By Morgan Hunter
Contributing Writer
When it comes to beating the cold, few places are as hot of a scene as Covers. The Goliard Literary Magazine is back again, bringing creative programming to campus with another year’s installment of one of the most anticipated traditions: Break-Up Covers. Students flocked to The Underground on Friday, Feb. 16 to partake in the festivities and dance the night away as their peers put on a show to remember. Weren’t able to make it? Here’s everything you need to know.
Covers is a regular music event presented by The Goliard where student bands and musicians are invited to perform covers of their favorite songs for a student audience. A fan-favorite theme that returns every February is “break-up covers.” This year, thirteen student performance groups played everything from “Falling Behind” by Laufey to “Before He Cheats” by Carrie Underwood.
For many students, the opportunity to perform in front of an audience and share their musical aspirations is invaluable. While it can be a nerve-wracking undertaking, the adrenaline rush is unlike any other, which keeps students coming back.
One performer, Anya Smith ’24, recounted how she was overjoyed to take the stage. “It was so much fun to perform at Covers after not being able to attend much in previous years,” Smith said. “The crowd always has such great energy, so you just get to focus on having fun and enjoying the vibes!”
The audience seemed to love every second of the performances. The event was anticipated to be a hot ticket, considering it was the first Covers of the semester. The Goliard had also been able to drum up excitement at their popular poetry-reading event, The Moth, but no one could have anticipated reaching capacity barely one song into the night. Needless to say, the student body has been ravenous for one of their favorite musical outlets.
“I always enjoy Covers,” Gianna Hayes ’26 shared. “I know it’s a good time to hang out with my friends and listen to music, and I really appreciate how it’s a space where people can be vulnerable and the student body can see their talent!”
As with most successful events, there was a lot of work behind the scenes to make it happen. Executive board members have been working tirelessly to perfect their methods of advertisement to recruit performers for this event. “Covers is work that’s always well worth it. It’s such a wonderful opportunity for students to share something as personal as music with their peers,” said secretary Emma Anderson ’26. “I feel similarly about it as The Moth — sharing art is something so special and so crucial to connection and community between humans.”
Results are certainly in — Break-Up Covers was, yet again, an astounding success. When asked why they value events like these, many students weighed in on how they make an effort to share their support any time they have the chance to engage with the flourishing music scene on campus. “As someone who isn’t musically talented, Covers always has been my opportunity to engage in an informal way with the arts,” Joe Russo ’26 shared in reflection. “[It’s] a beautiful coalition of talent, and as we watch we get the opportunity to forget our troubles of class and focus on the music of our peers.”
“We always need to support artists, and I think Covers and moreover The Goliard does a great job of showcasing the importance of the arts,” Hayes added.
Amid planning for performance-based events, The Goliard is also currently accepting submissions to their next print edition of their magazine. If you have work you would like to submit, please email them to goliard@wooster.edu with the subject line “Issue 2024.”