LEBANON, N.H. (WCAX) – Sometimes you have to break up the monotony of the school day with a rock concert. That’s exactly what happened Friday at the Lebanon Middle School thanks to a band that got its start in New Hampshire.
Recycled Percussion is not a typical band. Their sound comes from household items. To say it’s electric is a bit of an understatement.
“I’ve never seen them before and I thought it was a really interesting experience,” said Genevieve D’Entremont, an eighth grader.
Justin Spencer formed the band in 1995 when he was a student at Goffstown High School in New Hampshire. Since then, he’s been on “America’s Got Talent,” had performances in Las Vegas and toured in more than 50 countries around the world.
“It was really fun, especially having it be interactive and letting everyone kind of contribute to it,” D’Entremont said.
That included the teachers, who showed off their dance moves one by one.
Recycled Percussion was invited to the school as part of its anti-bullying agenda.
“Kids kind of like myself who had a lot of energy weren’t necessarily great academically in school but really have some creativeness to them. So you hope to reach those kids and inspire them. And also to spread the word of kindness and the importance of inclusion,” Spencer said.
It was also an opportunity for the school to highlight the arts in education in a unique way.
“Having another exposure is always good for kids, to know what they really do like and what they find they are good at,” said Yvette Garnham, a music teacher at Lebanon Middle School.
Dancing is clearly on that list; a schoolwide dance party ended the show and the message behind it was not lost on these kids.
“They are really supportive of being kind to everyone you meet, especially people who are differently abled,” said Kyle Stanford, an eighth grader.
Recycled Percussion is hosting two shows this weekend at the Lebanon Opera House as it celebrates its 30th anniversary. Not bad for a band that got its start at its high school talent show.