On the first Sunday of October, the office of Davidson Arts and Creative Engagement (DACE) premiered their “Tiny DACE Concert,” the first of a series of monthly performances by Davidson student artists inspired by National Public Radio’s (NPR) “Tiny Desk Concerts.” Similar to how NPR films their series in a small office, Jacob Kim ‘26 transformed the DACE Studio into a mini venue, which acted as the perfect setting for artists who thrive in intimate settings.
With Tiny DACE, Kim and the rest of the DACE team aimed for performances that were “way more chill” compared to other student-run performance opportunities. Kim described the inspiration behind the concert series: “we wanted to emphasize giving an opportunity to smaller musicians on campus who may not have a huge band. Usually Live Thursdays, Battle of the Bands, and frat parties tend to be super high energy, and so we wanted this to have a super chill atmosphere,” he stated.
Junah Jeong ‘27, one of the night’s performers, makes intimate, alternative music that fits the atmosphere of Tiny DACE perfectly. At Tiny DACE, she performed songs off her new EP, “phantom,” and described this body of work as being based off of “a recollection of a past relationship and how I felt during it.” She took heavy inspiration from artists like Clairo, Beabadoobee, and Suki Waterhouse. “I’ve never actually performed on this campus before,” Jeong stated a few days before the event. “I’m really excited, but also really nervous.”
The night of the event, DACE was set up exactly the way Kim envisioned. The space felt incredibly cozy, with a few chairs and floor space set up for the twenty-seven guests in attendance, each of whom received a printed ticket as a keepsake. The room was dimly lit and filled to capacity, with the artists and their instruments positioned at the front.
Jeong played the night’s first set with her guitarist, Jazmine Cordon ‘28. She primarily played songs off of “phantom,” along with a cover of “Dance with Me” by Beabadoobee, who she cites as one of her biggest influences. Her instrumentation varied between Cordon’s guitar playing and mixed vocal and instrumental tracks that came straight from her EP. Between each song, Jeong spoke about the personal significance of each piece and how they related to the premise of “phantom.” The emotion of her performance was palpable.
The second set of the night was by Sam and the Super Spreaders, a group that featured Sam Cifani ‘27 on keys, Aidan Marks ‘27 on drums, Elliot Frankell ‘25 on saxophone, and Lincoln Hayes ‘27 on bass. They started with a few original songs, which included them jamming over the foundation of a groovy bassline inspired by a silly premise–they posed their first song as a satirical love song to Haye’s former roommate. They also played a variety of covers, turning one of their originals into a medley with Thundercat’s “Them Changes” and ending with Stevie Wonder’s “Isn’t She Lovely.” It was a performance oriented around embodying the atmosphere of a jazz club, and the studio’s ambience paired perfectly with the relaxed nature of their songs and impressive instrumentation.
Audience members were extremely impressed. “It couldn’t have been a better vibe–both cozy and groovy! Because DACE is an intimate space, the concerts create an opportunity for intentional listening and appreciation of our peers’ music, especially their original content,” attendee Annabel Semans ‘26 stated. “I was blown away by the performers’ artistry in that regard! Big props for their hard work, talent, and bravery.”
Anta Lo ‘27 added, “Tiny DACE was amazing. I loved the intimate setting; it felt like we were all part of something personal, just enjoying the music together. I’m definitely looking forward to more Tiny DACE Concerts.”
This performance served as an indicator of how student performances and the arts in general at Davidson will continue to grow. The ambition of students like Kim, and the resources of organizations like WALT, ensure that student artists of varying genres will be able to perform in settings accessible to the largest possible audiences and facilitate as much creativity as possible.
Kim recorded and audio engineered both performances, and will upload them to YouTube for both students and community members who were not able to attend to watch.
Tiny DACE will continue in monthly installments, and Davidson students can RSVP through WildcatSync for the next night of student music in the DACE Studio.
Jayson Rivera ‘27 is an English major from Middletown, DE.
