MGCCC’s Live Entertainment and Technology program showcases skills with live music

HARRISON COUNTY, Miss. (WLOX) – Some Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College students put their live entertainment skills to the test with a showcase of their talents and even some live music.

Don’t be fooled by this rock-n-roll style performance.

This showcase at the iMPAC highlighted the lighting and sound design MGCCC students have learned in the Live Entertainment and Technology program.

All this is to get the word out that MGCCC Harrison County Campus offers this special program to current and prospective students.

MGCCC Live Entertainment Technology Instructor Bailey Aultman says, “The program is to teach all the back line, the audio, the lighting, the studio, but there’s opportunity as well for what’s happening today. One of my students happens to have a band, so he’s also getting showcased.”

While this program has been around the MGCCC campus for a couple of years now, this is the first showcase the Live Entertainment Program has done.

Former students in the program feel ready for their careers in live entertainment thanks to the knowledge they have gained as a part of it.

Former MGCCC Live Entertainment Program student Bear Joyner says, “Already knowing things about audio and lighting, already having that knowledge and being able to show that you have the knowledge is very helpful because the employers will trust you more they will know that you know what you’re doing.”

One former student even got to perform with his band at this showcase.

They go by Midnight Shadows and have now had the opportunity to record their EP “Silver in the Ashes” as a school project in the recording booths of the iMPAC.

Former MGCCC student and Midnight Shadows band member Dustin Ross says, “With it being a project, I was like, ‘Hey, this could be my start. This would be able to push my workforce along with the band.’”

Instructor Aultman says the next step is reaching out to neighboring communities to get students internships and partner with local companies.

Students interested in this program have until the first day of class on August 21 to register for the upcoming semester.

See a spelling or grammar error in this story? Report it to our team HERE.

Copyright 2024 WLOX. All rights reserved.