Crowds gathered to watch David Ullman at The Green Room, Oct. 25. Ullman was the first artist in the showcase hosted by GTB Records. REBECCA MOIDEL | DAILY KENT STATER

Credit: DKS Editors

GTB Entertainment’s showcase at the Green Room Thursday night featuring local artist David Ullman and bands Nate X 10 and The Speedbumps drew a small crowd of pleased, feet-tapping fans.

Seth Roodman, junior architecture major, said he’s a Speedbumps fan because of its unique sound.

“I just like how they have the cello and bass,” Roodman said. “You don’t hear that in traditional music. I’ve never heard anything quite like them. You can’t even put them in a genre. It just flows so well.”

But the on-campus record company is cautious to congratulate itself just yet. GTB Entertainment, which stands for Got To Believe, is in the midst of financial turmoil.

Daniel Doherty, president of GTB Entertainment, voiced his concern.

“We have a small problem – money. Only, it’s not a small problem. We need to think of ways to churn money out of this next event.”

Doherty said the event brought in a couple hundred dollars.

The student-driven company started last spring in the Record Promotions class, taught by assistant professor Gene Shelton. Since then, GTB Entertainment has worked to establish itself as a record label.

“The job is not done. Let’s not pat ourselves on the back too forcefully. For this class to work, it has to make money. Otherwise, it’ll just have to be a lecture class,” Shelton said.

Last spring, the school of Journalism and Mass Communication loaned GTB Entertainment $900 to get the company started. Rory Geraghty, a teaching assistant for Record Promotions, said GTB was fortunate to get the loan.

“Luckily, JMC was nice,” Geraghty said. “They’re not knocking on our door asking for it back but we still need to pay it.”

On top of the loan, GTB also needs to pay for the expenses to put on musical showcases and to produce this semester’s compilation CD. The compilation offers two songs of each band GTB promotes.

Fundraising efforts are in the making for GTB to dig itself out of its financial ditch. Doherty said GTB Entertainment plans to fundraise outside the record industry for extra money. In addition, the company is hosting two more events this semester.

Another showcase featuring Symphony and 2fly is Nov. 16 at the Rathskeller. Specifics of a benefit concert at the end of November for a Kent boy battling leukemia are being worked out as well.

Shelton reassured the class that it’s no easy task they are undertaking.

“It takes a lot to motivate people,” Shelton said. “How do you get people to put on their coats and come to your show? It just reminds us how hard the job is. But it is possible.”

Contact College of Communication and Information reporter

Brittany Thoma at [email protected].