Photo and story by Jessica Knoble / Contributing Writer
The student-led AMP Entertainment of MTSU is known for debuting local college artists through creative events that also benefit the community. While a number of events played out on Valentine’s day, AMP decided to present their Galentine’s Day show the following night, February 15, in BRAGG Studio 1.
All were encouraged to attend the show, but being a Galentine’s theme, all three artists performing were women. Megan Johnson, Jordyn Stoddard and Ally Burgess each performed a thirty-minute set of original pieces presented by the night’s MC, Debria Love.
Johnson, who went on as the opening act, displayed her soulful interpretation of original love songs through pieces like “On My Own,” “Little Fool” and “Smooth Whiskey Love.”
Stoddard, another performer, was available for an interview before the show started. She compared her style to that of early Taylor Swift, describing her music as country fused with pop.
“I play in Nashville a lot, but this is my first school performance with AMP,” Stoddard said.
Stoddard also performed at last summer’s MTSU Eclipse event, but this was her first performance in Studio A. The smaller crowd and darker room made for a more intimate atmosphere between acts like Jordyn and their fans.
Some of Stoddard’s pieces included “Ordinary Love,” “Unapologetically” and “Flavor of the Week.”
Burgess, the night’s final act, displayed her raw vocal style with the support of a 10 person band. Alongside standard backing instruments, horns such as trumpet and saxophone were also featured. According to Victoria Haft, a fan of AMP and friend of Stoddard, the band aspect was something her and many others had been looking forward to.
“I always see single artists, I just never really see bands anymore,” Haft said.
With a night full of talented, local artists, AMP was successful in gathering a sizable crowd to not only showcase local music but to support women in need. Micaela Griffin, a music business major on AMP’s social team, expressed the student organization’s overall goal of this show.
“We knew that this semester we wanted to follow up our philanthropy show from last semester, which was Music Heals, with another philanthropy,” Griffin said.
Music Heals was a show presented by AMP last November, where entry was granted through a donation of food items for the MTSU Food Pantry. This semester, the Galentine’s show granted entry through a donation of feminine hygiene products.
“It was actually LB Rogers’ idea to make it a Galentine’s theme and collect feminine hygiene products for one of the local organizations that helps women who have been abused, or who are just going through a rough time and can’t take care of themselves,” Griffin said. “We going to do our best to help with that situation this semester through this show.”
Griffin said they are currently looking for local women’s shelters who will need these products most in their washroom services provisions.
Charitable events like Galentine’s Day demonstrate the AMP’s ability to showcase the musical culture of MTSU while providing the opportunity for audience members to participate in assisting the community.
To contact Music Editor Hayden Goodridge, email lifestyles@mtsusidelines.com.
For more updates, follow us at www.mtsusidelines.com, on Facebook at MTSU Sidelines and on Twitter/Instagram at @Sidelines_Life.
