In Case You Missed It: A Juice Jam Recap
As they say in the business, the show must go on!
by HAILEY ROY ★ September 25, 2024
Despite this year’s Juice Jam headliner changing a total of three times and moving from Skytop to the JMA Wireless Dome for the first time ever, the show certainly did not disappoint.
It’s safe to say that there have been many changes these past few weeks to Syracuse University’s annual concert series, Juice Jam. University Union, the official entertainment programming board of SU, kept students on their toes. Original headliner PARTYNEXTDOOR was dropped from the lineup due to unforeseen circumstances, followed by Lil Tecca, then Quavo was finally announced as the replacement. UU also opened the event to the public after being exclusive to SU and ESF students in prior years.
With students debating the new lineup and many even asking for refunds under UU’s Instagram, The official programming board of SU was under pressure to deliver. The usual day party turned into a nighttime affair featuring St. Louis rapper Smino, Eras Tour opener Maisie Peters and headliner Quavo from the former rap group Migos. Here’s what went down:
Masie Peters spent her “best first day ever” in front of a crowd of adoring college students. Before bringing her pop tunes to the Dome, Maisie opened for Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour in London. Now she can add “opening for Quavo” to her ever-growing resume.
The British artist, clad in Syracuse merch, played singles such as “Body Better” and “Boy”, as well as an upbeat rendition of “Mr. Brightside”. Peters was accompanied by a live band, her acoustic guitar and a crowd full of fans.
Peters instantly bonded with the audience, encouraging them to clap along and singing relatable lyrics about situationships and messy breakups. Her star power was undeniable, with concertgoers singing their hearts out and even FaceTiming friends to share the performance in real-time.
Then it was Quavo’s turn to take the stage. Best known as a member of the former rap trio Migos, he brought the heat with a mix of solo tracks and Migos classics, including “Fight Night” and “Stir Fry”. Although the rapper was brought in as a headliner just a few days before the event, the crowd went wild for Quavo's energy and iconic flow hyping everyone up. His stage presence was electric, his set including vibrant lighting, eclectic visuals and blaring smoke machines.
Throughout the performance, the rapper paid tribute to his late nephew and former Migos member, Takeoff. The show featured visuals of a rocket taking off and songs featuring the late rapper and Quavo.
Flying all the way from LA, Smino brought all the West Coast vibes to Syracuse. The rapper, known for his blend of hip-hop and R&B, delivered a good tracklist of hype and chill songs, even giving a shout-out to the stoners during one of his tracks, “Matinee”.
Smino's set included collaborations with big names like Doechii—who also performed at Juice Jam in 2022—and J. Cole. Although the stage lights stayed mellow throughout his performance, Smino and his hype man kept the energy alive by constantly interacting with the crowd between songs. Concertgoers swayed and clapped to the beat of his songs, highlighting their engagement and focus on the artist and his music.
Whether you're a fan of pop, rap, or something in between, this year’s Juice Jam had a performance for everyone. Fans were singing and dancing along to popstar Chappell Roan’s viral hit "HOT TO GO!", moshing to “F!EN” by Travis Scott and Playboi Carti, rapping along with Quavo and vibing to pop sensation Maisie Peters. No matter your genre, Juice Jam 2024 had it all.
