College campuses are notorious for their cliché “coffee house” and “open mic” events, usually characterized by awkward performers and low attendance by niche student groups. But this past Friday, October 10th, the Strawberry Jam event blew those expectations away, attracting about 125 people to Walker Patio for a variety of performances. The event took place from 6:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m., and was so popular that the open mic component had to be removed since so many performers had signed up beforehand.
On the playlist for the night were various student groups, both bands and solo acts, as well as “Professors S+M,” a duo composed of professors Steven Gabarró and Matt Burlick from the Computer Science department. The performers had a variety of acts. All types of music were represented, including electronic, hip-hop, rap, classic rock, and pop. Other than music, mixed into the program were various slam poetry performances and even a short improv show by the event’s hosts.
And in the true Stevens spirit, the night ended with an audience-involved karaoke of the Pokémon theme song.
The event was organized by the Art Club and the Audio Engineering Club (AEC), and emceed by Off Center’s David Orshan and Zach Kastner. Popcorn, hot chocolate, and coffee were served throughout the performances, and a number of prizes were raffled off to attendees. Among the prizes were gear from Sol Republic, including a set of Tracks headphones and a DECK speaker, as well as tickets to a K.Flay concert happening at The Knitting Factory in a few weeks.
The event was extremely popular, having exceed attendance expectations. The entirety of Walker Patio was filled, and some lucky attendees who came early were able to grab seats on blankets that had been laid out by the Art Club. Others sat on the back ledge and watched from behind. Jack Farzan, a student who attended the event, wearing a donut-printed shirt, said at the time, “I’m excited, I’m looking forward to what’s going to happen.”
Fortunately, if you missed the event, you are not out of luck. The Art Club plans on holding the event again in November as part of RAGE. The Red and Grey Experience (RAGE) is an experimental large-scale series of events being organized by the Gear & Triangle Honor Society in cooperation with almost every club on campus.
Be sure to check out the next Art Club and AEC open mic event in November.
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