The air was full of nostalgia and the smell of snow as I walked into my last Space Camp show of the semester. The lineup was stacked with a bunch of Syracuse artists, new and old, plus a special set by Radiator Hospital that would make anyone put their dancing shoes on!
It’s about damn time we highlighted some talented ladies on here!! Allison Carr’s debut set as Alexeunt was positively out of this world! While many nerves come with sharing your deepest feelings in song form to your closest friends and family, Allison laughed it off in pure Allison form, her smile contagious as she sang about High School heartbreak and the racing thoughts you have when diving into a new chapter of your life; all while showcasing her lovable personality to the crowd. Alexeunt’s music is a whole different side of Allison that I was blessed to have been able to see. Her melodic voice complimented her rhythmic acoustic guitar and the steady beat of Evan’s drums brought the whole show together like a freshly wrapped present on Christmas morning. At the end of the set, tears were shed, friends began clapping in support, and smiles were passed along the room celebrating Allison’s successful first show.
Minnoe was another Syracuse favorite making their long awaited return to Space Camp on Sunday Night. Reminiscing on Scarier Dome memories from years prior, the boys felt right at home again in the dimly lit basement. Ian Marr is one of those singers that likes to pause in between his words during breaks in songs, which could have been to make up for the many 30-50 second songs that were a staple on Minnoe’s setlist. Despite this, the crowd was down to boogie and sing along with friends just as they did at Scarier Dome when Minnoe was just another group of Syracuse students hoping to build a fanbase through basement shows and bandcamp streams.
While Radiator Hospital didn’t headline, they seemed to be the talk of the town that night. Space Camp roommates were buzzing at the thought of the band being in their house, and were more than willing to make the space feel like the band’s home as well. The crowd sang along and watched in awe as Radiator Hospital immediately jumped into their set, making the whole house shake to the beat. Although Radiator Hospital was the only band on the bill not from NY, Syracuse welcomed them with open arms and are definitely anticipating the next time they roll back into upstate.
A very tearful goodbye took place as Super Defense reunited for their last show with Andrew Idarraga on drums. Frontman, Andy Horvath was amped and ready to go, guitar strapped and ready for Super Defense’s return to the Space Camp basement. Another extremely talented band made up of Syracuse students also including Evan Pacheco and Nate Currie, they have quite the following among friends. Almost the entire crowd knew every word to every song (excluding me, seeing as I sadly wasn’t at school during Super Defense’s prime), and screamed them with a smile on their face; occasional heckling was welcomed and was uniquely disguised as loving support from best friends. The group ended the show with fan favorite, New Brubek, as the crowd moved as one for Super Defenses finale; a goodbye to the end of a fabulous era.
Space Camp has felt like my home away from home this semester at Syracuse and I am super grateful for all of the times I was able to spend there surrounded by great friends and music. All music is linked down below, minus Alexeunt whose music will hopefully be coming to an internet near you soon!
Stay classy, Syracuse; I’ll see ya senior year!