Student organization draws talent from all corners
URI’ Musicians Guild is dedicated to music. Photo courtesy of Musicians Guild
With so many student-run organizations at the University of Rhode Island, there is one that stands out as the loudest of them all.
The Musicians’ Guild is a club dedicated to music and communal expression, creating a safe area for Rhody students to share their voice (and instruments, of course).
On Thursdays in Memorial Union (MU) room 124, the group can be found inside of their lively hodgepodge filled with people, instruments and other equipment. It’s hard to miss the assortment of eccentric decorations plastered on the walls and spread about within the Guild’s room and on the front door.
The organization’s main activities include hosting campus concerts, open mics and other events such as the annual Battle of the Bands, an event where two groups compete by performing original music as well as covers.
In addition, the Musicians’ Guild frequently partners with the Young Democratic Socialists of America, another student organization on campus, to set up charity events. During their weekly meetings, Guild members have relaxed discussions about music and other topics.
Matthew Delaney, a third-year student majoring in plant sciences, serves as president of the Guild – the very place where he found his footing at URI. He said that the organization is welcoming and works to maintain a caring atmosphere.
“It’s super chill, entertaining and not uptight at all,” Delaney said. “Whenever we have our meetings, we try to keep it light. It’s a space for us to have fun.”
During his time with the Guild, Delaney has played for a few bands, including his own group named No Hands and Superposition. Being the president of this organization, Delaney has a special taste for music as well. His personal favorite albums as of lately include “Man Alive” by King Krule and “Whole Lotta Red” by Playboi Carti.
Julie De Alencar, a second-year student and member of the Guild, said that the Guild’s music taste is “eclectic.”
“It’s whatever the people in the club want [to play],” De Alencar said. “There’s nobody dictating what’s played.”
Among the Guild members, music tastes range from metal to pop to hip hop to punk. To embody a collaborative space, they utilize a vote system to decide what’s played at their events, and participation by all members is actively encouraged. The Guild also puts together a Spotify playlist every semester.
Becoming a part of the Guild has also helped its members adjust to life on campus. According to Delaney, the experience was unprecedented, as he hadn’t known many others who shared the same interests in music and punk culture.
“Guild is sort of this space where you can find a fun group of people like you,” Delaney said. “It was such a different environment than the rest of URI.”
Delaney recalled one of his favorite memories, and said that at his first live performance, his friends were crowd surfing, mosh pits were forming amongst the crowd and the atmosphere was energetic.
De Alencar echoed the words of Delaney, saying that the Guild’s open-door policy has helped a number of students.
“We’ve had a lot of people who’ve struggled adjusting to campus tell us that joining has helped them a lot,” De Alencar said.
For now, the Guild will continue doing its thing: sharing their passion for music with the rest of the URI community.
Delaney said the Guild is planning more events for the near future, which include an upcoming spooky-themed concert on Friday in atrium one of the MU. To learn more about the Guild, visit their Instagram page @urimusiciansguild.