Mark Tardif, Assoc. Dir. of Communications at Unity College offered this tongue-in-cheek review of DWO's performance at the UC Staff Appreciation picnic...
Who Let the Dogs Out?
During the cookout employees were serenaded by the faculty and staff band entitled Dog Wants Out, which is currently on a summer and fall tour of farmer’s markets across Maine.
The band features Farm and Landscape Manager Sara Trunzo ’08 on vocals and mandolin; Director of Student Health Services Anna McGalliard on banjo and vocals; Professor John Zavodny on guitar and vocals; and Vice President for College Advancement Rob Constantine on keyboards.
A highlight of their performance was an interpretive version of the Kenny Chesney song “She Thinks My Tractor’s Sexy,” sung with brooding intensity by Trunzo with added power provided by McGalliard’s blistering banjo lines.
This song was not so much supported as it was first surrounded, then attacked by Zavodny and Constantine. They provided an urgent, at turns troubling, psychedelic tapestry to the Chesney standard and seemed inspired by the West Coast country scene.
The band was presented with the first-ever Good Spirit Award for surviving intermittent winds off Unity Pond that gusted to 30 miles per hour.
“Once Sara Trunzo got her sheet music anchored, the band was unstoppable,” noted Zane. “The band was really on their game despite the weather with Sara’s voice reaching every corner of the Field of Dreams and beyond, probably across Unity Pond.”
A self-described member of the “dog pound,” the heady group of committed, hard-core Dog Wants Out fans who often hand out free vegetables at concerts, Zane voiced his regret at having to leave the concert early to participate in the softball game.
“Life is full of hard choices,” mused Zane, unfocused eyes aimlessly scanning the horizon.
His favorite band member is Trunzo, whose voice Zane describes a “cross between Whitney Houston and Ani DiFranco with the range of opera great Maria Callas.”
Another highlight of the show was Zavodny threatening to destroy his new Godin 5th Avenue Kingpin cognac colored P 90 single coil pickup acoustic / electric guitar in homage to Pete Townsend.
“Since we’re not playing a Who song, I’m not going to do it (destroy the guitar),” said Zavodny. “If we had been, I’d take a world of hurt to this thing and test the sturdiness of this gazebo!”
