Behind the Blackroom

Written by Paige Stanley. Media by Ethan Maurer.

Music is a creative way to express who you are. One of the best places to do that in Greenville is the Blackroom Cafe. You have surely seen the posters around campus. The Blackroom is a small venue at GU where students can go and freely perform during open mic nights or just chill and enjoy the music and atmosphere. Not only are there open mic nights, but both on and off campus bands come to perform as well. Audio Engineering students and musicians come to bring what they learn in the classroom and apply it to the real world. It is a good and easy way to practice and better prepare for future endeavors.

The Blackroom is open every Tuesday night. Doors open at 8:15 and show starts at 8:30 pm. It is located between Holtwick Hall and Janssen Hall. Expect to hear a lot of different genres when coming to the Blackroom. A lot of the music you hear is written by the performers which is what makes the Blackroom so special. In upcoming shows, you should expect to hear from TREY with Jairin as the opener. Said the Walrus is a new band that already has a lot of attention coming their way. Ben Isaacs, Noah Bassett, and Jon Friedman are the members of this band. If you know them, then you know how extremely talented they are. If you do not know them, then come watch them and see for yourself! Fusion Ensemble and Jesse Taylor are a couple favorites by frequent Blackroom attendees. Fusion Ensemble’s members include Noah Schlosser, Nathan Moll, Brian Connelly, Emma Nobbe, Randy Mueller, Chasity Cook, Kent Luster, and Emilia Ferrero. These are all very talented individuals that always bring something good to the stage.  Noah Schlosser, a member of Fusion Ensemble, is coming out with some music of his own, so keep an eye out for him in the future. There are so many more talented people who would love for you to come and enjoy the music. The bigger the crowd, the better the atmosphere. Who knows, maybe these groups will be famous one day.

One person who has always loved the Blackroom and now is involved with it is Suzi Conner who is a junior here at GU. You can always catch her there on a Tuesday night because she says that, “It’s something to do in Greenville and the music is always good.” This is the response that most people tend to have when asked about the Blackroom.  Another person commented and said, “I have never been, but when I pass by it always seem hyped.” It is totally okay if you have never been to it before, but you are definitely missing out on some good music. You have an entire school year to make it to at least one show. If you know someone who does not know what the Blackroom is, invite them to a show and you will most likely have them hooked for the rest of their GU experience. Make an effort to come, and you will not regret it!