The Dog P0und has emerged as a significant space for numerous musicians at the University of Connecticut. Serving as the primary venue for basement shows in Storrs, it has become a central hub where UConn students can share their musical talents with peers and witness their musical growth through repeated performances.

Adam Gonzalez: A Musical Force at The Dog P0und

Among the frequent performers at this venue is Adam Gonzalez. He is a singer-songwriter who plays guitar in the group Lootbug, a four-piece alternative rock band that has been a staple act at The Dog P0und this semester. Gonzalez takes the lead and showcases his musical prowess.Adam Gonzalez first began taking guitar lessons at a young age but wasn't initially interested. It was only two years ago that he rediscovered the six-string while writing songs with his friend Henry Barrios. Additionally, Gonzalez plays the piano, having started at the age of 16. He also creates electronic music under the name Ragako and released the drum and bass/breakcore-influenced album "Machines Can't Sleep" in July 2023.During their songwriting sessions, Barrios proposed the idea of starting a band with Gonzalez. This marked the inception of Lootbug, and the duo spent the next two years honing their songwriting skills. Gonzalez explained that their songwriting process is highly collaborative. "The way we do it is that we write an entire song on our own, whether it's me or Henry or anyone from the band, and then present it to each other. And then from there, we make our own edits and give our input."Writing songs together wasn't a seamless process initially. Gonzalez and Barrios were both learning as they went, trying out various ideas and often facing mixed results. "A lot of the songs we wrote were not at all usable," he said. "So, it took a year for us to reach the songwriting ability to write the songs that we play now."After developing their songwriting skills and having a set of confident songs, Gonzalez and the band made their live debut last summer. Their initial shows were small and intimate, taking place in backyards and basements for friends and family. Their first major show at The Dog P0und in early September was also the venue's first full band show. Gonzalez recalled the nerves he felt before going on stage. "I remember the first show at The Dog P0und, I was so anxious and I felt like I was going to faint. My hands were feeling tingly and numb. But the show was great."Since then, Gonzalez and the band have been continuously growing by performing at prominent venues in the Connecticut music scene such as 10selden in Woodbridge and Knowhere in Tolland. They also performed in September at WHUS Radio's Sounds of Summer concert on campus at the Student Union.Gonzalez described the feeling of looking out into the crowd from the stage, especially when playing original songs and having doubts about how they would be received. "It's always crazy playing and then you look up and you realize people are moshing to your music because you practice these songs and you think 'Man, I wonder how other people will think about this song.'"However, no venue holds more significance for Gonzalez than The Dog P0und. He and the band have played there three times this semester. Gonzalez expressed his joy at seeing the community at the venue grow as the semester progressed. "It's great seeing how things change and how people get used to the place. I love seeing the same faces and friends that they bring along. Whether they know it or not, people are trying to grow it by just showing up."