After three days of street performances in Downtown Portland, Oregon Tech’s Computer Systems Engineering Technology (CSET) Portland-Metro band was voted into the top five performers at Portland Buskathon, completing their final performance April 13 at the Busk-Off.
During Portland’s first-ever Buskathon, the CSET PM band, made up of Oregon Tech faculty, an alumnus, and students, had the opportunity to perform with 30 other musicians and showcase their talent in front of local businesses and community members. The band members are:
- Phong Nguyen (CSET Instructor, Violin/Keyboard/Bass Guitar)
- Quyen Nguyen (2005 Oregon Tech Vascular Ultrasound Alumna, Vocal/Percussion)
- Cari Blaker (Embedded Systems Senior, Lead Singer)
- Joseph TenEyck (Software Engineering Senior, Drummer/Keyboard/Composer/Arranger)
- Dominick Stone (Embedded Systems Senior, Lead Guitar)
“As a band, we had a great time playing to such a large, friendly crowd and, moreover, felt blessed to be able to watch and befriend the other incredibly talented and amazing performers,” said Instructor Nguyen.
CSET PM has been playing together since December and performed at Oregon Tech’s campus in Wilsonville to prepare for three one-hour performances at Buskathon at various bars, lounges, hotels, and parks within Southwest and Northwest Portland before the public voted them into the final Busk-Off.
When the judges asked how the band operated all its electronic equipment at the various street performances and if they had a generator, Instructor Nguyen responded that they are electrical engineers with two embedded systems engineers and a software engineer, and joked that they invented all of the equipment.
For a five-member band with guitars, bass guitars, a keyboard with stand, multiple microphones with stands, four amplifiers, a drum set, and large Oregon Tech banners, they were thankful that Oregon Tech rented a van and helped them move equipment. Because of this support, they arrived on time at every performance.
Stone said that street performers rarely gather in one place on the scale that was seen throughout the weekend. “It was an excellent opportunity to experience what Portland artists have to offer (and they have a LOT to offer), and I was beyond excited to be a part of that,” Stone said. “I’m personally happiest when I am playing music and feeling that energy with others, and it really seems like the organizers of Buskathon also had that in mind when they were putting the event together.”
The band shared that they were proud to represent Oregon Tech at such an event and grateful for the strong support from students, staff, faculty, and alumni who voted for them to enter the Busk-Off and came to their performances.
Instructor Nguyen shared that, based on their performances, the band has already been asked to play at other community events in addition to scheduled performances at Oregon Tech in May.
To view CSET PM’s performance, visit https://youtu.be/sloqTBxYeTQ.
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