Spring Beatnik Brings The Student Body Together
By Vedashree Patil ’28
Magus Mabus’s Spring Beatnik took place on Friday, April 10, filling up Straus Library for a night of performances that showcased singing, violin, even magic tricks. Over forty-five students signed up to perform, and at least as many showed up to watch, filling the seats with friends, peers, and a crowd that was genuinely there to have a good time.
Behind each performance at Beatnik is extensive preparation on the part of the performers. Whether it was their first time on stage or their third, the preparation that goes into a few minutes of performance is easy for an audience to overlook but hard for a performer to forget. Nora Lu ’29 explained that the band she is a part of, The Major Minors, begins preparing almost a month before their performance. Meanwhile, Dasha Johnson ’27, a frequent Beatnik vocalist, noted that “the first few seconds are so scary because everyone is looking at you, but then you get lost in the music and just know that you’re doing your best.”
The student performances weren’t the only ones that left an impression. Jazz faculty Dr. Jared Sims took the stage with a saxophone performance that stopped the room. The guest performer left the students in awe and added a different kind of energy to the night, which reminded them that Beatnik is a space for everyone, not just students.
The performers aren’t the only ones who put in the work. The Magus Mabus and Amnesty boards spent weeks preparing to make sure the night ran smoothly, including coordinating with performers and setting up Straus with instruments and decorations. Magus Mabus Music cohead Montse Martínez ’26, said that the process starts earlier than most people expect: “I think it really is all about communication. Most of the planning starts happening about three weeks before the date.” And onthe day itself, it’s all hands on deck. Mira Lu ’27 notes that between ten and fifteen board members show up at 5:00pm to prepare the space, set up the sound system, and organize the snack table. Members also arrange rows of chairs, bring instruments from Kellner Performing Arts Center to the stage, string Straus’s interior balconies with fairy lights, and designate people to distribute raffle tickets and copies of Magus Mabus Literature before the first guests even walk through the door.
Beyond the performers, this Beatnik carried an added sense of purpose. The Magus Mabus board partnered with the school’s chapter of Amnesty International to sell tote bags, with proceeds going to support the club’s mission to protect student power including freedom of speech, freedom of the press, and students’ rights. In collaboration with Amnesty, Amara Prather ’26 reprised her performance of Marvin Gaye’s “What’s Going On?” from the K-12 MLK Community Celebration on January 20.
Many students enjoy Beatnik because it places their peers, some of whom may not be typically associated with the arts, in a new and striking artistic context. Lyra Dvorin ’28 explains “My favorite part of Beatnik is always seeing the people I share classes with and spend all my time with.” For one night, the people you sit next to in class or spend time with in the Stu are suddenly up on a stage, and that setting shines a different—purple and blue—light on them. As the final acts wrapped up and the crowd began to filter out, Straus buzzed with chatter. Spring Beatnik once again brought students together, gave them a reason to celebrate each other, and sent everyone home with something to talk about. With another beatnik done, organizers, performers, and supporters are no doubt already excitedly waiting for the upcoming Beatstock in late May.