UPDATED: Feb. 9, 2019, 6 p.m.

Thursday, Feb. 7 marked Student Programing and Activities’ first Eddy of the semester,  entertaining Biolans with four student musical acts, chocolate chip pancakes, a donut wall and Starbucks hot beverages. The two-hour-long concert helped students destress after reaching the four-week mark of the semester.

HEARTFELT ACOUSTICS

Freshman commercial music major Mehki Key opened the night with an original worship song, flaunting acoustic guitar riffs and gospelly vocals. To follow, Key sung a mashup of “Hero” from the Disney Channel original movie “Starstruck,” “Collide” by Howie Day and “Exchange” by Bryson Tiller. Although three very different songs, Key used his fresh, acoustic style to blend the songs smoothly. Bringing honest worship and a surprising mashup, Key ultimately sought to honor God with his performance.

“I just hope [the audience] can see that I’m up there just worshipping the Lord,” Key said. “I know it’s secular music and everything like that, but I’m just up there worshipping the Lord and doing my thing, pursuing the gift that he’s given me.”

GIRL POWER

In the second act of the night, sophomore public relations major Amanda Pappalardo showcased her original songs with a spunky, rock vibe. Drawing inspiration from personal experiences, Pappalardo exposed her raw lyricism with an electric guitar and a Paramore-type sound. Above anything else, Pappalardo wanted her performance to exude relatability.

“I hope that my songs and my lyrics can give people something to connect to and something to relate to,” Pappalardo said.

Some attendees were pleased to witness music that was profound and personal.

“This was my first Eddy experience,” said sophomore business major Rachel Reynolds. “It was completely different from what I thought. I was very pleasantly surprised to see that the singers got to spend more time up on stage and just do what they love and sing songs that were pretty personal.”

ROCK ON

As the third act of the night, alternative rock band Flight Deck kept the rock momentum fueled with their 2000s-inspired alternative style. Composed of former Biola student Ricky Brandon, sophomore business majors Will Kizanis and Bryce Mckee, Concordia University student Tyger Cortazar and Cal Poly Pomona student Jordan Harris, the five-man-band spewed some original songs and a lighthearted Chainsmokers cover to get the audience moving.

Opening with “You Take Me Away” off their self-titled EP, Flight Deck charmed the crowd with this uplifting, heartwarming love song, written by frontman Ricky Brandon. The band then introduced the audience to newer singles, “Headstrong” and “Rewind,” which continued expressing the band’s 2000s alternative rock style through heavy guitar riffs and Brandon’s nearly-screaming vocals. Before ending the night with their debut single “Feel Again,” Flight Deck engaged with the crowd through their cover of Chainsmokers’ “Closer.”

CRAZY FOR CHICO

The final act, Chico, stole the show with their surf-punk-rock grooves and ‘80s and ‘90s rock covers. Former student Casey Cox, junior business marketing major Lukas Klause, senior marketing management major Tony Rangel and junior journalism major Lance Gibson invited the audience for a night of laughter and one last handful of rock tunes. The night took a wild turn when people from the crowd jumped off the stage to crowd surf and join in a mosh pit.

Opening with a couple Wavve-esque originals, the audience immediately started head-banging and dancing to Chico’s debut performance. Throwing it back to 1987 with a cover of The Cure’s “Just Like Heaven,” the band confidently switched from their surf-punk style to ‘80s new wave. Chico the Band concluded their set with a cover of Rage Against the Machine’s “Killing in the Name,” a song unambiguously against police brutality, which gave the Eddy an unforgettable conclusion. With a rather entertaining debut set, the band ultimately wanted the audience to let loose and enjoy a carefree evening while also considering the nation’s current social and political issues.

“Hopefully [the audience] knows to come out, go to shows, not take things too seriously, know the problems in the world and know that we got to fight against them,” said frontman Gibson. “And if we come together, it’s pretty easy.”

With various acts and genres throughout the night, audience members appreciated the hard work each of the student artists put in to make the night possible.

“I’m always impressed by those who stand in front of others and share their art,” said senior accounting major Troy Gebert.

Editor’s note: A previous version of this story misspelled Rangel’s name and the name of his band. The name of the lead guitarist has also been added.