Alec Benjamin performs at SpringFest 2023

By Eva Mihelich News editor

On Friday, April 28, Alec Benjamin took the stage in the MAC for Mercyhurst’s beloved SpringFest tradition. The lights were all off and students stood with glow sticks, light up glasses and other accessories as they awaited DJ Cash Era to start off the set.

SpringFest is a great opportunity for students to kick back, dance and enjoy a live performance. It is highly anticipated each year, and this year was no different as Hurst welcomed Alec Benjamin, who will be joining John Mayer on his U.S. tour.

Before Benjamin took the stage, DJ Cash Era got the crowd excited and hyped up. She played all the fan favorites with genres ranging from “Party in the USA” by Miley Cyrus to “Rich Flex” by 21 Savage and Drake.

DJ Cash Era also opened up for Bryce Vine at last year’s Spring Fest, and students enjoyed her set so much that MSG requested her again this year. This was a smart move which was clear by how energetic the crowd was for her.

Shortly after DJ Cash Era got off the stage, Benjamin took her spot. He is a 28-year-old singer from Phoenix, Arizona. He has translated a few of his songs into Mandarin but primarily sings all of his songs in English.

He casually and humbly walked on the stage and said a quick greeting. With a pure smile, kind eyes, and a gentle voice, Benjamin piqued everyone’s interest.

He introduced himself and mentioned that he had been nervous to perform at a college, because he knows that his music is not the typical music that college students listen to. However, he sang and performed with a humble confidence that charmed many attendees.

Teddy Counihan, a junior History major, said that he originally was not going to attend the concert because of Benjamin’s music style.

“I’m usually not into slower songs that have a more acoustic style, but I really enjoyed it. I added a few of his songs to my playlists because I liked that his songs had meanings which you don’t find a lot nowadays,” said Counihan.

When asked about his favorite song, Counihan laughed and said, “I don’t want to say because it’s one of his sadder songs, but I definitely have to say ‘Water Fountain.’ It’s a song so catchy that most people probably don’t listen to the lyrics. But they should, because it really feels like a personal statement.”

Benjamin’s music can best be described as mellow, indie, thoughtful and melodic. Students were seen swaying back and forth to the groovy guitar strums, and the calming energy was a unique one that SpringFest has not seen in a while.

Between songs, Benjamin inter- acted with the crowd and asked many questions. He shared that he dropped out of college after the first year, and that he was having fun performing for the Mercyhurst community because he felt like he was reliving his one year of college.

Alec Benjamin gained most of his popularity in 2018 after releasing his breakthrough single, “Let Me Down Slowly,” which talks about the feelings he had when he knew a significant other was going to break up with him soon. This was the penultimate song he performed, and students were singing the lyrics back to him which made him smile and say that he knew at least some of us would know that song.

Benjamin’s set was around an hour long, but he did not seem to stick to a set list. He would occasionally ask the audience what song they wanted to hear, and then he would play whatever someone shouted out.

This created a very chill atmosphere that students appreciated. It felt very intimate, and it was refreshing to see an artist perform who treated a university concert the same way he would treat a big venue.

Overall, Benjamin’s performance at SpringFest was a big success. He engaged the audience, students danced the night away, and there was a little bit of everything for people to enjoy.

Benjamin is now off to Lon- don to begin writing his new album. He usually goes on tour after his album is fully released, so if you want to see him live again, then follow him on social media to keep up to date on his career updates.

SpringFest is always a marker that the end of the semester is approaching, so as the excitement from the concert dies down, that means it’s time to hit the books and prepare for finals week!