On Oct. 1, MUSE hosted their first ever Tiny Desk Concert at Clark Hall Pub and the turnout was remarkable.
The concert modelled itself after NPR’s famous Tiny Desk series in which musicians hold small concerts at a desk and record them for release on YouTube and the NPR website.
MUSE hoped to replicate this intimate musical experience on Queen’s campus. With almost 20 artists set to perform, about 130 students bought tickets to the unique event—the first to held at Clark Hall in over three years, due to pandemic restrictions.
MUSE head of Music Paisia Warhaft, Comm ’23, lead the planning for this event and also performed at the show.
“My role this year was kind of going beyond articles and starting to plan events and bigger initiatives for the music team,” Warhaft said in an interview with The Journal.
They started planning in early September, with all across MUSE’s sectors stepping up to contribute. The music team planned, scouted, and performed while the creative team were on décor and the tiny desk itself. The marketing team took to socials to get the word out.
According to Warhaft, once word got out to the Queen’s music community there was quick interest.
This had emotions high in the hours leading up to the event.
“A lot of the artists that we had on stage and performing haven’t performed live for a long time, or it was their first time ever performing in front of a live audience,” Warhaft said.
“I just had this like really like warm and fuzzy feeling for all of the artists that finally got to go perform their amazing talents in front of a group of ive people.”
Seven acts performed throughout the night, each giving off their own unique vibe.
The night began with a solo performance from thenheturnedaround that can only be described as some version of intergalactic hip hop.
Next, Warhaft followed with a solo of her own before being ed by a small band. The energy she brought to the stage invited audience to get up and dance with the performers.
Clovehitch and Close-Knit were up next. Their set included three alternative songs that took influence from folk, R&B, bedroom pop, and hyper-pop.
Kyra Johnson played next, her angelic voice filling the pub as the audience couldn’t help but be captivated by her performance.
Foster and James followed and had no problem holding the audience’s attention. After them, Kings of Queen’s matched the vibe and kept things going.
However, when Bike Stu got on stage, the whole vibe changed: things became less intimate and soft, turning into more of a mosh.
Bike Stu spilled beer on the tiny desk, brought unique energy, and created a club-like atmosphere. Still, they maintained the integrity of a Tiny Desk Concert. It was an energetic and meaningful experience—despite their songs about Aberdeen and walks of shame.
By the end of the night, people filed out of Clark Hall Pub excited by the music culture Queen’s has to offer and the unique event used to showcase it.
“People were buzzing afterwards; it was amazing,” Warhaft said.
It’s important to Warhaft that students know there are creative and welcoming spaces for students who want to let that side of themselves out.
“When I first came to Queen’s, especially being in Commerce, I felt disconnected from my creative side,” Warhaft said.
“In the past two years, being part of MUSE especially has helped me find a creative outlet and ways to foster a creative community within Queen’s which has been really special to me.”
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