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By day, the Cesar Chavez Student Center serves up hot lunch. But by night, hot beats with a healthy serving of bass.
Friday night, students of all classes gravitated to the thumping building for the semester’s first Noise Complaint event. These monthly dance parties have been going on since last October to give people a safe place to party.
“The first time we’ve been allowed to have anything on campus past 10 p.m. was last fall,” said Franko Ali, member of the Associated Students, Inc. board of directors. “These programs are extremely important because the University needs to be more than just going to class and then returning home. ”
The events are organized by the Late Night committee as part of the Student Life Initiative, a joint effort between the student body and staff who plan and volunteer to host these events on the last Friday of each month.
Ali credits this event and others like it with raising student morale and getting people interested in what is going on around campus. He believes getting involved in the school’s after-hour activities is a great way to carve a memorable college experience.
An eager line wound through the lobby at the beginning of the night as students waited to get their student IDs scanned. Inside the dark room, among closed waffle and smoothie shacks, massive speakers fueled the commotion, blasting everything from dubstep remixes by Doorly to local anthems like “Thizzle Dance” by Mac Dre.
Those who wanted to dance squeezed toward the bursting speakers, getting closer to their new peers than they may have planned. On the outskirts of the gyrating mob, groups of friends huddled to shout above the music spun by DJ Thunder and DJ Good Journey.
“This isn’t my first Noise Complaint,” said Kyle Hansen, 19, a sophomore. “But it’s packed. I can’t even be moving up in here.”
Laser lights shot off in the almost unrecognizable building, the energy completely polar to what it was just hours earlier. The hub of the campus, just as sweaty and fun as any downtown club.
“Since I am very interested in the city’s night life, I helped shape the idea to have this sort of event on our campus,” Ali said.
DJs are selected by the University staff, who take student survey requests into consideration while making their choices. Electronic music and Top 40 hits are chosen for ease and mass appeal, though the event is expected to expand musically over the next year or two.
“For example, I’m really interested in getting people hyped on a night solely of electro and dubstep,” Ali said. “Perhaps bringing in some big, local talent.”
Following Noise Complaint events are already scheduled for September and October, and the organizers are continually looking for student input to help put together the party. A comment submission form is available on the Student Life website or they can be emailed to [email protected].
The Student Life committee has other events planned on SF State’s campus as well, such as open mics and comedy shows. A calendar is available online on Student Life’s website.
“Our smallest Noise Complaint last year was around 500 students,” said Joseph Greenwell, Associate Dean of Students and founder of the Student Life Initiative. “Tonight’s party had over 1,500 students throughout the night.”
