The sign behind the stage reads “One Way.” The room is darkly lit and decorated with Christmas lights. The audience is scattered about: some sitting on couches, and others simply sitting on the floor. The room is full, but not stuffy. The aroma of brewing coffee sweeps through the air, and I am taken away by the beautiful artwork that decorates the walls.
Don’t be mistaken! This is not some fantasy experience I am sharing with you! Rather, this was my first impression upon entering the basement of Nugent Residence Hall on Friday, January 28th to witness Ground Zero’s first outing of 2005.
Ground Zero, or the Theme House, as it is sometimes referred to, is a place where students interested in art, music, and culture can meet, showcase their talent, and have a good time. Ground Zero provides an alternate social scene for the RPI community. Endorsed by Residence Life, Ground Zero has both house members, who are members that reside on the first floor of Nugent, and associate members, whom include members not living in Nugent.
Granted, I was unaware of what to expect, as this was my first visit to Ground Zero’s Open Mic event. I was anticipating good, but expecting OK. My first impression on hearing the DJ speak was that of annoyance. His overt usage of profanity detracted from the soothing mood the organizers tried so hard to achieve. Nonetheless, I waited and remained optimistic that this would not be a night wasted.
As the first performer began, I was undoubtedly blown away by his talent. Yoshi, as he is known in the basement, made playing the piano seem easy. When he collaborated with a drummer and a guitarist, it did not detract from his skills. An eclectic sound that could some day be heard around the country filled the room. The audience snapped their fingers and simply listened to the notes.
After the performance Yoshi spoke how he had been “…playing for 5 years now.” I complimented him on his talent and sat back to watch the rest of the night’s performances.
This first Open Mic had many performers. The acts included Nic Engel, Adam, Tommy, Blar, Hot Gurl Party.com, Thom, Corona of the Sun, Jesse Newman, and more. Each act presented a unique art and used various instruments.
The performance that impressed me most, was surprisingly the one that seemed the weirdest. When Tommy got on stage with just his laptop, I must admit, I was a bit surprised and curious. As the sounds from his laptop filled the room however, I could see the audience just stare in amazement.
This entirely computer generated opera leaves all interpretation to the imagination of the audience. Void of words or distracting motions, one is left to simply close their eyes, free their mind and open their ears. This was truly a unique performance, and to me, the showcase of the night.
As one audience member, Sam F. states, “This is the third time I have been here... I enjoy it.” When asked if he had a favorite performance, Sam said they were all “interesting.”
Interesting is truly the word to describe this night, and I was surprised with the large turnout. The audience never dwindled; as some people left, others came in. There are undoubtedly regulars to Open Mic, such as Sam F. But if you have yet to visit Ground Zero’s Open Mic event, you are missing out on great talent and lively entertainment. Make an effort to follow the sign that says “One Way” one of these nights.
