First, a click of the tongue for the beat. A foot clicks a pedal while a few chords on the acoustic guitar are added. Next, some vocal notes. All this rolls underneath as Preston Pugmire performs his acoustic R&B, piecing together sound clips like Lincoln Logs to create the full sound of a large ensemble.
It's a recipe Pugmire used at Irazu Sept. 9 for his second SUBlive performance. He has entertained many crowds at more than 100 shows in his career ranging from his hometown of Rexburg, Idaho, to Florida. Pugmire said, though, that he was a particular friend of Elon.
"Some of the nicest people I've met on tour are here," Pugmire said. "Plus, you guys have a meadow called 'The Boobs.'"
Pugmire kept the crowd entertained and at ease before, during and after his set. He even snuck into a quick Justin Bieber cover in the middle of a song.
"I was just seeing if you were listening," he said.
When Pugmire first performed last year, praise from students was so great that SUB chose to invite him again.
"He's one of the few artists we've brought back a second time," said Joe Ziemba, executive officer of public relations and marketing for SUB. "It's a unique form of music that I hadn't seen until last year and he sounds like an entire band."
Pugmire's show was full of tricks. During one number, he sang through a megaphone, jumped into the crowd and danced with an audience member. He used a variety of instruments as well as his varied voice to make the background music for his singing.
Over the past few months, Pugmire has been recording a soon-to-be-released EP. He played some shows from it Friday, including "Helen," similar in sound to OneRepublic.
If students missed the two performances, SUB said it would be working to bring Pugmire back once more.