By The Keystone Newspaper Marks the celebration of musical talent and diverse identities at KU
By Lillian Stadtmueller
On Sept. 25, 2024, about 150 to 200 KU students and staff gathered in South Dining Hall Room One to watch their peers and friends perform on stage. Known as “Bearchella,” this Residence Life event is an on-campus initiative organized by some of the Graduate Student Employees (GSEs), also known as “The Squad.”
Every year, Bearchella provides music, food and live performances to the KU community. This year, performers included Tarij “TJ” Jordan on the mic, Jaime Smith, Vincent Allen, Anti-Crisis Boy, Favah, the Shooting Stars Dance Crew, and the KU Dance Team to wrap up the occasion.
The full setlist can be found on the LiveHereRoarHere Instagram post.
“Bearchella is the can’t-miss event of the Fall semester,” graduate student Kyle Newman said. “The students with varying talents and performances are a great showcase of what the KU student body has to offer, and is a great example of how students can find passions through their amazing abilities.”
Set up on the left side of the stage, PSECU and Raising Canes had tables giving out free goodies. Along the walkway to GBVS was a Kona Ice truck where attendees could get free shaved ice courtesy of Aramark.
Attendees gathered in several rows of chairs arranged vertically in SDH Room 1. At 6 p.m., volunteers gave out t-shirts to those who completed the feedback survey. Introduced this year, attendees had the opportunity to tie-dye these shirts near the back of the room. Meanwhile, lines formed for walking tacos and fried funnel sticks provided by Aramark.
In the back of the room, the tie-dye tarps were laid down. There were six buckets in total. At the fold-up table to the left were gloves, rubber bands, and plastic bags to store the shirts afterward with the four volunteers operating the table. One attendee used a trend on Pinterest to design their shirt, leaving the end section white.
A highlight of the event included Big R3D and Karina’s “Where’s My Charger At,” which sparked the crowd to join along. Other highlights throughout the night include Tanamojo Mollywater’s off-stage performance in heels, Jaime Smith’s slow love tune, Sea Baum’s original song titled “Silver Night,” Lead Petal’s rock song “Can’t A Girl Dream,” joined by a mosh pit near the stage, and Tarij “TJ” Jordan’s rendition of Bruno Mars’ “Just The Way You Are” and “Talking To The Moon.”
A festive night filled with musical entertainment, Bearchella marks another year in KU’s student culture.