By Michael Battista
Staff Writer
From the gentle sounds of an acoustic guitar to the synthesized beats of a DJ, students had the chance to perform their own style of music during CUB Alt’s Student Band Night on Friday, Oct. 14, in the Decker Social Space. The featured acts were Diner Food, Flattop Phil and two freshmen who simply referred to themselves as “Danny and Jack.”
After some lighthearted banter during rehearsal, freshmen Jack Sofka and Danny Beer, an English major and computer science major, respectively, took to the stage. The duo played a set composed entirely of music by Radiohead, the band they bonded over during their first few weeks at the College.
Beer said they both came up with the selection, including songs like “Lucky,” Karma Police” and “No Surprises” at the last minute.
“Neither of us really knew how to play the songs, in general. We just both love Radiohead,” Beer said. “So we just sat down and we were like, ‘All right, what songs can go where and which do we wanna do?’”
Beer and Sofka said they enjoyed their time onstage, and the crowd, filled with friends and other students, seemed to have just as much fun.
Next was Diner Food, a four-man band comprising drummer Patrick Keller, a junior international studies major, and his friends from outside of the College. The group’s style was heavier than the previous duo, with Diner Food more into the grunge and punk genres. The band’s set included early 2000s alternative, such as “First Date” by Blink-182 and Bowling for Soup’s “1985,” as well as original singles, like “Flirt.”
Keller said the group of three years is just about having fun and not being too serious. He likened it to a bunch of friends hanging out at a diner until closing.
“I just have a lot of fun playing with my friends,” Keller said. “No matter what the situation is, or even if one of us happens to mess up a time or two, everybody just has fun either way.”
The final act of the night was DJ Flattop Phil, a change of pace for Student Band Night. According to Max Falvey, CUB Alt co-chair and a sophomore communication studies major, he wanted to try something new.
“I just wanted to switch it up a little,” Falvey said. “A student soloist night is just acoustic performances, whereas a band night, you can have a couple people doing acoustic stuff, a full band or a DJ… I just think it was a better setting.”
When Philip Antwi-Buosiako, a junior interactive multimedia major, took the stage as Flattop Phil, Decker Social Space was suddenly a club, complete with multicolored spotlights and hard-hitting beats. Besides playing popular remixes of known works, Flattop Phil also played some original work, including a single he has recently been working on called “Countin Up.”
“Generally, I know TCNJ audiences because I’ve been going here,” Flattop Phil said. “But in an event like this where I’m the center of it and directing the show, I just play what I feel and rock with it. I try to (have fun during performances).”
Falvey was happy with the night’s acts and hopes more students will approach him for future events. CUB Alt’s next event will take place on Friday, Oct. 28, for another night of free music with headliner Alex G in the Decker Social Space.
