Written for The Argo by Anthony Beska

When discussing New Jersey with someone, their first thoughts usually gravitate towards pop culture like The Sopranos or Jersey Shore. Maybe even the in-jokes like our inability to pump our own gas, or Pork Roll versus Taylor Ham. One area sorely lacking in this discussion is the music: from Springsteen to Black Veil Brides, and the PNC to venues showcasing the little guys, tucked away in an unassuming street off Merchantville. Much like pizza, nobody does music better than Jersey.

But down here at Stockton it’s quiet, despite there being plenty of students on Galloway campus, all with their own unique music tastes.

“It’s really just the area. We’re in the Pine Barrens,” Alexandra, a Criminal Science major who lives near the campus with her sorority sisters, suggested. She also suggested the proximity to A.C. as a deterring factor—after all, why cut down all the trees when there’s plenty of prime real estate a few more miles away? Orie, another local commuter, shares the sentiment, lamenting how all the venues are an hour or so away.

Stockton doesn’t need a Prudential Center-level venue around here, but something is better than nothing. “I would say smaller stuff just because it would obviously be less costly to develop […] And the audience wouldn’t be that big […] for the most part I feel like it would be us […] who want to go to these things” Alexandra continued. From personal experience, the best shows come from intimate, smaller venues, which is exactly what Stockton needs: up-and-coming local talent bringing people together.

Samantha May (@samanthamay_music_ on Instagram), a local act who has played on and around the Stockton campus, also gave her thoughts on the matter: “The students and staff at Stockton have shown nothing but support towards the bands and musicians that they host. Even though I am not a student, I have felt welcomed into the community that Stockton is creating.”

Despite this, showcasing original material is hard in general for South Jersey artists. “It is really hard to find live original music around South Jersey other than the DIY house shows (even then most are in Glassboro or Philadelphia which are a drive from Stocktons campuses),” Samantha said.

Galloway Campus has seen an increase in live music, though, thanks to the Campus Center and WLFR Lake Fred Radio. WLFR hosts numerous events with local acts, including partnering with the Campus Center’s Tunes at Noon programming, putting on Lake Fred Folk Fest, the Afterlife Fest, and their 41st Anniversary Party to name a few. These typically happen in either the Campus Center Coffeehouse, or over at Lakeside Lodge, giving local bands and artists a chance to shine.

Even some classrooms bring live music to the community, as Professor John O’Hara of American Studies annually hosts either the Bob Dylan Fest or The Sixties Fest, where students, staff, and friends are able to lend their talents for a day of songs that help support his course’s final project.

The Pine Barrens are many things: spooky, eerie, iconic, our home away from home. But, it is in dire need of music. The want and need are clear as day, but what isn’t clear is the land to make any kind of venue. However, Stockton does graciously try and help with their shows, and to learn more about live music on campus, be sure to follow the Campus Center and WLFR on Instagram, @stkcampuscenter and @wlfr_stockton.