Student Bands Rock the L.I.G.H.T House
Marcy and Thystopia’s Unforgettable Shows
Y’all like to rock?! Then, you should have pulled up to L.I.G.H.T. House this past weekend. Unless, of course, you were in fact there. Then, you rocked and you should be happy.
For all of those not in attendance, allow me to recap. On Saturday night, student band Thystopia – consisting of vocalist Adriana Cecchetelli ’26, guitarist Noah Donnellan-Doser ’26, vocalist and guitarist William Chalfant ’27, keyboardist Cherise Shamp ’27 and drummer Jack Fortier ’28 – took its theme house stage by storm. Alongside Thystopia was Marcy – featuring vocalist Lucy Albrecht ’27, guitarist Henry Baker ’25, guitarist Alex Tidd ’25, bassist Oliver White ’27 and drummer Emmit Dayhoof ’26 – enlightening a rather rambunctious crowd of SLUdents.
This was Thystopia’s debut performance under their newest iteration. However, Thystopia has been performing since the Spring of 2023 under various names, including “The Earl Greys,” “The Dooks” and “Ambiguity,” all featuring a slew of rotating members. On the opposite end, Marcy has remained the most consistent student band on campus, both in its performer lineup and musical skill. Albrecht is the most recent addition to the band, having joined in late Spring 2024. Since then, the band has been soaring, opening for Laveda at the Java Barn last September.
Though I myself cannot attest to the stage presence of the band’s previous shows, it is safe to say that their latest soirée drew a significant amount of positive attention. From a truly elite set lineup featuring multiple bangers including “Ain’t It Fun” by Paramore, “Teenage Dirtbag” by Wheatus and “Break Stuff” by Limp Bizkit, to a well-decorated living room-disco setting and the presence of Chaflant’s dad, Dave, jamming on bass, I would anticipate the group’s reputation on campus will only be heightened as a result.
Members of the band chimed in on the performance. Chalfant said, “I felt like the crowd was playing my instrument for me; the love was unreal.” “My face hurt from smiling so much,” exclaimed Shamp, who recently transferred to SLU from American University. Cecchetelli earnestly stated, “It was an out-of-body experience; I couldn’t hear my own voice – pure bliss.” In a moment of emotional vulnerability, Fortier revealed there was “so much energy in the building – what a fun time with some great people who love live music.”
Following Thystopia’s L.I.G.H.T House-rumbling launch was Marcy’s equally elite second set. Though I only stayed for one song before rushing off to my next event, I can attest that what I heard was delivered with energy and enthusiasm as sensational as has been brought to all their performances. Thystopia member Noah Donnellan-Doser ’26 said, “I’d say they brought about a lot of good ruckus as well. Their songs were a lot more subdued than ours, and I liked that their setlist ranged widely from Mac Miller to Big Thief covers. They definitely sounded well-rehearsed – I’d say Marcy is the most consistent group on campus.’
Perhaps the two bands should collaborate more often. “I thought it was one of the best house shows I’d ever been to,” said Autumn Nealis ’25. “I think house shows with student bands playing are one of the best opportunities to engage with the student population and represent their music in a less intense type of scenery compared to maybe performing for Java, which can help alleviate some stress and have another opportunity to perform to hone in on their skills.” Carly Hansen ’25 agreed with Nealis, saying, “It was a packed house. The energy was just great.” Overall, students can’t wait to hear Thystopia and Marcy play again.