On April 1, New Haven-based artist Ceschi Ramos and a group called Phat A$tronaut performed at The State House.
The State House Stage is a multipurpose venue in New Haven’s Ninth Square. The concert was a charity event that aimed to raise money for the Semilla Collective — an organization providing food to migrant families in New Haven during the pandemic. The hour-long show was live streamed from the State House stage, and viewers displayed their reactions on the YouTube channel’s comment section.
“It was my first time on stage in over a year. So it was a really nice experience to be on an actual stage,” Ramos said.
Ramos performed original songs such as “Say Something” and “This Won’t Last Forever.” The songs’ lyrics confronted both personal experiences and societal issues, such as imprisonment due to drug possession, the death of young rappers and sociopolitical issues from the past year.
Phat A$tronaut, who played next, is a seven-member band with Chad Browne-Springer on vocals, Mark Lyon on guitar, Stephen Gritz King on keys, Dylan McDonnell on flute and sax, Brendan Wolfe on bass and Travis Hall on drums. They played one of their new songs, “Summer’s Over,” along with the older ones like “Dancer Girl,” “Rare Fruit” and “I Wanna Know.”
Mark Lyon, who is also music director of the band, said that playing in The State House was one of the “most enjoyable” parts of the concert.
“It felt like we have been performing, but it also felt like we were at home too in a way. [Ramos] also became a good friend of ours too, so being able to play with him has also been a really beautiful experience,” Lyon said.
Similarly, Ramos also told the News that playing along with Phat A$tronaut inspired him. The State House is one of Ramos’ favorite venues in New Haven, and he enjoyed returning to play at the location and reconnecting with friends that work at The State House.
Yet, Ramos said it was challenging for him to perform without a live audience.
Browne-Springer, the band’s lead singer, told the News that he found the aftermath of the show to be “rejuvenating.” After their performance, the musicians spent time with the sound and tech crew, conversed and danced together. For Browne-Springer, these interactions acted as a replacement for the “social aspect of community” that comes with performing for audiences.
The State House is located at 310 State St.
Gamze Kazakoglu | gamze.kazakoglu@yale.edu
