The Ryan Center has made the decision to not hold a live concert event, but instead, host a Taylor Swift listening party.
In the past, the Ryan Center has held popular performers such as Ke$ha in 2013, Fetty Wap in 2016, Khalid in 2018, Machine Gun Kelly in 2019 and The Kid Laroi in 2023. Students piled into the Ryan Center to see Bryson Tiller come on Oct. 10, 2024.
This year, however, the Ryan Center is taking a different approach. Rather than hosting a live concert, URI is hosting a Taylor Swift listening party.
Tickets for the event range from $19 to $41. For those who seek a more premium experience, the red package includes access to an exclusive bar and lounge area, a private bathroom, one free non-alcoholic beverage and a parking pass for every two tickets sold.
“The goal with hosting the listening party is to try to bring more entertainment on campus, additional auxiliary types of entertainment,” Leah Becki, the Ryan Center’s general manager, said.
The change is a part of a broader effort to not only expand entertainment on campus but also to give a more casual feel to the Ryan Center, according to Becki. The Ryan Center staff hopes to add more social events that students can attend without the scale or expense of a major concert. The listening party is one way to create a more club-like atmosphere for students to enjoy music and a community in a more relaxed setting.
While this adjustment was less expensive, cost wasn’t the primary motivator, Becki said. The Ryan Center will not abandon live events entirely.
“We are working on shows right now, and we just got the men’s and women’s basketball schedule, so it opens up a lot more dates for us to book shows,” Becki said.
The decision to host a Taylor Swift-themed event came directly from the students, according to Brigid St. Leger, the director of marketing for the Ryan Center. They uploaded a survey for students to fill out their own interests.
The Ryan Center created social media posts stating: “We’re trying to host new events like DJ night at the Ryan Center; Who do you want to hear?”
“Taylor was the one people wanted,” St. Leger said.
The focus of this event is providing an experience that directly appeals to the URI community, especially students living on campus, according to St. Leger.
Despite Becki’s claim that there has been a lot of positive feedback, not all students are thrilled with the adjustment. First-year students Gracie Palmer and Gianna Toscano were disappointed in the change to a solely listening performance.
Palmer believes that, while the listening party might appeal to Taylor Swift fans, it lacks the excitement of a live performance.
First-year Gianna Toscano agreed and said live concerts feel more immersive and would draw a larger crowd.
“Live concerts are more about the experience, and with this you won’t get that kind of experience,” Toscano said.
Despite mixed reactions, the Ryan Center remains optimistic about experimenting with new events, according to St. Leger.
“Its all about the experience,” St. Leger said, “No matter who’s here, we just want them to have an opportunity to be here, and our obvious target audience is the URI community for our on-campus students, as they’re looking for things the most”.
For more information about future events, look at the The Ryan Center website.
