National performer Jariah Higgins played alongside students during the Acoustic Sunset at the Edge last Friday evening.
The event, hosted by the Harborside Activities Board, was open to the public and performers could sign up as they walked in the door.
Almost every performer sang and was accompanied by either a guitar or ukulele. HAB members even got involved in the event, such as HAB President Daniel Ciccia, who played the box drum for a fellow performer.
Performances included both modern songs, such as Wish You Were Gay by Billie Eilish and Memories by Maroon 5, and original songs created by the performers.
Israel Hickey, a USFSP Freshman biology major, was the first student to perform at the event, singing Lead Me to the Cross by Hillsong Worship. He explained why he chose this song for the event.
“Whenever I sing, it’s for God,” said Hickey. “It was a song that meant a lot to me and that I was comfortable with.”
Hickey also shared that he was confident in himself and enjoyed the event.
“It was really fun to see others play, and really encouraging,” said Hickey.
At the event’s midpoint items such as a ukulele, a bongo drum, an ocarina and a harmonica were raffled off. One ticket was given to each attendee, and three extras were given to performers.
Afterwards, Jariah Higgins, a national performer from Tampa, took the stage for the latter half of the event.
Higgins not only sang and played the guitar, but also beat-boxed and used a live looper, a machine that loops real-time recorded sounds, to create unique versions of songs. He played modern, classic, original and audience requested songs.
One of the songs Higgins played, Ain’t No Rest for the Wicked by Cage the Elephant, accompanied by Ciccia on the box drum, he shared was the first song he ever learned on the guitar.
“I’ve been singing since I was eight… and I started playing the guitar when I was 18,” said Higgins.
He explained how he started performing at events like Acoustic Sunset and writing his own music.
“I started off learning covers, and I would obviously pick the songs that I would be in love with,” said Higgins.
“I didn’t really think that I would be able to write music that someone like me, that doesn’t play music (at that time), would enjoy, so it was hard for me to start writing,” explained Higgins.
Currently, Higgins performs at weddings, private events and colleges nationwide almost every weekend.
Events like Acoustic Sunset and his recent performance at a Denver college, Higgins explained, are extremely enjoyable because of the students and the connections.
“It was great, it was awesome,” said Higgins. “Everyone was super talented, and everyone was locked-in, which is always important.”
The last song Higgins performed for the night was Counting Stars by OneRepublic.
The event used the Edge’s wooden back-dropped stage, theater equipment, colorful lighting and modern music in the background to make the place comfortable and fun for attendees.
The food provided to attendees was comprised of salads, cookies, a fruit platter, potato chips and sodas.