The Upper Peninsula is no stranger to the talent of local musicians. From modernist composer Robert Erickson, who was among the first Americans to compose tape music, to the late alternative/indie group Passed Out, Curbside, Marquette is home to a plethora of musically innovative individuals.
This past Thursday, Feb. 20, students had the opportunity to witness an equally skilled group of musicians at the Peak 25 Conference, a two-day professional development seminar for those seeking to further their careers through learning opportunities and networking.
The event, held in conjunction with Innovate Marquette and the Innovation Institute at NMU (SISU) in the Northern Center, featured the local band Total Head, comprised of current NMU students.
Lead singer Ashlyn Roskowski’s hypnotizing vocals, paired with the rhythmic chemistry between lead guitarist John O’Connor and drummer Andrew Donar, made for a stellar performance that even had the most stubborn listener tapping their feet.
“We get to know the band … I think it’s really cool that we get to be a part of their community … I thoroughly enjoyed it,” said Annie Pierce, NMU student and Total Head fan.
Originally named Bed Head, Total Head was founded in December 2023 as a cover band, performing songs by Fleetwood Mac, The Foo Fighters and The Cranberries, among others. Now, just over a year since their inception, the band has written and produced two original songs, which they performed live at the event.
“We’ve recorded some originals, learned how to do the whole studio thing. It was cool to figure that all out,” Donar said. “We want to get an album out, we want to keep writing and we want to keep playing more and more venues.”
The hour-long concert highlighted Roskowski’s impressive vocal range, performing the high-energy pop song “Everybody Wants to Rule the World” alongside the stark folk-country lyrics of Johnny Cash’s “Folsom Prison Blues.”
The contrast in genre also spotlighted O’Connor’s innate ability to dance between frets on his John Mayer Silver Sky signature guitar, a musician whom he considers a stylistic inspiration.
O’Connor originally fell in love with drums, attending Grand Valley State University his freshman year of college on a percussion scholarship.
However, in high school, the budding musician also began practicing guitar, which eventually led to him abandon his former practice in order to pursue the instrument.
“Music is one of those self-driven things,” O’Connor said. “I can put as much time into it as I want to and take it down my own path … that’s kind of why I fell in love with music.”
The band’s participation acted as a great break from the conference and an opportunity for students to attend who may not have otherwise.
After the lights were turned back on and the snack table was empty, the consensus among Peak 25, the audience and Total Head was that NMU should continue to host similar events in the future. If you weren’t able to experience the up-and-coming band, Total Head will be performing at The Crib on Saturday, March 22.
