Photos from Cohen Miller
It’s tradition that every university has their one thing that they are known for, so why wouldn’t they showcase the talented students of Anderson University? People of all majors, years, and skill sets all work hard to put on a themed concert for one night only: calling this Encore. It is an event that all students look forward to because it happens just four times a year, but this year has only happened twice, so there are plenty of times to hear some great performances. There are also a limited number of students that are in it, which makes it the perfect opportunity for an engaging night of fun with friends. It is presented by Orangehaus, the music business section of Anderson’s campus, and partnered with Avanti Boosters. Avanti Boosters is a social club that works hard to foster community and collaborates with other social clubs to create involvement within the campus. This took place on Saturday night at two respective times, 7 p.m. and 10 p.m.
The theme for Encore this year was “Y2K.” This might’ve been considered a throwback for the newer generation, but it was what most of us grew up with. Whether it’s Usher’s “Yeah” or some Britney Spears, there is something for everyone to listen to. This event is important to students not just because it’s a night of fun and chaos, but it is also student-led. Everyone that took part in Encore are all current students and they all have a theme. In the past they have had themes such as “Disney” or “The 80s”.
Peyton Luhring, a senior computer science student, as well as the Avanti Boosters president, has been in Avanti since his sophomore year, and when asked why he took part in the social club he said, “The first time when I was involved in Encore was when I was a freshman. It was just guys having fun.” Avanti Boosters worked with Orangehaus to bring the vision of Encore to life. Setting the tone for this night was very important to make the student body feel excited for what’s to come.
Starting off the night, the crowd was overwhelmed with excitement when they heard the Pokemon theme song. Everyone was impressed and overjoyed when they heard this throwback tune along with many other iconic songs such as “Jesus Freak,” “Wannabe,” and “Hey Ya!” This was truly a night to remember. Ella English, a sophomore majoring in musical theatre and dance said the following about her experience rehearsing for the show, “The rehearsal process is enlightening, as someone who doesn’t get to work with live bands very often. It’s incredible to see the amount of work and effort that each band member puts in to make sure that the show sounds great.”
It was not just the performances that made the night memorable, but also the “Saving Christmas in February” skit that Avanti Boosters did. There was laughter and fun times throughout the entire night and you wouldn’t imagine that Christmas and February would work as a skit, but it is actually the opposite. Owen Renie, a senior, dressed as Santa Claus and Peyton Luhring, made the crowd spiral out of their seats with joy.
There was something for everyone and the adrenaline rush was overwhelming. Besides the performances, the audience’s energy also made the night truly memorable. When asked about her favorite experience with Encore, Ozzy Tharp, a sophomore musical theatre major said, “Simply celebrating music and joyous times with friends and the AU community, whether performing on stage or cheering along in the auditorium seats, is what I feel makes Encore so special. The best example of this is when the song “Unwritten” by Natasha Bedingfield began to play between sets and everyone in the audience sang along together.”
The amount of community that is found on AU’s campus is a one-of-a-kind experience. Every single time that it gets announced, the campus gets involved. People who had never been to Encore before enjoyed it as well and getting to hear others sing and dance like you have never heard or seen before. Seeing classmates who you never knew had this kind of talent was truly inspiring and exciting for the whole AU community and getting to hang out and be with friends was even better.