Three different music acts took the stage on Thursday night for a night of dance and cheers with the crowd.
September 23, 2022
When Rosemother took the stage at The Depot Thursday night, the crowd was quiet and timid. But by the time their first song concluded, the room of nearly 50 people were swaying their heads, tapping their feet and offering a raucous applause.
“I feel like we feed off the crowd a lot,” said lead singer and guitarist Haley Junker. “If they’re in a really hyped energy, we’re gonna be playing more hyped and if they’re more relaxed, we’re gonna be playing more relaxed.”
While Junker harmonized on stage with fellow band member Courtney Reeves, several people began to erupt with shouts of encouragement for the dream pop band. A few attendees pulled out their phones and waved their flashlights in the air like they were lighters.
The venue, located on the lower level of the Cesar Chavez Student Center, is on the smaller side, comfortably fitting a capacity of under 100 patrons. The music can be heard from The Pub, which is just around the corner.
Rosemother was just the first act to perform at The Depot that night. The venue also hosted performances by SF State alumnus Sean Thompson and JBJ Productions.
According to manager of The Depot Kian Schureman, these concerts have created an opportunity for students to get involved in the local music scene.
“If I’m a student, and I’m coming to one of these shows, and I wanted to do other stuff, and I wanted to find a way to get more involved with SF’s local music scene, these are the perfect bands to do it with,” Schureman said.
Thompson, the second performer of the night, was not originally slated for the show. The band Uncle Chris was supposed to be in this spot; however, its lead singer contracted COVID-19 days before the performance.
Despite not having much time to prepare, Thompson stunned the crowd with a range of guitar solos, garnering rowdy cheers before he could even finish.
The final act of the night was JBJ Productions, a band who kept the crowd on their toes by utilizing a plethora of genres. Over the course of a single song, they seamlessly shifted between sounds of rock, jazz fusion, pop and mambo. Many of the songs they performed were unique renditions of popular movie tracks, including a medley of “All Star” and “Accidentally in Love” from the “Shrek” franchise.
The performance even incited an impassioned sing-along from the crowd.
Although the audience grooved from the comfort of their seats for most of the night, a number of people hit the dance floor when JBJ Productions took the stage. The crowd gathered around lead singer and keyboardist Jace Floyd, who was stationed at a piano in front of the stage. The movement of the crowd became wilder as each song reached its crescendo, the members of the band banging or strumming their instruments with an unbridled fervor.
“I’m feeling the vibes mad heavy,” said concert attendee Nelson Menjivar. “We’re fucking with the vibes.”
According to Schureman, these shows are part of an ongoing concert series at The Depot, which seeks to promote as many genres as possible. There are tentative plans to name the series, as well as to host a larger event toward the end of the school year.
“We want to have all these various kinds of genres,” Schureman said. “We don’t want to stick with one genre for show because it’s just more interesting. It’s cool.”
The Depot hosts concerts during the second and fourth weeks of every month. More information about what bands will be performing can be found on the Associated Students website.
