In a dynamic atmosphere with a spirited crowd, dozens of performers came together for The Funktion; a night of spoken-word poetry, musical performances, dances and overall, ‘good vibes.’ Providing a platform for students’ voices and experiences in a lively way, The Funktion was unique in its ability to create a celebratory vibe while still addressing serious topics.
The primary organizers of The Funktion were Ricardo Millien ’19, the president of Vibes, Written and Spoken and a brother of Delta Phi, as well as Matthew Lebowitz ’18, the Social Chair for Delta Phi and President of SPAC. Inspired by a vision to encourage “informal” performing arts at Hamilton, the two made a decision to create an event that would move people, but also allow them to have an upbeat, fun experience.
One of the performances featured at The Funktion came from Millien, who performed under the name Suavé TheGent, alongside a student from Union College named Delano McFarlane, who performed under the name Lanoo Gottem. They performed three songs, including “Talk My Talk,” a rap revolving around themselves and their worth. When speaking about that piece in particular, Millien said, “That song is special not just because it was our first song we collaborated on, but the confidence the song gave us as people who aren’t confident about ourselves in general, was powerful. We hope people feel the way we did recording that song, everyday of their lives.”
Another performer was Ava Witonsky ’21, a member of Vibes, who commented on the process of creating her own work prior to the show as a means of self-expression and comfort. “Although I just joined the club, Vibes has already helped my creative process by creating an accepting and encouraging space to share art,” she admitted. In preparation for the event, the performers held “slam-poetry-snap-laden critiques” that helped cultivate their work even further.
Though The Funktion definitely did appeal to an energetic crowd similar to that of a concert or a party, through doing so, the performers were able to bring their incredibly important messages to a broader audience. From politics to mental illness to self-confidence to the loss of a loved one, discussions were inspired by personal experiences, the event gave talented students a powerful platform for their voices to be heard.
Most importantly, however, Lebowitz and Millien felt as though the event brought a sense of comfort to both the performers and audience members, specifically after the passing of a fellow student and friend, Isaiah Carpenter-Winch. Many performed in honor of Isaiah, with Millien even leading a moment of silence in remembrance. “In many ways, I feel that The Funktion helped those in attendance to heal just a little bit more,” Lebowitz explained, “and Hamilton should continue to support and acknowledge the positive impact of performance events on campus, both in school-sanctioned social spaces and informal student spaces.”
Unique in comparison to many past performance events, The Funktion showcased the sheer diversity of talent on campus through multiple different artistic forms, including work from poets Sanju Koirala ’19, Kyandreia Jones ’19, Peter Case ’21, and Christine Tomasi ’21, musical artists Ava Witonsky, Eva Lynch-Comer, Josh Biltekoff, Tim Henderson, and Suavé TheGent, and student bands Stink 182, Terrapin Trio, and Uptown Booty, as well as a dance performance by HEAT. The meaningfulness of the event is echoed in a comment from Vibes member Kyandreia Jones ’19 who expressed, “It’s important to remember the responsibility you have as an artist and student on campus, and that your part as a performer is to engage the crowd and keep them in tune — using your mic to do more and say more up on the stage.”
