Photo by Gitika Maheshwari
By Beatrice Phillips
Last Friday, Square 80, nestled between Guthridge and South residence halls, became an outdoor concert venue as GW students gathered for the first in-person installment of “Tiny Dorm Concerts GW” since the pandemic began last March.
Tiny Dorms GW founder, Gitika Maheshwari, welcomed students and avid Tiny Dorms fans back to campus, back to the community and back to the pure joy of live music on a stage lit by string lights.
Maheshwari started this venture as a Sophomore, in her tiny dorm in Francis Scott Key, to foster the arts community she felt GW was missing. She said she had a goal of “getting people together in a room who like the same thing and appreciate the same thing who support each other and can build a community.”
That’s still the goal today. She wants to create a space where students can appreciate each other and showcase the work they never thought the public would see.
Friday’s show was a chance for college to feel like college again. A chance for the GW community to come together and support each other, carrying on Gitika’s initial goal from the 2019-2020 school year.
Med School’s frontman Max Mancohen opened the show with an acoustic Modern Baseball cover. His clear skill and devotion to the guitar in partnership with the harrowing words of Med School’s originals set the mood. Allowing the crowd to fall back into the ease of live music, the audience became one with the music. Mancohen performed two songs from the band’s upcoming EP “Sick,” including the title track and “St. Geezy Street.”
Brooke Cody, the night’s second act, brought vulnerability upfront, letting the audience know this was her first time performing her original music. She left the crowd shocked into silence with her raw emotion. Her acoustic melody and ethereal storybook-like lyrics of time, space, nature, love and beauty brought a sea of flashlights from the audience. Her voice carried over square 80 letting all ears know this is a moment, and name, to remember.
Alphabet Soup’s frontman, Zach, brought comedy and original music to the stage. No song has a true name, but he reminded the audience that’s not what’s important.
What’s in a name? Alphabet Soup grounds us in knowing it is the content that matters, not a name. He made a point to thank everyone who got him to where he is now, especially his roommates who have listened to his songs umpteenth times. And, gave the audience insight to where he wants to go. The Tiny Dorm’s community truly came together during this set when an audience member offered to help Alphabet Soup record music.
Misaal Irfan, brought a chorus of snaps from the audience with her captivating voice and impeccable rhythm. Her light and jazzy cover of Amy Winehouse’s “Back to Black” was performed just for fun, as Irfan said. But, listening to her voice take over Square 80, the audience got the talent of a seasoned pro.
Closing the night was Adam Pastel, a Tiny Dorms GW veteran. He performed at the Tiny Dorm GW concert back in 2019. Maheshwari recalled, while introducing Pastel, that she worried no one would show up to that first show. It was Pastel who put her at ease saying this would “be something big.” His energy and stage presence got the audience to their feet and dancing for the first time in the night. His uplifting beats, pounding drums, and fun lyrics stayed with the crowd long after the speakers turned off and the night came to a close.
“I know this is cheesy and cliche, but beautiful things can happen when you have a group of people come together who are passionate about something,” Maheshwari said. The Tiny Dorms founding message shined on Friday, when the Student Music Coalition, WRGW, and Tiny Dorm Concerts GW came together to give five new artists an audience of over 100 students to share in passion and talent with.
“The central theme and message is support, community, and bringing people together that can help each other out,” Maheshwari added. Tiny Dorm Concerts GW is always looking for support and new artists, follow and DM @tinydormconcertsgw on Instagram to get involved.
Tiny Dorm Concerts GW expects to put on another fall concert in October and will be celebrating the two-year anniversary on November 20th with a concert in the Elliott City View room.
