Image via Hunter Bonaparte

By Hunter Bonaparte, Arts & Entertainment Coordinator

To kick off the new semester, there was Morehouse sophomore Dorayn Jahmarae’ Murphy – or Drivooo, who performed original music at an Atlanta open mic.

The performance took place at Freeside Atlanta, a “makerspace” founded in 2009. Upon entering, the first thing you’ll notice is an assortment of bean bags filled by the artsy-looking audience. A microphone stand sits in the spot lit corner for the performers to use.

Preceding Drivooo’s performance was a bespectacled comedian telling jokes about Burger King’s 2 dollar cheese toppings and his sister’s affliction with lactose-intolerance.

“What if she gets ghost gas?” he said as his punchline. There was little applause.

Miles Neretin, a former member of Freeside’s board, said, “[Freeside] is a maker space, the rest of the space is filled with tools and equipment for the purpose of providing a space for creatives to be able to use tools and come collaborate.”

This DIY approach was apparent all over the space, especially when looking at the ornate sea-creature sculptures that hang from Freeside’s ceiling, paired with multicolored flood lights, which added a certain glow to the interior.

In a time when social media and Internet culture prevail, homogeny seems impossible to escape. Freeside provides a space for developing artists to workout their skills and cultivate their personal identities. In the high-paced arena of Instagram and TikTok, “development” sounds like a foreign language.

“There’re many ways I could describe my artistic identity, but the most accurate term would be independent. When I’m on the stage or in the booth it’s just me and my thoughts creating art,” Drivooo said.

This theme of “independence” was apparent throughout both Drivooo’s performance and the Freeside’s atmosphere. 

Anyone can walk in, write their name on a clipboard, and be performing on stage within fifteen minutes.

Freeside stands out as a relaxed and welcoming haven for creatives to let loose and show off their talents. Up and coming artists like Drivooo are a growing testament to this.

Copy Edited by: Colin Royal, Managing Editor of Print