On Feb. 23, the nonchalant strum of guitar strings and crooning voice of musician Jervis Campbell transformed Harry’s Coffeehouse from an epicenter of daily commotion into an intimate concert venue. Under the dimmed lights, students lounged around the stage, bobbing their heads and swaying to the melody as the music imbued the space with a casual atmosphere.
Originally from North Carolina, Jervis is a Nashville-based musician with an indie style and a faith-centered message. During the Harry’s concert, Jervis sang a collection of songs from his catalogue, including one of his first singles, “Glory,” based on his testimony and songs from his new album “Hopeful Hearts Club.”
Jervis took the stage with his guitar and a microphone and fostered a relaxing evening through his lighthearted interactions with the crowd. Over the course of the evening, he filled the gaps in his set with funny anecdotes and audience callouts. He even discovered that one member of the audience grew up in his hometown and spent a few minutes discussing street names and local landmarks with her.
Jervis commented on the intimate atmosphere of the concert in comparison to some of the larger shows he has performed in.
“Thanks for letting me be here, guys. I’m liking this chill, little night,” Jervis said. “This is fun. I don’t get to do this a lot anymore.”
This performance was the latest addition to the Harry’s Concert Series, an event series handled by Samford’s Student Activities Council (SAC), a group of roughly 65 students that plan events across campus from homecoming festivities to classic Samford traditions such as Lighting of the Way. For the Jervis concert, SAC partnered with Samford’s Office of Student Activities and Events.
According to the SGA vice president of events, Andrew Mintz, the décor and atmosphere of the concert was planned by Chris Todd, SAC director of musical events, and Liz Cowden, SAC director of special events.
“They did an incredible job matching the atmosphere to the vibe of the music and created a space that was comfortable for all students to enjoy the concert,” Mintz said. “I believe we will definitely be using this layout again in the future.”
The intimate vibe of the evening made an impression on the students that attended. Freshman pre-nursing student Peter Ray shared that he appreciated being able to attend the concert.
“As someone who has listened to indie music for as long as I can remember, having the opportunity to listen to it live, for free, was quite the gift. And I really hope there will be more events like that in the near future,” Ray said.
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