Jab Music & Art Series opening concert provides healing space amid protest

Ryan McKeown hoped people didn’t show up to the event that he had diligently worked to organize over the past few weeks.   

He was seated at the center of Eggers Cafe on Saturday night, which was mostly empty except for a professional lighting kit, monitor speakers, microphones and guitar cases. Caterers rushed to put out food, but McKeown was calm.  

In the days leading up to the concert, 10 hate crimes and bias-related incidents, including racist graffiti and vandalism, had been reported on or near Syracuse University’s campus.  

And, in response, a black-led student movement called #NotAgainSU had started a sit-in at the Barnes Center at The Arch to protest the administration’s handling of the situation.  

To McKeown, it was more important that students head to the Barnes Center than to The Jab Music & Art Series concert. 

“I honestly hope the movement does impact the turnout,” said McKeown, a junior sound recording technology major. “If only the band’s here tonight, I’m OK with that because people are protesting and making a huge change.”    

McKeown said one of the artists suggested that the concert be moved to the Barnes Center. He considered it, but eventually found that the change would likely be a “logistical nightmare.” 

The concert went on as planned at Eggers Cafe, which is in the Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs. The Jab Music & Art Series’ debut concert was held there from 9 p.m. to midnight. Attendance ebbed and flowed throughout the evening. About 60 students showed up, at one point.  

Joe Morgan, played homage to “Game of Thrones,” in his performance. Will Fudge | Staff Photographer

“It’s really important as artists, this is our job to heal people in time of hardships with our music and our art, so this is really, really cool,” said singer-songwriter Sarah Gross.  

Concertgoers trickled in during singer-songwriter Gabe Miluzzo’s opening set. One girl wore a pin that said “F*ck White Supremacists.” 

Following Miluzzo was Grace Kirshbaum. With an acoustic guitar, she sang a few original numbers. 

During her set, senior Mia Matthews and sophomore Noah Steinberg said they had been at the sit-in since Wednesday, only leaving to shower and eat.  

Matthews, wearing a #MAXWELLCITIZEN T-shirt, said their comments didn’t represent the opinions of the entire #NoAgainSU movement.  

Steinberg said that, on his way to his job at the Barnes Center, “he just kind of walked into the movement.” At first unaware of the sit-in, he decided to skip work and remain there overnight.  

“It’s a lot of the bravest people either of us have ever met in there because they’re putting their entire lives on the line, their financial security, their futures,” Steinberg said. “They’re still there and with a more positive outlook than ever.”  

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Matthews said that, as someone who grew up in Syracuse, these problems are “very close to home.” Matthews added that as the number of racist incidents increases, so does the number of individuals who have been arriving at the Barnes Center to stand in solidarity. 

“A lot of freshmen are actually coming more than potentially other groups you’d expect because of the fact that this is their first semester here and they’re already feeling so unsafe because of this ongoing expression of hate on campus,” Matthews said.  

After about 30 minutes, the duo grabbed some food and headed back to the Barnes Center. 

Next up was Allie Westbrook, who came onstage with a banjo in hand. She launched into “Rose Gold,” followed by “Abroad Swan Song,” a track inspired by her time abroad. Right before, though, the weight of the song showed. 

“Sorry guys, it’s an emotional song for no reason,” said Westbrook, who choked up at the beginning of the piece. Her lilting voice drifted over the cafe.  

In addition to the music, organizations also sold merchandise. One group, VILLANCO, an acronym for “very important love life and never claim ordinary,” was selling a variety of homemade goods. 

There was a last-minute DIY tie-dye station. Operated by the SU Fashion & Design Society, people could pay $15 to tie-dye a white long-sleeved shirt. The proceeds will go to an upcoming Dec. 6 fashion show led by the organization. 

The next act was Sarah Gross, who was accompanied by Mitchell Taylor on bass, Gill Pelkonen on backup vocal, and Ian Yates on the cajon — a square slap drum.  

Gabe Milluzzo is a singer/songwriter who performed at Saturday night’s concert. Will Fudge | Staff Photographer

While the previous three acts were reserved in their performance, the group led by Gross came out energetically. Their country sound brought the largest crowd of the night. 

Gross engaged with the crowd after nearly every track and announced she would be touring the country next year. The group concluded their set with a cover of Jay Bird’s “Lottery,” followed by an encore of Gross’s song “Rain, Rain, Rain.”   

Switching genres, a nervous Joe Morgan took to the stage. But Morgan played to the crowd, hyping them up with lines like “the night is dark and full of terrors,” paying homage to “Game of Thrones.”  

Morgan quickly pivoted to R&B, delivering a sultry falsetto track and thanking the crowd for “rocking with me” as the song ended. 

Rounding out the night was The Thursday Nights. Featuring McKeown on the keyboard, the band also boasted a professionally-trained violinist in Sara Potocsny, an acoustic and bass guitarist and a cajon player.  

The band proceeded to play a song about lost love, but no sooner did they finish, that they launched into their song “Feeling Alright” that prominently displayed Pearson’s gravelly blues vocals that paired well with the violin. 

“This is what it’s all about, people coming together like this,” Pearson said after the show. 

At the end of the night, McKeown thanked those who could attend and those that were participating in the sit-in. Throughout the night, numerous musical artists and student fashion designers took a moment to address the power of  “art from the ground up,” founder of VILLANCO, Khiary Gayle said.  

“It gives me a lot of hope and shows me that now is a time that people need art to help pave the path,” McKeown said.