Noah Kirshbaum takes center stage, his silhouette framed by swirling smoke. Still Beats Nothing performed second among several acts at the student-run concert hosted by Plums Neighborhood Grill and Bar. (Victor Mshihiri/The Crest) 
Max Westlund struck one of many dramatic poses during Lost In Prati’s performance. (Victor Mshihiri/The Crest) 
The crowd cheers as Seamus and the Strangers perform a cover of “Devil Went Down to Georgia.”(Victor Mshihiri/The Crest) 
The crowd cheers during one of Lost in Prati’s intermissions. (Victor Mshihiri/The Crest) 
Stone Ark lead guitarist Alice delivered a nuanced performance during the band’s off-the-wall set. (Victor Mshihiri/The Crest)
Woodstock TC, formerly Woodstock UST, is a relatively new, annual concert organized by St. Thomas students. I attended its inaugural year in 2024.
The event’s relocation to the intimate confines of Plums Neighborhood Grill and Bar on May 2 marked a stark atmospheric shift from last year’s open-air setting.
This year, it featured seven bands: Brunch, Still Beats Nothing, Iodine, Monarch, Stone Ark, Seamus and The Strangers and Lost in Prati; and two rappers, Calli$to and Thankujonah.
I returned not as a spectator but as a credentialed insider, with my camera bag slung over my shoulder and without an official press pass.
Brunch
At 8:35 p.m., Brunch took the stage, bathed in the red and blue-hued concert lights.
The band dove right into a crisp cover of “Love On Top” by Beyoncé. Lead singer Rachel Clement performed the song, which undergoes four consecutive key changes toward the end, with each key raising the pitch, justice.
They followed up with some attention-grabbing theatrics with their cover of “Rich Girl” by Daryl Hall and John Oates, tossing fake money into the audience.
The band maintained control through the more expressive notes, delivering a spectacularly standout cover with the bold addition of two saxophones and a trumpet, adding some spice to their performance.
Overall, Brunch set an authentic tone to Woodstock TC.
Stone Ark
Stone Ark took the stage halfway through the night, delivering a visually striking and sonically rich set.
Lead singer Alex Leary was impossible to ignore with his controlled, but sometimes wacky and chaotic movements.
He kept me on my toes behind the camera, and his constant engagement with the crowd made it clear to me that he wasn’t just a singer, he was a full-blown performer.
Guitarist Alice snatched attention in her own right. She leaned into a hardcore emo-rock aesthetic: a black spiked choker and fishnet sleeves complemented by a collection of face piercings all came together to make her look like she’d walked off the cover of a ‘90s Ray Gun magazine.
Seamus and The Strangers
Seamus and The Strangers opened their set with a cover of “White Horse” by Chris Stapleton—a slower, moodier choice that contrasted with my favorite higher energy tracks from their performance.
Next, they launched into Zach Bryan’s mega-hit “Heavy Eyes,” which instantly lit up the crowd with its recognizable, fast-paced, yet folky momentous startup.
I mean it when I say I’m happy to report this song was performed beautifully. Seamus Healy captured Zach Bryan’s nuanced folky vocals with his own country delivery—it worked, and then some.
Their closing cover, “Free Bird,” stood out to me.
The buildup took the audience and me on a rollercoaster, with quite a steady, peaceful ride up to the song’s chaotic, ferocious guitar solo. But let me tell you that the payoff was wild, fiery and well worth the meditative break.
Lost In Prati
To close the night, Lost In Prati took the stage, and they were incredible.
Now, I’ll begin by admitting my bias: I’m a total sucker for grunge. Post-grunge? Sure, it’s a step down—but again, I’ll still eat it up.
So yeah, they covered my favorite Foo Fighter song, “Everlong”—a post-grunge band led by Dave Grohl, who, of course, was Nirvana’s drummer and part of the very DNA that made grunge.
Lost In Prati’s lead singer, Brendan Bonin, vocals reached past the blaring, heavenly instrumentals. Their guitarist, Max Westerlund, couldn’t stay in one spot—he bounced across the stage like a monkey on adderall, leapt off it, and shredded straight into the crowd. It wasn’t just a performance; it was a show.
The world was in symphony. ‘Twas breathtaking. ‘Twas headbanging while trying to shoot the chaos. What else is there to say? You should’ve been there.
Victor Mshihiri can be reached at mshi7898@stthomas.edu.
