The local pop/rock band Sonic 761 played on the Great Lawn Tuesday night, laying down a lengthy set of covers and providing an enjoyable-yet not entirely memorable-background to "Traffic Jams!" a free cookout hosted by the Orientation leaders, and open to all students. While Sonic 761 played with the proficiency of a successful local act, their song selection-as well as the lacking sound quality-was more fitting of a bad cover band. Predictably covering favorites like David Gray, Coldplay, Dave Matthews Band, Stone Temple Pilots and others, the group had trouble competing with the free burgers and hot dogs for the attention of their largely first-year audience. The Brandeis Juggling Society was also present on the lawn, easily distracting scores of other students.

Eventually, an orientation leader grabbed the mic between songs, pleading for students to pay attention to the band. Except for the dancing of a pair of enthusiastic upperclassmen, Sonic 761 failed to rouse further excitement from the crowd as the evening progressed.

If the crowd seemed largely indifferent to the band, Sonic 761's adherence to the original recordings of the songs in their repertoire seemed to negate the band's character entirely. Even though his impressions of Scott Weiland and Eddie Vedder were more believable than his impressions of Thom Yorke and Bono, the band's vocalist consistently modulated his voice in imitation of the relevant singer, inspiring snickers as audience members often successfully predicted the band's next songs.

If anything, a mere few guitar licks were all that distinguished the entertainment from any other amateur ensemble, but that ultimately was not enough to inject the set with some much needed flair.