Devil horns shot into the air as “Crazy Train” thundered through Columbia’s Concert Hall. Onstage, students channeled the energy that made Ozzy Osbourne a rock icon.

The performance was part of Columbia’s Rock and Roll Productions’ third annual “An Incomplete Journey Through Rock and Roll,” a two-hour showcase of songs spanning from the 1950s to today. 

Osbourne died last summer at age 76. He was a pioneer in hard rock with his song, “Crazy Train,” remaining one of the most popular rock tracks of all time, entering the Hot 100 at No. 46 during the week of his death. 

Rock and roll is a diverse genre that has led into the creation of several subgenres since its inception in the 1950s, including punk rock, grunge, metal and alternative — all of which were represented in the show. 

The show started with “Shout!” by The Isley Brothers, a song that may not seem like a rock song at first listen, but when played alongside other high-energy anthems, feels as exciting and hardcore as anything by legendary bands like Journey and Buzzcocks, who were also represented in the show. 

The show also emphasized rock’s Black origins. Sly and the Family Stone’s “Everyday People” brought themes of unity and social consciousness to the stage — reminders that rock has long been both musical and political.

Behind the guitar solos and crowd sing-alongs was months of preparation. 

Rock and Roll Productions brought together 25 students who auditioned without knowing which songs they would ultimately perform, later being assigned tracks that matched their vocal range and musical strengths.

For first-year music composition for media student Vlad Movsesyan, the assignment meant stepping far outside their comfort zone.

Movsesyan, who typically performs pop music, said they were initially overwhelmed by rock’s intensity.

“I think I was trying to get over the stage fright of being so far out of your comfort zone,” they said. “Rock’s kind of felt really far out. Sure. But then this performance happened, and I’m like, wow, this is a lot better than I thought.” 

Movsesyan said their favorite note, a nod to rock’s theatrical performance style, was that, when singing, they needed to “eat the mic.”

“I kid you not, for weeks on end and weeks and weeks, my only note was, ‘Vlad the mic, Vlad the mic, Vlad the mic. The mic is too far, Vlad. Eat the mic.’ So I hope they could tell that tonight I actually made collision with the mic many times,” they said.

While some students discovered rock through this performance, others had grown up with it.

Lukas Safe, a first-year music student, played many of the show’s roof-shaking solos. He had been a guitar player since a young age, playing the same model guitar as his favorite guitarist, Mark Holcomb.

“I played in the first open mic last semester that they did, and they invited me to audition for this, and it was really interesting,” he said. “Everyone was really cool. I loved the vibe between all the people.”

For sophomore music major Sky Watson, rock’s appeal has always been rooted in emotion. Watson, who performed in the show, said they were introduced to the genre by their family who played it in the car when they were a child. They quickly fell in love with its lyricism.

“Just hearing the lyrics, these are from raw points in the time of these musicians, and they take that pain and put it into their music. Even though you’ve lost, they still put that pain into their music, and that’s what makes it so special to me,” they said. 

As Watson sang Evanescence’s “Bring Me to Life,” the crowd shouted, “wake me up inside,” while a security guard outside the concert hall swayed along to a television broadcast of the show.

After the show, students buzzed in the lobby, many speaking to how surprised they were that certain tracks they had heard for years were considered to be part of rock and roll. 

“I didn’t expect rock to be so large. I thought it was originally more heavy metal than anything. My first part was finding out which songs could and could not be considered rock, like ‘Shout!’ Never knew that was a rock song,” said Movsesyan. 

Beyond the nostalgia, several performers said rock’s themes feel especially timely.

In the last year, rock and roll has been making a comeback: With new bands like Turnstile and Geese hosting successful tours, both of which played sold out shows in Chicago within the last year. 

Senior contemporary, jazz and popular music major Kirstyn Smith, who performed Janis Joplin’s “Half Moon,” said rock’s resurgence reflects a growing embrace of anti-authority values.

“Punk is also a political movement,” she said. “In my opinion, the way the U.S. specifically is going in terms of the administration, I think people are really leaning into that punk mindset about anti-establishment, leftist ideology. I know I am.” 

Copy edited by Katie Peters