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Media Credit: Derrick Roffman Valerie Custer sings in the Courter Center during the turkey feed.

The Courter Center was alive with musical guest, Valerie Custer preformed Thursday Nov. 19. The Ohio native was brought in by Steve Krafcisin and the SAC to entertain students during the turkey feed.

Overall, the performance was well received by students. Samantha Kirby, second year student said, "She is good. It's kind of fun to hear her own twist on songs." Songs preformed by Custer included, "Wonderwall," (Oasis) "Hurt," (Johnny Cash, Nine Inch Nails) "I'm Sorry Miss Jackson," (Outcast) along with a few of Custer's originals.

Some students liked the idea of live music enough to suggest it happen more often. Melissa Martin, first year student said, "I think it should happen every Friday. I enjoy it."

Haling from Akron, Ohio, Custer said she started playing and performing at the age of 14. After high school she attended college for a year while performing local shows on the side. She realized soon that her musical career and a college life could not coincide and made the choice to leave the academic race and pursue her dreams in music.

"I'm realistic about what this career holds but I can't picture myself doing anything else. I'm either going to do this or live in a gutter." Custer said.

When she realized what she wanted to do she sent her tapes out to a few agencies but receivedno response, "No one wanted anything to do with me," she said.

However, Custer wasn't going to allow her musical aspirations to be dashed before they really got started. She decided to attend an APCA and NACA conference representing herself. The APCA, American College Personal Association, and the NACA, National Association of Campus Activities, are organizations that represent entertainers to colleges across the nation.

After attending the conference, Custer was able to book some shows and received a few calls from interested agencies, but as of now, she remains unsigned. Now Custer travels, playing exclusively at college campuses. In the 2008-09 school year she racked up over 100 shows and this year she was awarded the APCA Female Performer of the Year, voted on by the students she has preformed for.

Custer says she has many influences for her own music, "Pretty much anything I listen to, be it a good or bad influence." She says she listens to most anything outside of country, anywhere from MRP to jazz, hard rock to alternative, Tool to Death Cab for Cutie. However, Custer says she remains untrained in traditional music and claims to be self-taught. "I like my ignorance to music. I think it makes my music more unique." said Custer.

"At the moment I have 20 songs but three I would record." Custer said when asked about her original pieces. "I think I've gone as far as I can by myself. I'd like to put a three piece together when I get home," a three piece being a drummer, a bassist, and herself.

After the show Custer had plans to head back up to Bloomington, "You may think I'm crazy but I've never heard of the Mall of America. All I heard about when I was up there was the Mall of America so I think I'm going to go check it out."

Custer has the next couple days off before she has to be in DePere, Wisconsin for a performance at Saint Norbert College. Students interested in learning more about Valerie Custer and her musical career can find more information as well as upcoming show dates at www.myspace.com/vmusicspace.

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