By Allen Duncan
“We are RJA, and we’re proud to be friends with SCAD,” Ronnie Winter, lead singer of The Red Jumpsuit Apparatus, belted out over the crowd at the Student Center. The band played their April 7 concert to benefit and raise funds for Sira, a video-game in the making by Arsenic Playground LLC, a group of SCAD students.
“It’s just an awesome experience working with these guys,” said graduate interactive game development student Timothy “TJ” Liedel. Players who finish the game will unlock an exclusive track by RJA.
“It’s really hard to make something out of nothing,” said Winter. The band found common ground with Liedel after learning that he was also an artist, and not only loved games just as much as they did, but was in the process of making one. They stayed in touch, and after Liedel reached out to RJA, they agreed to come to SCAD.
“Tonight was really all about fundraising,” said Winter. At 10:20 p.m. it was estimated that more than $1,400 had been donated.
RJA is known as a band that dedicates themselves to both their fans and causes they value, so their work to help a friend is far from shocking. Their 2006 hit “Face Down” makes their dedication to domestic violence clear, they have played concerts at many U.S. military bases and even traveled to Iraq to play for U.S. troops in 2011.
“If you ever know somebody in this situation, do the right thing and tell them that they’re not alone and they can make it through,” Winter told the audience before firing into “Face Down,” the last song of the set before RJA’s encore.
The concert was a testament to the humble nature of the band and the respect they have for their fans. The concert had an intimate feeling and offered samplings from their earliest and newest material. Winter introduced himself to fans at the front of the crowd between songs, joked as he began an acoustic performance of “Your Guardian Angel” to let his bandmates rest, and shared stories of his college days when he had a full scholarship for music playing the tuba. He encouraged their new 18-year-old guitarist Josh Burke to play a solo. When Burke started shredding behind his back, the crowd’s cries echoed through every story of the Student Center.
The crowd stayed energetic throughout the entire concert before filling the lobby of the building for a meet-and-greet with the band. A winding line laid out with caution tape occupied the entire room.
The band said they enjoyed the show and had thoughts of returning to Savannah.
“There were no hitches, the crowd was dope,” said Winter, “so I’d definitely give the show an A.”
Editor’s note: An earlier version of this article incorrectly identified Ronnie Winter.
