A cadence of electronic beats and vibrations pulsed through Skytop Field for more than six hours yesterday as part of the first-ever Juice Jam Music Festival, and students were pleased with the redesign.

“There’s this perfect balance of known and slightly unknown in each genre scene,” said Bri’ana Thomas, a senior political philosophy major. “University Union really thought about who was going to be playing Juice Jam, while also paying attention to what the masses wanted.”

The lineup, which included artists like Robert DeLong and The Neighbourhood, was well-received by the crowd and was reflective of the music genres that have recently defined the college generation: funky indie tunes, meditative hip-hop and the electronic and dance vibes.

Thomas, who is also the associate general manager at the student-run radio station WERW, said it was a smart decision because it allowed multiple genres of music to be played.

“I think that making Juice Jam into a festival has been one of UU’s greatest ideas in recent years, simply because I believe for the first time they are clearly trying to cater to the different major musical genres that the student body listens to,” she said. “I think each of these artists made a great mixture of quality music that allowed the student body to participate in Juice Jam like never before.”

Read van der Wal, a junior communications design major who blogs about music on her website “Van de Jams,” said it was exciting to see these artists at Syracuse University.

“Nicky Romero has become an icon of the EDM world over the past few years. As a student at Syracuse, I feel lucky to have such a talented artist come play,” she said.

The combination of different music genres helped each student find something they could dance to and enjoy on one of the last warm days of the fall semester.

“Both of these artists reflect what the student body can relate to; Kendrick Lamar with his drive to stay above the influence, and Nicky Romero with his energy that reminds the students of the great times ahead in their college experience,” Thomas said.

Overall, the addition of one more stage only seemed to add excitement and depth to the traditional concert.

“The festival made it much more active than past years — there were more things to do,” said Lauren Bartos, a returning SU alumna who graduated in May with a B.S. in marketing.

Van der Wal also said music plays an important role in the lives of young people today. But, she concluded that Juice Jam — and music in general — is a way to have fun.

Said Van der Wal: “There is no denying the high energy this genre brings to the audience. We all come for one reason — to dance and enjoy the music.”

Published on September 9, 2013 at 1:08 am

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