Musical extravaganza marks launch of Sutro Magazine
“Club Classics” by Charli XCX. Photo courtesy of Kaleb Martinez.
A blend of hypnotic drum beats, full-bodied bass and shouts from the crowd in secondhand clothing store, Roommates Vintage, spilled out onto Haight Street, giving the ever-expanding line a preview of the frenzy that would greet them inside.
The party, hosted on Aug. 31, celebrated the release of the student run Sutro Magazine, founded by sophomore media studies major May-Ya Nguyen. The online collective, though not officially associated with USF, aims to feature a range of Don’s artistic projects. Featuring music, videography and modeling, it distinguishes itself from USF’s Ignatian Literary Magazine.
“My first year at school, I felt like I didn’t fit into any of the clubs and even though there’s a bunch of creatives at our school, there isn’t a lot of community [within] it,” shared Nguyen on her motivation for starting Sutro. “I liked the idea of USF having a magazine because we have the environment and the people to make a sick platform for students,” she said.
Teaser posts from the magazine’s official Instagram circulated throughout the community and stirred excitement leading up to the party. The Sutro team left handmade zine-style flyers around campus and a Fizz post advertising the event received 1.3 thousand upvotes. The grassroots marketing approach reflects the magazine’s brand — made by students, for students — and garnered a crowd of over 300 people, as estimated by Sutro Magazine’s Director of Marketing & Events, Chloe Peissner.
Attendee Helena Kim, a sophomore psychology and finance double major, plans on frequenting the site. “I’m interested to see what it’s all about! [Sutro] seems super inclusive, funky and most importantly, fun, which adds to the aura of it all,” Kim wrote in a message to the Foghorn.
Kim, decked out in a monochromatic lace and leather look complete with heeled boots, mentioned how Sutro’s eclectic aesthetic inspired an eye-catching outfit, “I loved how it was less basic than just a regular party. I felt like there aren’t a lot of these types of things these days, especially for college students; it’s a lot of house parties, frat parties and going to the 18-plus clubs which I’ve never thoroughly enjoyed,” they said.
Kim wasn’t alone in dressing to the nines. Pairing a belted miniskirt with a plain white tank, knee-high thrifted boots and a jaunty sailor hat, Anaya Watkins, a junior advertising major, said “I wanted to be fashion forward because it seems like the kind of event to whip out your coolest indie sleaze ‘90s clothes.”
Attendees weren’t just there for the outfit opportunities. Throughout the night, various musical acts performed for the crowd to groove to. First up was junior psychology major Natalia Paulik, also known as Leakz, who recently DJed at Campus Activity Board’s “Rolling Loud” event. Known for her electronic music blends, Paulik faded jungle-breakcore music into classic house during her set. Paulik later shared her hope for continued experimentation, both in her own music and the wider musical community. “There is an infinite amount of genres and subgenres that exist and each has something to offer. I hope it becomes a blend of everything that’s weird and even uncomfortable sometimes, not just about what’s trending at the moment,” she said.
The night continued with Jacaleen Kizo, a junior international business major better known as DJ Jacki, the opener for Donaroo 2024. Riding the wave of “brat summer,” Kizo remixed standouts from Charli XCX’s newest album.
Kizo said she notices more USF students getting into DJing. “There’s a lot of support from students and it’s really fun to get to support each other’s events,” she stated, noting her involvement with Soundwaves production club.
Student band Nembutsu took over the stage next, performing a setlist that allowed the group to take risks while staying true to their original sound. “We’re all multi-instrumentalists and we want to showcase this strength as a band,” explained bassist Julian Bailey, junior architecture major, of the band’s choice to cover Van Halen’s “On Fire.”
The quartet formed after meeting on campus in a rock band class. Lead vocalist Joe Woodley, a sophomore politics major, said the band hopes to go beyond simply entertaining. “Our goal is to wake people up to insights that our original music, as well as our covers, respectively contain.”
Closing out the evening was hardcore punk band The Jellyfish Method, playing a medley of thrash originals that got the audience moshing and headbanging.
“We wanted people to feel excited about this new culture we’re building at USF,” said Peissner, a junior marketing major, about the team’s vision for the magazine. “Sutro is an open space for anyone to share their work,” she continued. “The team and I are busy planning our next events for the rest of the year — our goal is to keep things fresh and exciting.”
Editor-in-Chief: Jordan Premmer, Chief Copy Editor: Sophia McCrackin, Managing Editor: Jordan DelFiugo, Opinion Editor: Dakota Duran, Scene Editor: Elina Graham
