On February 25, BSide performed in showcase at the Middle East produced by Ocean Group Productions, a company founded last spring by Alvin L. McCottry '00. McCottry has also managed the Boston alternative rock band pistola since last summer.

Pierce Woodward '99, a singer-song writer, attended the BSide event. Woodward, says he has made $8 to $9 per hour playing in the Harvard Square T-station. Recently he began playing with a band for the first time.

His partners will be Eggrs and Roy. The two could really use Woodward's help--Roy says he has only made $2 to $3 per hour playing in Harvard Square, but says the difference is due to the fact that Woodward may be "cuter."

For many of these students, music is not a passing phase. The have toiled to make a name at Harvard, and will use their skills to make a living. While many of their peers will enter I-banking or medical school, they will be musicians.

Next year, Woodward plans to move to New York City, Where he will continue to play music, as well as start an independent record label with his roommate, Mateo C. Jaramillo '99.

"I'm going to give it a couple of years at least," Woodward says. "My sister did the peace Corps--I think of this as the arts corps."

Tardy plans to move to Nashville at the end of the year to pursue a career in singing.

A combination of daring--"I'm not afraid to be extremely poor for a while," Tardy says--and a willingness to take jobs that simply pay the bills characterizes Tardy's approach to her intended career.

"I get annoyed with the whole `don't sell out thing," Tardy says. "I aspire to be a lounge singer, baby."

Filip, like McCottry, plans to make a career in music management. "To be a musician full time is really, really hard work," she says.

Other musicians, though, are uncertain that they want to live the life of a starving artist. Roy, who graduated last semester and is currently a teaching fellow of a Harvard electronics course, say, "I could go make a million dollars at Goldman schs...[so] there is a certain degree to which music is always challenged by sparkly opportunities,"

Though they are hopeful that their music may someday bring them fame and fortune, the musiciance say they are enjoying Harvard's dynamic Community.

"I feel extremely lucky to have met so many wonderful musicians here. the kicker is that the vast majority of them are wonderful human beings," Weinstein say in an e-mail message. "Many even went out of their way to welcome new players and introduce them to the various musical communities."

Musicians say that music scene outside of the traditional extracurricular groups has many benefits, and suits their style.

Wood, BSide's a keyboardist, says that although he was a members of the Harvard Jazz Band last year, his participation in independent projects has increased his opportunities to play.