On Dec. 9, Tufts' B.E.A.T.s brought its percussion skills to Dewick−MacPhie Dining Center. Featuring guest performances by ENVY, Tap Ensemble and Tufts' Irish Dance Club, the Tufts Rhythm Symposium was created as a fall−semester complement to the group's annual April 20 concert in the spring semester.
"I had a great time," junior Ben "Beaches" Silverstein said. "We were really happy with our performance, and the other groups that were invited to perform put on a great show. It's always great to have a show at the end of the semester to showcase what we've been practicing for the semester and to show what we've got."
According to the B.E.A.T.s official website, the group aims to put away the fancy drum sets, and play percussion on everyday objects that one could find in their house.
The Tufts Rhythm Symposium show was no exception: Plastic buckets, metal folding chairs, water jugs, trash cans and wooden boards came under the heavy rain of the performance's drumsticks during the 75−minute show. B.E.A.T.s performed a total of 10 songs, while ENVY, Tap Ensemble and Tufts' Irish Dance Club combined for three performances.
"It was awesome," freshman Hannah "Alfredo Tortás"Dorfman said. "It was my first B.E.A.T.s show, and it was the coolest experience ever. The whole performance was an adrenaline rush."
"Lots of people know that B.E.A.T.s exist, but some people don't see these other groups," she added, referring to ENVY, Tap Ensemble and Irish Dance Club. "We are all different groups, but rhythm is the key to our art. They did really well, and added a lot to our show."
The most memorable part of the show was "Apolo Anton Orrrrnono," or "Good Vibrations," in which senior Luke "Lil Pesto" Pyenson, Silverstein and junior Ben "Peter" Kochman, who is also a sports editor for the Daily, used vibrators as drumsticks to play their instruments.
According to Pyenson, the group spent $80 of an events grant from the Tufts Community Union Senate to buy the vibrators, which the performers then used to bang away at their buckets.
"It sounds much better than I had imagined. [The vibrators] have a subwoofer tone, and we had never used this sound in our performance," Pyenson said. "We were not trying to be provocative. We are known as an eccentric group that does exotic things."
University President Anthony Monaco was in attendance. Pyenson noted that Monaco, a former percussion player, has been "very supportive" of the group, attending two to three practices and performing with B.E.A.T.s during the Inauguration Dinner on Oct. 21.
"It was empowering for me to be on stage [using the vibrators] in front of so many people and the University President," Pyenson said. "He was probably not comfy with students of his institution performing with vibrators, but there was nothing sexual about it. It is inherently provocative [to see] vibrators in public, but we do it for our own enjoyment as much as the audience's, and it's fun as hell."
B.E.A.T.s'co−founder Stephen "Steve−O"Leichman (LA '06) spoke toward the end of the performance to honor the B.E.A.T.s alumni in attendance, and was quick to poke fun at the group's use of vibrators.
"How about those dildos, Monaco? That's where your money is going," Leichman said jokingly.
However, Leichman's speech quickly turned somber when he acknowledged the recent passing of John "Boondoggle" Keefe (LA '08), another B.E.A.T.s alum.
In his memory, the group played "Unprawn," with each member performing a solo using metal spoons for drumsticks. Leichman placed an empty seat in the group's circle in Keefe's memory, and a moment of silence was taken midway through the song.
Other highlights from the show included the song "Nick Cannon," in which pairs of B.E.A.T.s members battled it out with percussion solos, playing on plastic buckets and stainless steel ladders.
Even more impressive was "Bottles," during which senior Evan "Pho' Ghnome" West played "Jingle Bells" and other melodies on discarded handles of vodka.
"I am always impressed by how Evan West pulls together songs using pitched bottles," Pyenson said. "He performs, and he blows us all away."
The Tufts Rhythm Symposium also featured a "rhythm round−table" located near the front of the stage. According to Pyenson during his introduction, students were encouraged to engage in "meaningful conversation" during the songs.
