The mess is part of the music with The Collective

Guitars buzzed over the chatter of a crowded backyard Saturday night. Students stood shoulder to shoulder, squeezing closer to a makeshift stage as indie and alternative rock filled the space. The scene was far removed from a traditional concert venue, and that was part of what made The Collective’s annual back-to-school show on Sept. 12 so special. 

When most people hear “concert,” they might picture a dark club, a packed stadium or a ticket that costs as much as a month of tuition. The Collective has a different idea: a backyard, a few local bands and a group of students looking to have a good time and enjoy good music. 

Jackson Feldman, a senior data science major and president of The Collective, praises the imperfection of these shows and their DIY approach. 

“There's something very beautiful about just coming together in a backyard where the wood chips are all over the place, and there's a million leaves and it's inherently imperfect,” said Feldman. “Just sharing time and space, I think making people feel a part of something at every step of the way makes a show really special.”

Who needs a concert hall when you have a backyard and a few extension cords? Photo courtesy of Bisou Le. 

Saturday’s show featured four alumni bands who’ve played for The Collective before: goosechase, The Lucky Effect, Jujube and Tendency. Though the bands were familiar with The Collective, the event drew new attendees, many of whom were unfamiliar with how to act in the space. 

Elise Boiack is a senior music industry studies major. She played twice on Saturday: once as the singer of Jujube and once as the bassist for Tendency. From the stage, she noticed the audience's uncertainty. 

“I feel like a lot of people, since they were new, were trying to gauge how to act in that setting because it's really easy to go to a concert that you know, so it's easier to let yourself go,” Boiack said. “It's very vulnerable being in the front row and looking at an artist who you're not familiar with.”

A goosechase worth following: students flocked to the front for the band’s set. Photo courtesy of Bisou Le. 

There is no barrier between the audience and the bands, just as there is no polished concert venue to hide behind. The closeness can be awkward at first, but that awkwardness can give way as the night goes on. 

Bisou Le, a freshman film and television production major and attendee, appreciated how the bands interacted with the crowd. They turned the few feet between performer and audience into less of a terrifying closeness and more of an opportunity for connection. 

“The four bands, they're very friendly and talk with the audience. They interact with the audience, and I think that makes people enjoy it more,” said Le. 

Elise Boiack sang with her band Jujube and played bass for Tendency at Saturday’s show. Photo courtesy of Bisou Le.

For Boiack, those interactions have directly shaped her life as a musician. She started Jujube herself, then met the members of Tendency through a show and eventually joined them as their bassist.

“This past year, I've met so many people,” said Boiack. “If it wasn't for the shows that I was playing at and going to, I wouldn't be in the second band.” 

These DIY shows can forge all sorts of connections, bringing together audiences and musicians in a space to discuss creativity that not all students have access to. In addition to being a space for relaxation, networking and enjoyment, DIY shows can also have an impact that extends beyond Chapman. 

Feldman’s own music label, scratch.wav, promoted local bands while raising money for a cause. 

“We did a benefit show at Zebulon in Los Angeles, August 2025, where we raised $3,000 for the Friends of the LA River,” said Feldman. 

Describing their sound as “roland jazz chorus rock,” goosechase blends melodic vocals with powerful guitar chords. Photo courtesy of Bisou Le.

Whether it's picking which bands play a benefit show or brainstorming what The Collective's next event could look like, Feldman's approach is to lower the barrier of participating in the music scene. Any Chapman student is welcome to become involved with The Collective and contribute ideas, and just as the backyard venue isn’t perfect or traditional, neither are the suggestions members bring. 

In fact, original discussions and collaboration are what make The Collective special, according to Feldman. 

“Most events, we’ll usually talk about at a general meeting a few weeks in advance and source ideas from just anybody who wants to show up,” said Feldman. “A lot of really good event ideas and concepts have come from someone who's never been around before, just being like, ‘What if we did this?’ So we try to foster a space where we can just throw things at the wall and see what sticks.” 

From a backyard full of wood chips to a benefit show raising thousands of dollars, the DIY approach has grown beyond simply putting on concerts. Its shows give students a place to discover music, meet collaborators and turn a few thrown-together ideas into something bigger.

The slightly confused first-timers are not bugs in the system. They are the system. At The Collective, the mess is part of the music.