This past Saturday, March 1, students at Pace University were graced with their very own private concert, headlined by English singer-songwriter Suki Waterhouse, thanks to P.A.C.E. (Programming and Campus Entertainment) Board’s annual Unleashed event. With support from openers Coco & Clair Clair, Webster Hall was alive with excitement as familiar faces danced and sang their hearts out together. Attending a traditional concert at such an intimate venue is thrilling already, but when everyone in the crowd is either a friend, a classmate, or just someone you pass on campus, the feeling of community is strong. There’s no better shared human experience than seeing live music. Emily Gorman, a junior at Pace, echoed this feeling and said, “My favorite part of Unleashed was getting to see one of my favorite artists with my best friend, because it’s not every day you get the chance to experience that!”
Unleashed has been a recurring event organized by P.A.C.E. Board for multiple years now, and it’s no doubt the most anticipated of the year. Waterhouse, while still being considered an indie artist, is quite a big name for an event of this nature, especially given her recent role as Karen in the widely popular limited series, Daisy Jones & The Six. She is undoubtedly quite the star in her own right, however, as her set had the audience in the palm of her hand from start to finish. Dressed in a glittering matching pantsuit with a layered haircut straight from the rock scene of the ‘70s, Waterhouse shone brighter than all of the disco balls in the room combined (and there were a lot of disco balls).
Pace students were among the lucky few to hear Waterhouse perform her new single, “Dream Woman,” live for the very first time since its release, just days before her residency at The Roxy Theatre in Los Angeles. The song is another hit in her discography, fitting in well with the nostalgic rock sounds of “OMG,” “Moves,” and “Gateway Drug.” Whether every audience member was a diehard fan or a casual listener, not one person wasn’t enthralled by Waterhouse’s haunting vocals and stage presence. Ella Rodriguez, a sophomore at Pace University and fellow member of Her Campus, said, “Even though I didn’t know every song, there is no doubting the level of performance her vocals brought to the stage. Her cover of Oasis’ ‘Don’t Look Back In Anger’ was a highlight, along with ‘Good Looking,’ and my personal favorite, ‘My Fun.’ I was in awe!”
Hip hop duo Coco & Clair Clair brought the vibes to get the crowd hyped up to welcome Waterhouse to the stage, even though their musical style is starkly different. The two women sported dark sunglasses as they rapped and sang over tracks mixed by their DJ, and clips of Sex and the City characters looped on the screen in the background. Multiple times throughout their set, one of the two instructed the audience to scream and get angry before certain songs, which is always a therapeutic activity, no matter the setting. If Waterhouse created a disco atmosphere, then Coco & Clair Clair definitely created the club.
Waterhouse was so generous to thank the hard work of the Board for organizing the event, and commented on how fun it was to get to play to a crowd of college students, as she never went to university herself. Pace can now hold the title of “coolest college in town,” at least according to Waterhouse, which many could argue is all the validation we need!