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The second someone walks through the red Torii outside Dazed house and gets a colored stamp pressed onto their hand, they are transported into a world of flashing lights and noise. Crowds of people stream down the basement steps, engulfed in the rhythms of close conversations and live music.

What they don’t see is the hours of preparation the six house members of Dazed put into each night’s performances.

“Ultimately that’s why we (host shows). We do it so that people can listen to music, play music and it’s one of the most beautiful things we can share,” Philip Martins, a member of Dazed, said.

Off the heels of Redgate’s retirement, Syracuse University juniors – Martins, Polly Hoffman, Megan Halsey, Samara Vachani, Kieran Romano and Ella Delucia – have worked to distinguish the popular venue they inherited. With three shows under their belt in the fall semester so far, the group has seen much success from their new approach to ownership.

The first step for the new leadership team was changing the venue’s name.

When thinking of a name, the members said they wanted it to embody the house’s “groovy” and “psychedelic” atmosphere and the music performances that would take place there. The word Dazed encapsulates the emotions and energy of the house, making it a perfect fit, Vachani said.

Dazed has also hosted a wide variety of themed nights the previous owners did not host as much. Earlier this semester, the house hosted a rave weekend in collaboration with the Cage Collective. More recently, rock and indie performers like Sam Tonks, SER8IO and Troy Conner took the stage.

“We can have all these different types of music and have nights that cater to different people and preferences,” Vachani said.

Lars Jendruschewitz | Photo Editor

The iconic wall behind the stage at Dazed received a new coat of paint, with “Dazed” replacing the former “Redgate” signage. New owners kept the big “R” in the basement as an homage to the house’s origins.

SUNY ESF freshman Ellie Falkman attended the rave weekend at Dazed and brought her two friends who were visiting from New York City along to hear the music. Though never having experienced Redgate before, Falkman said they knew of its iconic status and appreciated the new themed approach Dazed has taken.

“When it’s a theme, it gives you an incentive to go, you can dress up, you don’t have to wear the same outfit every weekend,” Falkman said. “It makes everyone a little excited to be out.”

Dazed members also made a point to change the physical appearance of the house by painting the basement’s brick walls white, with “Dazed” in bold red letters. Celestial designs fill the surrounding walls. The members said they also make a conscious effort to keep the house clean.

Adding to this refreshed atmosphere, Falkman said she usually sees the same people working the door every weekend, which makes for positive interactions and good banter.

“I got stamped twice just because I wanted to see what the stamp looked like and they were so nice about it,” Falkman said. “They don’t treat you like you are just a number on a list.”

The work the Dazed members have put into the house to make it their own hasn’t gone unnoticed. Delucia said many people have mentioned the house’s new vibe and taken positively to the change in ownership.

For Matthew Clark, a junior at SU, the house is still the same old Redgate. He holds fond memories of sitting on the couches and bonding with his close friends or laying in the hammock outside when he got tired.

Though Clark has not taken much note of changes at the house, he believes that as long as it continues its current trajectory, Dazed will become successful in carrying on Redgate’s legacy.

“As long as they keep on bringing in good bands and they keep the price the same, there won’t be a problem,” Clark said.

The members of the house understand many students still call Dazed by its former name. Romano predicts that in the coming weeks, Dazed will solidify its own identity – as of this week, it’s only thrown three shows.

Further solidifying its place as a legitimate venue at SU, the group has spent time learning how to communicate effectively with bands and performers to ensure show nights run smoothly.

They send each band their “house rules” that include performance expectations and schedules. Performers have reciprocated and expressed appreciation for the level of professionalism, Hoffman said.

Despite the time commitment associated with it, running the venue has proved to be an enriching experience for its members, especially through the connections they have formed with other student-run music venues, Halsey said.

Lars Jendruschewitz | Photo Editor

Dazed’s six members pose before their show with the paper they used to brainstorm the venue’s new name. Suggested names like “Breadgate” resulted in “Dazed.”

Dazed has relationships with Crater 315, Sage Haus and the Cage Collective, which has formed a helpful support network for the group. On multiple occasions, shows that couldn’t happen at Dazed moved to other venues because of these connections, Romano said.

The connection between the student-run venues has helped Dazed grow its audience and see relationships form at shows. Vachani said it gives her fulfillment to create an unforgettable experience for the students that come to Dazed.

For Romano, inheriting the house was a special, full-circle moment since it was the same place where he and his friends created memories as freshmen.

“You’re just a little blood cell in a huge pumping heart in the basement,” Martins said. “You don’t have to worry about being perceived, you can just let go and be vulnerable and listen to some sunshine rock.”

Published on September 23, 2024 at 10:49 pm