The Rediger Chapel Auditorium was transported back in time on Saturday, Feb. 25, as the quaint auditorium transformed into a disco dance ground.
The flashing lights of disco balls and CD’s illuminated the area as the Taylor community crammed in to revisit the past. The students were met with an array of vinyl decorations, album covers and even a mock marley staircase that led them to their own makeshift Saturday Night Fever.
Though the event was decked out in a 70s disco theme, the variety of the performances transcended the disco trajectory. The night featured a diverse collection of songs ranging from “Piano Man” by Billy Joel, to “Life is a Highway” by Rascal Flatts. An appearance of a country classic from The Chicks, “Cowboy Take Me Away,” and “Intergalactic” by The Beastie Boys even made its way into this anything-but-modern mixtape.
Senior Student Activities Council (SAC) member and MC of the show, Katie Hermann was, herself, overwhelmed with nostalgia as she reflected upon prior performances from this treasured Taylor tradition.
“What separated this year from others were the types of genres that we had,” Hermann said. “We had an R&B song to ‘On and On,’ which we’ve never had featured before. We also got to see a male duet with Ben Michel and Trent Repass to ‘Wonderful Tonight,’ and we don’t usually have a male duet.”
The famous Brosis Mitosis not only closed the night with the slash and clamor to the beat of the high-energy song “Smells Like Teen Spirit,” by Nirvana, but also added a new dynamic aside from their musical chords.
“Brosis Mitosis is always in MyGen and Nostalgia Night, but the energy they brought this time was much different,” Hermann said. “The way they had Jeremy Garey do a solo in the beginning and then the rest added in one by one was definitely different from what we’ve seen before from them, and from Nostalgia Night.”
Rushing to the stage, the students were able to witness the band add an extra spunk and personality to their routine as they reverted to a rock-n-roll alter ego. Starting off the song, drummer Jeremy Garey built the anticipation as he paused his typical rhythm by taking a drink from what appeared to be a milk carton before returning to his beat. The audience cheered and chuckled in response as they watched their peers heighten the energy with a medley of head-banging, dancing and personality.
As the nostalgia continued, freshmen and judge of the contest, Chloe Merillat, reflected on the perspective of the work that came without the presence of a beaming stage light.
“As a member of SAC, we were the judges, but we were also in charge of the entire process behind the scenes like decorating, planning, and advertising the whole thing,” Merillat said. “One night we were there from 6 pm to 1:30 am, and that was just for auditions. It took a lot of time and commitment, but it was all worth it in the end.”
While the event reinforced a magnitude of unique musical medleys, it also featured more than just the collision of sticks and drums.
“Nostalgia night is an event that showcases the art and music that came before us,” Merillat said. “It may not necessarily be the music that we are as familiar with in our generation, but it is the music that our parents, staff members, or even we grew up listening to because of them. It brings us together to celebrate the diversity and talent of our student body because of those different backgrounds.”
