The Jags band played a broad range of styles in Susie’s on Friday.
Lit in dim red light, the sound of guitars, drums, keyboards, and singing resounded from the stage of Susie’s. Students dropped in to unwind from schoolwork, requesting custom songs, and even joining in the performance after the planned set.
On Friday night, a family band known as The Jags arrived on campus to perform. Lead singer Monica Jagentenfl explained why they came to perform at Andover.
“Last year, my husband, the guitar player, played here with a different group. This [time], we came here with our family. [The band consists of] my husband, our three children, and then we have our friend drumming… We’re hoping people hang out and have a good time, but also hoping that some aspiring musicians might be here tonight…see some of their peers on stage, and have some inspiration,” said Jagentenfl.
The Jags played a diverse selection of songs selected by the band members, which consisted of everything from Harry Styles to blues music from the ’70s. Since the members vary in age, with the youngest being 13, their varying music tastes allowed their concerts to attract a broad audience. Gabriella Kawooya ’27, who came across the concert by chance, decided to stay because of the music choice.
“I was getting a snack from [Susie’s], and they were playing a song I liked: ‘Valerie’ by Amy Winehouse. So I figured, ‘I have some free time, might as well stop by,’” said Kawooya.
In past gigs, The Jags have typically played at events which heavily involved the audience. For example, they would perform live music on dance floors. Sofia Lin ’26 praised the emotions and energy in The Jags’ performance.
“I feel like they brought a very cheerful atmosphere to the place… They seemed like they were having fun, a fair amount of people in the audience seemed like they were having fun, and that’s just the environment you need,” said Lin.
The event was a unique experience for both attendees and The Jags themselves, as it was the band’s first time bringing their tight-knit family band to a school environment. Overall, the band members felt the performance went pretty well — a sentiment band member and son Tyler Jagentenfl commented upon.
“I think we sounded pretty good. [You] can’t beat playing with your family, [it’s] a blast… It’s fun. Especially if you’ve been playing with these people your whole life, like we have,” said Tyler Jagentenfl.
