Social House Brings 'Magic' to the Yard at First In-Person Crimson Jam in 3 Years

Hundreds of students flocked to Harvard Yard Friday to see musical duo Social House grace the stage at the College’s first in-person Crimson Jam in three years.

Crimson Jam — an annual fall concert organized by the College Events Board — returned to the Yard after it was held virtually in 2020 and postponed indefinitely in 2021 due to rising Covid-19 cases. Past Crimson Jam headliners include Jay Sean and Giveon.

“It’s honestly a throwback to freshman year because the last time this happened, we were freshmen, and it was the start of school,” Karly Hou ’23-’24 said. “We were just thinking about how excited we were.”

The concert, which followed the Student Organization Fair in Tercentenary Theatre, kicked off with four student acts before headliner Social House took the stage. Students enjoyed Mediterranean cuisine, carnival games, and even a choo-choo train in the Yard.

Harvard University Dining Services provided food for students at Crimson Jam. By Truong L. Nguyen

Hailing from Pittsburgh, Penn., Michael “Mikey” Foster and Charles “Scootie” Anderson compose musical duo Social House, known for their 2018 debut single “Magic In The Hamptons” featuring rapper Lil Yachty and their 2019 hit “Boyfriend” with pop singer Ariana Grande.

“Everyone was really just waiting for ‘Magic In The Hamptons’ — that’s what I was doing,” Abby R. Zachary ’25 said. “After they performed that song, everyone kind of dipped. I felt a little bit bad for the two of them, but I still had a good time.”

“I hope Social House felt the Harvard love,” Zachary added.

Students gathered in Harvard Yard last Friday to watch Crimson Jam's musical acts. By Truong L. Nguyen

Nisha A. Seyed ’23 described the event as “wonderful” and expressed her appreciation for the College Events Board for organizing the concert.

“It shows their dedication in trying to build community again,” Seyed said.

Nicholas E. Kelly ’23, director of the CEB’s Arts and Entertainment Committee, touted Crimson Jam’s high turnout.

“This is our first Crimson Jam since being back from the pandemic, and so we’re really excited to reestablish that annual tradition,” Kelly said. “I think students had a blast.”

Many attendees praised the talent of the student openers — DJ Chaia, Charles Revival, Nikki Nicole & Friends, and Jaeschel — who performed covers and original songs.

The student band Charles Revival, which includes vocalist Anoushka Chander ’25, perform at Crimson Jam. By Julian J. Giordano

“It’s just amazing the amount of talent that we have here on campus, and so it’s a real honor for me and my team to be able to showcase some of the talent,” Kelly said.

Though Taft L. Foley ’26 said Crimson Jam did not meet his expectations, he still enjoyed the concert.

“At the end of the day, I'm vibing with the homies,” Foley said. “I’m having a good time regardless.”

—Staff writer Vivi E. Lu can be reached at vivi.lu@thecrimson.com. Follow her on Twitter @vivielu_.