By Elizabeth Dubrulle
Correspondent

From left, Brian Stockard, Greg Kassapis and Justin Spencer, members of Recycled Percussion, jam on the buckets. The group, which plays on all kinds of everyday items, will perform at Goffstown High School on Monday, May 23, at 7 p.m. (Courtesy Photo)

One of the nation's hottest touring bands, Recycled Percussion, is returning to Goffstown and its roots for a celebratory 10th anniversary concert at Goffstown High School on Monday, May 23, at 7 p.m. The group is finishing its 2005 Total Beat Down tour, having played over 300 shows and visited more than 100 cities across the United States.

Recycled Percussion.s music has been described as junk rock, employing a wide variety of household articles such as trash cans, power tools, ladders, kitchen sinks, and even their own bodies to produce a fastpaced cacaphony of sounds that defy easy classification, mixing elements of Latin, African, and American hip hop to produce something totally unique. Known for its elaborate stage productions, the band puts on a dynamic show that feeds on its audience's enthusiasm and offers an ever-changing performance.

The brainchild of Goffstown resident Justin Spencer, the group's first performance was at the Goffstown High School talent show in 1995. Spencer, a 1996 graduate of GHS, had been playing percussion instruments for years when he decided to organize an act for the show with the aid of a couple of friends. The group won second place at the talent show and quickly found itself sought after for other bookings.

In the ensuing 10 years, Recycled Percussion's membership has changed many times, but its distinctive sound and high-energy live performances have continued to evolve and to enthrall fans.

All four of the current members hail from southern New Hampshire. Spencer and fellow founding member Greg Kassapis are both Goffstown natives. Kassapis, a 1998 graduate of GHS, returned to the band in 2002 after a four-year hiatus to attend college. Ethan Holmes, originally from Hollis, was introduced to the group by his older brother Zach, who used to play with the band. The fourth member, Jerami Bellafatto - aka DJ Dirty Soul - joined the group just one year ago and lives in Manchester. Through the years, Recycled Percussion has had eight additional members, all of whom are returning to play in the anniversary show at Goffstown High.

With a rapidly growing fan base and increasing national recognition, Recycled Percussion is poised to become the biggest musical group to ever come out of New Hampshire. The backbone of the band's touring schedule is high schools and college campuses, but it has played a wide variety of venues, including halftime shows for professional sports. In its last tour alone, the group played at more than 20 halftime shows for NBA games. The band has also appeared on such nationally recognized shows as Comedy Central's "Talk Soup." Recycled Percussion is typically on the road for 10 months of the year, a grueling tour schedule that surpasses every other major act in America.

The band members obviously thrive on live performances, and college students in particular have proven particularly receptive to the group's intense stage presence. In both 2003 and 2004, Campus Activities magazine named Recycled Percussion as the Best Major Performing Group, beating out such acts as John Mayer.

Major news organizations have also taken notice of the band, with USA Today running a story on the group and NBC's "Today" show featuring a seven-minute segment. The group hopes to reach an even bigger audience with the release of a pair of DVDs, the first featuring its 2004 Trash the Nation tour and the second based on its current tour.

The anniversary show at GHS promises to be unlike any of the group's other unforgettable performances, allowing band members to recognize those who have contributed to their success.

"This is a celebration of 10 years of entertaining people with a show grown by a passion for music and executed on instruments accessible to everyone," said Spencer. "And there is no place we would rather have this celebration than our hometown. I hope people will come down and see just how far the band has come."

Tickets are $10 and available at the door. All proceeds will go toward the Recycled Percussion Scholarship Program, which recognizes one GHS student a year for contributions to the arts.

"It's intended to foster creative genius, and it's our opportunity to give something back to the community," said Spencer.

"With this show," he said, "we hope to treat our hometown to our intensely energetic fullstage show, which we hope will continue to inspire students and musicians who are poised to create the future of live entertainment."