Last Saturday night on Nov. 9, the Bramble House hosted a house show featuring multiple local music acts. 

Alt-rock band Sore Winner opened and was followed by a performance by Swansun, another alternative group, and finally, Wiseboy Jeremy, a South Jersey-based rapper came to headline the show. The basement venue was packed as Sore Winner took the stage to begin their set.

“We’re a mish-mash of a bunch of stuff,” said Sore Winner lead guitarist Ed (who declined to share his last name). “I would say we’re very indie-alternative, a little psych-rock influenced, with a little R&B and little hip-hop as well.”

Formed in Florence, NJ, in 2016, Sore Winner came together as a group of long-time friends interested in pursuing music together. As they opened the show, they began their set with “Love Shot,” one of their newest songs, and continued on to play a mix of their newest songs and long-time staples of their set list, giving off a groovy, jam-band vibe throughout their performance.

Next was Swansun, a Glassboro-based alternative group. They continued with a cool alternative sound but moved forward with long guitar solos, and fostered a much more active energy in the crowd. 

“I would call it a mix between psychedelic rock, folk rock, and jam – a bunch of different stuff,” said guitarist David Mercoli. “We like to jam, we like to take long guitar solos, but mainly it’s about the songwriting through and through.”

“We have some classics that we like to play, but we’re gonna throw some curveballs out there,” said Mercoli on the setlist. “We have a new album, ‘It’s Not Adding Up’ that we put out last month, and we’re excited to play some songs off that tonight.”

Finally, headlining the night was Wiseboy Jeremy, a local rapper and a native of Woodbury, NJ. Combining smooth, insightful lyrics with engaging and energizing interactions with the crowd, his performance brought strong, upbeat energy to the crowd and closed the night on a fiery note.

“I go for [a] vulnerable, nostalgic, [and] warm [sound,]” he said. “I got started rapping because of my dad, he had this notebook of raps that he used to write down everything in, and when I saw it, I really wanted to do that, just because it felt like capturing that time.”

The Bramble House, while unaffiliated with Rowan Alternative, is dedicated to providing a venue for local artists to perform for the Glassboro music scene. 

“It’s an awesome community, awesome people,” said Bramble House Director Derrick Fitzgerald. “It’s all about the people, and it’s all about the music.”

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