Fifteen artists. Fifteen short sets. One night.
That’s the promise of 15×15, a music event that feels like a festival in miniature—fast-paced, unpredictable, and deeply rooted in community. Tonight, the stage at LSB will host more than performances; it will showcase collaboration, creativity, and the power of students turning vision into reality.
The entire idea of tonight could not have been possible without Martin Atkins, the instructor and visionary who sparked the concept of the night.
“The idea is to get the largest group of people possible to come out and see artists they might not be familiar with,” Atkins said.
But how would he entice students to come see what is happening? His solution is a format that removes barriers: short sets, quick transitions, and a lineup that spans genres from punk folk to rap to jazz.
“You could see 15 artists in one evening,” he said. “And if you don’t like an artist, it’s only one more song till the next artist. It’s a really effective way of encouraging people who aren’t familiar with most of the artists to come out and expose themselves to new music.”
For Atkins, 15×15 isn’t just a show—it’s a philosophy of discovery and adaptability.
“Jump in,” he said. “Help with the event. We always need hands on deck—whether it’s stacking cans for the food drive, helping with the merch booth, setup, tear down, making sure everybody knows what’s going on.”
His role is more like bumpers in a bowling alley. He sets the boundaries, but the students steer the ball. His style mirrors the music industry: constant pivots, self-starting, and figuring things out on the fly.
“If the students leave this class feeling that they can do anything, how powerful is that?” he said.
For Jada R’Tiniqué, performer and volunteer to help put on the event, 15×15 started as a stage.
“I thought it was just a performance opportunity,” she said. “I assumed it was students getting on stage to play music.”
That changed after her first event.
“I realized I wasn’t just a performer anymore. I became someone learning the behind-the-scenes work—how events are built and run,” she said.
Now, R’Tiniqué helps with the behind-the-scenes magic: coordinating social media presence and, when possible, reaching out to artists she knows to make sure they’ve completed forms and are ready for the show.
“It teaches practical skills like marketing, booking gigs, and putting on events,” she said. “Those skills translate directly into the real world.”
Although there are several moving pieces, R’Tiniqué understands the most rewarding part of the entire experience.
“The connections,” she said. “At my first 15×15, I met artists I’m still friends with today. As this is my last semester, I feel that 15×15 has been one of the most important experiences of my college career.”
Henry Koonce, a student and volunteer for the event, also understands how incredible this opportunity is. Koonce came in with no expectations—just curiosity.
“I like 15×15 because it gives me the chance to support my peers at Millikin and LSB,” he said.
He didn’t know much about the event beforehand, and that uncertainty shaped his experience. At one point, he looked at me and told me how he didn’t know exactly what was going on.
I reminded him that Martin was there to be the bumpers on the bowling alley. Although the system of 15×15 seems chaotic at times, it is a wave that the students learn to ride.
Koonce’s confusion wasn’t failure—it was a real-world lesson in adaptability. The industry often expects independence. Labels won’t hand you a step-by-step guide—they’ll hand you a budget and expect you to figure it out. For Henry, that realization was eye-opening, and this is the entire point of a night and class like this.
15×15 isn’t just about music—it’s about keeping LSB alive as a community space. It’s about students learning by doing, artists finding new audiences, and a local venue getting the energy it needs. For Martin, R’Tiniqué, and Koonce, it’s proof that collaboration can turn a Tuesday night into something unforgettable.
