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Typically, when turning onto the corner of Walnut Avenue and Water Street, you hear the sounds of a local skatepark and a dog park. But on Saturday, the only sounds were those of nearly 1,500 people dancing to electronic dance music.

“College has become a very EDM-centered type of vibe, so we thought it’d be a good fit,” Syracuse University senior Ryan Kessler said.

Mad Man Entertainment and BarstoolCuse partnered with Harvey’s Garden to host EDM artists BUNT., Dzeko and several student DJs for an outdoor concert on Saturday. The show was the first of its kind for Harvey’s and a culmination of Kessler’s experience booking music acts at SU.

Despite wind and rain throughout the concert, the energy from the acts and the audience was high. SU students Jack McHale and Noah Volkman opened the show, followed by sets from Leo Vagnati, Terin Thomson and Gavin Mitchell. Dzeko, one of the artists behind the 2018 hit “Jackie Chan” kept the energy going before the headliner.

Thomson, a junior at Le Moyne College, said he was excited to open for BUNT. and share his music with the Syracuse community. Thomson has been DJing for two years and is always impressed by the elation SU brings to his shows, with Saturday being no exception.

Nothing could compare to the crowd’s reaction the moment BUNT. stepped on stage: chants of “BUNT., BUNT., BUNT.” filled the audience as the beat dropped. The German artist, best known for his songs “Clouds” and “TRIPPIN,” brought his blend of flutter and bass house music for an energetic and intimate set. He flew from Germany for the show and said the Syracuse community made it all worth it.

Kessler is an SU senior and the one who booked BUNT. and the supporting DJs for the event. He’s been working in the music industry since he was 15, starting with production before transitioning into individual artist management.

In 2023, he founded Mad Man Entertainment with recording artist Smooky MarGielaa. In the past few years, Kessler has brought hip-hop artists DDG and DaBaby to Syracuse, but Saturday was his first EDM show ever.

Kessler said booking EDM artists is more difficult than the hip-hop acts he’s used to. There are more layers of management to go through, and it took a while to finalize the lineup for the concert.

“I want to explore as many options in the music industry as I can,” Kessler said. “Just kind of get my feet wet and everything.”

Kessler has been working on this show since last semester, looking for the perfect time and location for a show of this magnitude. Past artists he’s booked have typically performed for 25 to 30 minutes, Kessler said, but each EDM artist was given over an hour to perform on Saturday. After thinking about a few different venues, it was clear to Kessler that Harvey’s Garden would be the best fit for its size.

From weekly trivia and bingo nights, special brewery celebrations and food truck festivals, Harvey’s founder, Mike Greene, said he wanted to create a different kind of environment for residents of Syracuse and the surrounding area.

When Mad Man Entertainment approached Greene for a collaboration, he was interested in the opportunity to use the space for something new. He said Harvey’s is always looking for ways to innovate the venue so he can showcase the concept to a new audience.

A stage was set up in Harvey’s 120-car parking lot, complete with a full DJ set, large speakers and a screen in the back. The venue’s large capacity enabled them to sell more tickets, increasing the show’s budget. Solange Jain | Photo Editor

Greene admitted Harvey’s is in a bit of a “no-man’s-land.” It’s not close enough to campus to attract a consistent group of students, and if Syracuse locals want to come, they have to drive. He knows how vital it is for Harvey’s to continue experimenting and introducing new people to their space.

“Hopefully, people enjoy themselves listening to music and having a good time. It’s just a new experience for people to come check this out,” Greene said.

A stage was set up in Harvey’s 120-car parking lot, complete with a full DJ set, large speakers and a screen in the back. Harvey’s large capacity enabled them to sell more tickets, increasing the show’s budget, Ryan Wright, the head of BarstoolCuse, said.

“I think the visuals are very important, probably second only to the music and the artists,” Wright said. “It was a great opportunity that we were able to bring in a build like this and create a lasting visual for people that they can attach to the experience.”

BUNT.’s live performances are known for their immersive and communal nature. He constantly interacted with the crowd, expressing his love for the audience and noting the joy on everyone’s faces at the end of his set.

When Syracuse locals Betsy Cusumano and Brian West heard BUNT. was coming to town, they knew they had to attend. The two go to EDM shows around the country and finally could see one of their favorite artists perform right in their hometown. The vibe and energy of EDM shows keep them coming back, no matter who’s performing, West said.

“We knew we’d be surrounded by a lot of young people, but we were like, whatever,” Cusumano said.

As the audience began to exit Harvey’s parking lot, Kessler was thrilled with how everything turned out. After months of preparation, dealing with the stress of planning the concert and completing his capstone, seeing the audience connect with BUNT.’s energy made it all worth it.

“BUNT.’s a very sweet dude, and was very happy with this college, young age energy,” Kessler said. “The two of them fed very well off each other, where I think it led to a great environment.”

Published on April 27, 2025 at 10:35 pm