Middle Path (Wasteland, Baby!)

There have been plenty of sound studies done on Middle Path before. When I was applying here, I read an article about someone who had walked its whole length without headphones, and described the importance of doing so. I even did a sound walk part of the way back in October. But I believe this little experiment is different because it involves music. Middle Path isn't exactly a place known for performance or live music -- most of the music that takes place here lives in the headphones of students walking to their next class, or more recently, the jazz band practicing outside on the steps of Rosse Hall. Even though it's an outdoor space, it's central and easy to get to, which makes it an ideal unconventional performance venue in a time where theaters and concert halls aren't safe.

I chose Hozier's "Wasteland, Baby!" to play on Middle Path because I used to listen to it walking to nighttime acapella rehearsals in the snow. I don't remember how that started, but ever since, I've associated the song with chilly nights. When a particularly cold November day rolled around, I decided to go out at around 10pm, the time I would ordinarily be walking to rehearsal, find a bench, and play the song. My ukulele fell out of tune pretty quickly, and I'll admit that singing in the cold wasn't the most pleasant experience, but the way the music drifted into the night and faded out in the sounds of a Kenyon night around me was comforting. Associating this song once again with being outdoors at night took my mind back to last year, before COVID-19 and the lack of live performances on campus.

Honestly, I'd love to see more people performing on Middle Path. I got the idea for this location after walking home from a friend's room one night and hearing someone practicing saxophone nearby, even though it was 2am and freezing outside. I thought about that the next day, and how it takes a lot of bravery to play music somewhere where it's so audible. I suppose if your goal is to be heard, Middle Path is ideal, considering how many people walk it every day. However, I think it would also take a huge amount of courage from any artist to showcase their work there, no matter if they're in a group or on their own, just because of how vital to the life of the campus it is. In my opinion, I think this is the perfect place if you're looking for a wide audience, and aren't afraid of being listened to.

Image courtesy of Austin S. Lin