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Every year at Hollis Brookline High School, students from all grades and musical backgrounds come together to showcase their musical abilities. The annual event, known as Guitar Night, will be held in the HBHS auditorium on Friday, April 10 and Saturday, April 11. Comprised of both musical covers and original works, the nights are a great opportunity for students to go out and enjoy themselves while hearing great tunes performed by friends whom they may have never heard play before.

One thing that attendees may not know, however, is how much work really goes into making the night remarkable.

Mark Illingworth, who founded Guitar Night many years ago, explained, “A lot goes into preparing for the shows. We have to hold auditions, come up with a theme, and build a set.”

Thankfully, Illingworth isn’t alone in his quest to put on a great show. He receives help from Karen Johnson, a Hollis Brookline staff member, and her husband, Phil Johnson, who help put on auditions and make sure the show runs smoothly. One of the most important roles of the nights belongs to sound engineer, Mike Clark, who sits in the booth and monitors the auditorium’s acoustics. Illingworth’s Graphic Design class holds a contest every year to create the best advertisement poster. Like any performance, the work that the crew puts in behind the scenes is one of the most important aspects of the show.

Spending countless hours in basements or jam caves, bands work tirelessly to perfect their favorite musical compositions. Participants in Guitar Night put a lot of time and effort into preparing for their acts. Nick Sheppard ‘18 talked about his band, adding, “We’re practicing in my basement mostly. We have a singer this year, Caroline Burns ‘18, which is cool because she’s really good.”

Hoping to enjoy themselves and impress the audience, excitement is building for the two-night event.

As he prepares for his last Guitar Night performance at HBHS, Alex Sandin ‘15, said, “I really love being on stage. The most emotional you’ll ever see me is on stage. I’m playing an awesome Weezer song this year which is exciting.”

Every year at Hollis Brookline High School, students and staff dedicate hours of hard work in preparation for Guitar Night. This year’s shows are lined up to be some of the best yet. So, if you enjoy great music and a live show, make your way to the HB auditorium at 7 P.M. this Friday and Saturday to enjoy Guitar Night 2015. Tickets are just $10 and the opportunity to reserve seats will be available in the cafeteria during lunch. Assuming that the show will not sell out beforehand, tickets will also be available at the doors prior to the show.