people to entertain the idea of other fraternities having their own bands as well. Daria Ausen / The Breeze
Senior Pat Poirier’s fingers flew across the frets of his electric guitar to produce the fan-favorite solo: Lynyrd Skynyrd’s “Free Bird.” Concurrently, Tanner Greer, junior economics major and vocalist, sings of liberty to the densely packed basement just two weeks after a past show had been halted by police. The set, complete with splattered paint, neon-bulb lights and an encore of Ted Nugent’s “Stranglehold,” was the formal introduction of Doghouse, an independent, Harrisonburg-formed band that plays “music for attractive listeners,” Ben Baker, a senior international business major and guitarist, said. The band’s members span four academic years with Chase Huff, sophomore management major and bassist, and Jackson Greer, freshman computer science major and drummer, rounding out the stage. The affiliation of each member can be attributed to their involvement in the JMU chapter of Phi Gamma Nu (PGN), a business fraternity. Alex McMillen, sophomore hospitality major and president of PGN, said Doghouse’s formation can be credited to the tightness of the fraternity. “It’s a group of buddies that know how to play some music and have some shared interests,” McMillen said. “Once the idea came about, and once their minds were kind of made up, there was no looking back.” Support from the fraternity toward the band was most evident in its Friday night set, which took place in a PGN house’s basement near downtown. No matter what project a member tries to start, there’s always an influx of support, Huff said. Throughout the crowd, brothers and sisters of the band could be seen wearing “Doghouse” T-shirts, a simple design with the band’s name created by a fellow member and unveiled to the band that night. Doghouse has channeled the creative side of other PGN members, Huff said. Also noticed throughout the March 24 set was a phone light, film camera setup that spanned the screaming crowd capturing Doghouse chants, barks and close-up portraits of the band performing. “It’s such an awesome addition to have to this organization,” McMillen said. “We love just getting to see our own members show off their artistic and creative talents.” Freshman English major Isabel Henderson sought out Doghouse band for a new, local band experience and attended the show. Upon learning the group was affiliated with PGN, Henderson said, “frats should all have a band.” The creative outlet’s ability to draw in supporters was proven at PGN’s St. Patrick’s Day party before police interruption. While a social fraternity hosted their own party across the lawn from PGN, attendees began to cross over to the business frat’s grounds because of the live music, Poirier said.
Doghouse will be part of JMU’s Relay For Life main event April 28 alongside the Shady Trace Band and Dancing Dukes. Organizers of the event said the band’s high energy was one of the reasons Doghouse was chosen for the event. Daria Ausen / The Breeze
see DOGHOUSE, page 10
Dr. Fauci, CNN’s Jim Acosta reflect on COVID-19 By CHARLOTTE MATHERLY The Breeze
Hindsight is 20/20, or at least that was Monday’s focus as Dr. Anthony Fauci and CNN Chief Domestic Correspondent Jim Acosta (’93) led a town hall at JMU to talk about lessons learned from the COVID-19 pandemic and reflect on the mistakes and successes that have followed the U.S. throughout the global health crisis. The town hall closed out this year’s Madison Vision Series, lectures that bring leaders to campus to discuss current issues. Junior health sciences major Hugh McFarlane joined Acosta in interviewing Fauci.
NEWS
The conversation centered on the processes behind some of Fauci’s most difficult decisions, including the political divide and misinformation that affected the pandemic, and how the country will move forward. Acosta started by encouraging civil discourse during the town hall to get “a better understanding of what we all went through,” as well as for audience members to see “the human side” of Fauci.
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see TOWN HALL, page 4
Dr. Anthony Fauci participated in a town hall in the Wilson Hall auditorium Monday to reflect and discuss topics surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic. Ryan Sauer / The Breeze
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