Despite technical difficulties that shut down the Caron Vikre concert scheduled Wednesday at the Joe Serna Jr. Plaza, the band held a positive attitude.

“Weird things happen,” said back-up vocalist, Renee Gromacki.

The band rolled in at 10:30 a.m. Wednesday morning to set up and by 12:30 p.m. the concert was scrapped due to unexpected difficulties with the campus sound system.

UNIQUE Program?s Dean Sorensen, announced the cancellation after an extended attempt to fix the problem.

The mood of the band was up and they held no ill will toward the campus program, saying they have played at Sacramento State before and would “love to play here again, things just have to work,” Gromacki.

Vikre is no stranger to the Sacramento music scene, having played in the area beginning in the 80s with a band called Crayon.

She then moved on to San Francisco, but returned a while later and has been performing, since the early 90s, with various bands. Her current band has been together about four years, Vikre said, and has developed a loyal following.

In fact, Gromacki says they often bring goodies for their audience members. The last treats were pop tarts.

“That?s what is cool about bands. You develop this extended family,” said Gromacki, speaking of the band’s followers. “They don?t get up and dance; though the band would like them too, but they do listen and really take in the meaning of the music.”

Vikre and Gromacki are both alumni of Sac State with a major in theatre arts. The two emphasized the importance of a theatre degree in their lives.

“Don?t let anyone tell you a degree in theatre is useless. Theatre teaches you to listen,” said Vikre.

It is obvious that Vikre has learned to listen to herself and the world around her as is evident by her lyrics. Her music reflects this with alternately catchy and melodic sounds layered over deeply emotional and soul-searching lyrics.

Vikre?s music explores the part of the psyche that many people cover up and ignore. Sometimes tragic and often deeply profound, her music seems to pull out the doubts we have of ourselves and explore them with new eyes.

Caron Vikre has released five compact discs, which can be found at the Harmony Ridge website. This site devotes itself entirely to female artists and can be accessed at www.hrmusic.com.

If you prefer an up-close-and-personal experience, Vikre?s band plays the first Saturday of every month, except for this month, at Luna?s Cafe at 1414 16th street in midtown Sacramento.