For the fourth year in a row, Elon's Student Union Board has brought traveling musician Jason LeVasseur to Midnight Meals, an event sponsored by the organization.
LeVasseur’s music has brought him to several universities around the country. It isn’t uncommon for LeVasseur to travel to Virginia, the Carolinas and New York in just one week.
According to LeVasseur, who performed at the event Feb. 2, it is the connection with the audience that keeps him coming back to Elon.
"People clapping is one thing, but it’s the back and forth, the shared experience, that counts,” he said.
But for members of the Student Union Board, LeVasseur's frequent performances may be due to something else.
SUB organizes events for students every Thursday, Friday and Saturday night, including Midnight Meals, SUB Live and the Spring Show to provide an alternative to drinking.
“It’s been a long-lasting Elon tradition,” said Joe Ziemba, the director for marketing and promotions for SUB. “We get a little bit of extra money from the Presidential Task Force Against Drinking and Alcohol to put on these events for the students’ entertainment.”
SUB’s 12-member executive board attends the National Association for Campus Activities, or NACA, convention twice a year to listen to several performers from around the country and to seek out potential Elon entertainers.
“It’s a lot of fun,” Ziemba said. “We sit through many showcases and performances, where there’s smaller performers that are trying to get booked by hundreds of schools.”
SUB tries to pick performers that fit Irazu Coffee Shop, which generally lends itself to a solo act that has an independent style of music or comedy, according to Ziemba. They look for artists that are multitalented individuals, but aren’t big stars. Most performers are reasonably priced and are simply happy to have a show booked, Ziemba said.
Even though musicians are great for certain audiences, SUB is trying to pull in more comedians, after the success of having a comedian once every month last semester.
“Anyone will come hear a comedian. People love to laugh,” Ziemba said. “It’s always a great turnout because that’s what people want and that’s what SUB’s here for — to give students what they want.”
Providing entertainment for students also gives student performers their chance to shine.
During Winter Term, student musicians Gavin Billings and Alicia Varcoe had individual Midnight Meals performances organized through the Student Union Board. Some students email the Student Union Board requesting a timeslot to perform after they’ve already been heard at open mic nights or simply by word of mouth.
“It’s really easy for student performers to get involved,” Ziemba said. “Students generally perform more than once because after their first time, they usually want to come back, and we try to keep a good relationship with them so that they do come back.”
SUB tries to book and fill all events one semester ahead of schedule. Most performances are planned far in advance, especially the Spring Show, but slots that aren’t filled are easily accessible for students who want to participate.