In an effort to involve students and the community, the Seasider management has invited all to consider auditioning for a set at the Seasider Grill for its Thursday Night Specials. The Seasider staff plans on having live music performances and other fun events every week starting at 5:30 p.m.
What’s special about Thursday night?
President Galea‘i, manager of the Seasider, said it began “Thursday Night Specials” this semester in order to promote its late hours and to get students and others in the community to come in for a fun time.
He clarified the hours as he said, “We’re trying to do [performances] every Thursday night from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m.”
Alisa Chen, a sophomore in elementary education from Taiwan, works at the Seasider. When asked about the new hours, she said, “We’re open late nights right now- till 9 p.m. The grill used to close at 6 p.m., but were open until 8 p.m. now.”
Addressing the turnout seen on the first Thursday Night Special, Chen commented, “This is really great because usually, we’re dead, totally dead during the evening around 5 or 6 [p.m.]. But today, we’ve got a lot of people coming in here. If people come in, then post it on Facebook or Instagram, we’d get more people, and that would be great,” said Chen.
Galeai emphasized the reason behind Thursday Night Specials as he said, “We want people to come in, hang out, kick back and relax, and to have at least one night a week where you feel like you’re in town or somewhere else.”
Types of events/open auditions
According to Chen, the Thursday Night Specials will vary in themes from week to week. She said, “We have different activities each week...so we can have more people come in... We’re trying to give the students better experiences.”
Speaking on what different themes will be held on Thursday Night Specials, Galeai said, “We’ll have either open mic, live music, salsa night…We’ll have more artists coming out, and bands too.”
Galeai said the invitation is open to all who desire to audition. “We’ll get [anyone] who is ready to go for a two or one-hour set. If you want to perform or have a set you want to share, then let me know. Come over to the [Seasider], check it out, and I’ll put you on the list.”
He added, “We can also arrange the menu according to whatever [the performers] are doing. When we do a salsa night, we’ll have nachos or some kind of tacos that night.”
People’s reactions/thoughts
John Elkington, a 1975 alumnus and previous director of BYU–Hawaii Housing, said he thinks the events should be put on almost every night of the week. “I think they should have an event every night- except Monday, which is Family Home Evening. But every night, Tuesday through Friday, they should have a special event. More students will probably come.”
Nikki Holbrook, a freshman business major from California, said she found out about Thursday Night Specials through social media.
“I saw it on Facebook. I brought some friends, the music was very good, got some ice cream, and sampled some delicious smoothies.”
Holbrook said she thinks there should be more of these kinds of events. “They should advertise it more though,” she added.
Elkington asked whether students are aware of these activities and who puts them on. He then immediately suggested to promote the Thursday Night Specials “on the screens throughout the school.”
Holbrook said she’d like to see more students come to the Thursday Night Specials but was worried about the time the events were scheduled. She explained how the night specials happen during student work hours, and shared how it should be advertised, especially to students, and community members as well.
Elkington expressed his desire to have the community involved more. “Although this is for the students, it’d be nice to have a family night.
“This is something that we never had in our time. But this is nice. People have got to be aware, the students, especially, and the community, that you’re putting up these kinds of shows and entertainment for the kids.”
Writer: Shannon Crowley