In the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic, the MIT Logarhythms did not miss a beat in finding new ways to stay connected, make music, and engage with the MIT community. Instead of on-campus a cappella rehearsals or concerts, the Logs took their show online. “We pretty quickly as a group got into the mindset that this is an opportunity to exercise a lot of creative freedom … and to try a lot of new things, because the circumstances are so crazy,” says rising senior Noah Pauls.
For several weeks, the Logs planned Minelogs, a free virtual Minecraft-themed concert. It was the culmination of the group’s spring semester, with remote-recorded songs, skits, speeches, and a celebration for graduating seniors. “We want to show people that quarantine is not going to stop the Logs family from performing music and showing off what we have,” says Quinn Brodsky, a rising junior in Course 8 (physics) and 18 (mathematics) and MIT Logarhythms’s music director.
While dispersed across the country, the group enjoyed the opportunity to continue singing and making music. But, they admit, it wasn't easy. “It's kind of harder to learn by yourself instead of learning with a whole group like linear arrangement,” says Nicholas Garcia, a rising sophomore and MIT Logarhythms’s business manager, noting that it is difficult to replicate online the energy and quality of live performance.
Minelogs also marked the release of an exclusive sneak peek of their new EP titled “Ten to Midnight.” At its heart, however, the concert was another way to connect the whole MIT community and the larger alumni network together for a night of good music, good fun, and MIT spirit.
The EP has been in the works since spring 2019. Luckily, the group had finished their vocal recordings just before students moved off-campus due to the pandemic. Subsequently, the group transitioned from the role of performers to producers, working with Plaid Productions remotely to mix each track and complete the EP.
“Ten to Midnight” will be the group’s eighth release in the 21st century. “I hope that when people hear our EP and listen to the music, that they will be delighted in the fact that things are able to be accomplished in this time period,” says Zander Hodge, a rising junior and MIT Logarhythms’s CD manager. “If you really work at it and are dedicated in what you're doing, then you can still accomplish a lot with limited mobility and physical interaction we can have.”
