Last week, the Student Association hosted a charity concert for NAMI, a mental health nonprofit, at Schine Underground featuring Nancy Dunkle, The Accountant and All Thumbs, and Bella Fiske.

Words By Ciara Carolan / Photos by Delia Pickart / Graphic by Sofia Floresca

On Thursday, October 5th, the Syracuse University Student Association welcomed students to a night of music at Schine Underground. The concert featured performances from SU’s very own Nancy Dunkle, The Accountant and All Thumbs, and Bella Fiske. Tickets went for $6 and supported the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI), a nonprofit organization in Syracuse that advocates for mental health awareness.

Around 7 p.m., Bella Fiske opened the show with several original acoustic rock songs and covers such as Phoebe Bridgers’ “Motion Sickness.” Fiske delivered both floaty vocals and powerful belts, with candid lyricism and high-energy stage presence.

Each of her songs had something special to say. Before playing one of her high-powered unreleased tracks, she explained to the audience that it had been written on her drive to Syracuse when she was visiting as a high school senior, before knowing that Syracuse was where she would end up. In a more stripped back acoustic ballad, the chorus proclaimed “everybody wants to feel love temporarily.”

While setting up for the next act, the evening took a slight detour. The Accountant and All Thumbs were set to start with a keyboard solo performance, except the keyboard wasn’t working. The Student Association was quick on its feet and made sure the show went on, scheduling an impromptu standup comedy set by SU student Macy Aiken before Nancy Dunkle took the stage. 

Dunkle’s set immediately got the crowd moving with a cover of “Small Talk” by Briston Maroney. She went on to perform a collection of beautifully written alternative originals while sprinkling in familiar covers like “Kiss of Venus” by Paul McCartney and Dominic Fike and “Raspberry” by Grouplove. For her enchanting original “Human Connection,” Dunkle invited saxophonist Aisling Casey on stage to serenade the audience.

Overall, the energy level of Dunkle’s set was through the roof. But there was one song that got an unparalleled reaction from the crowd: her single “Poster Child.” It being the only song she has released on streaming platforms, the audience proved that they have been tuning in by screaming every word back to the singer. There was even some headbanging going on at the barricade during the bridge. 

After switching the faulty keyboard out with one that worked, it was time for The Accountant and All Thumbs to close out the evening. 

Prior to their set, the founding Thumb, Eric Timlin, explained the three rules of The Accountant and All Thumbs’ shows. “Number one: If I say jump, you jump. Number two: If you know the words, sing along. And number three: If someone falls in the pit, you pick them up.”

As previously planned, their set started with keyboardist Patrick Seward as band members slowly came on stage before a rock rendition of “Rainbow Connection” from The Muppet Movie. The invigorating performance filled with energetic original music made it impossible for the crowd to stand still. Towards the end of the show, Timlin informed the audience there were only two songs left. One audience member requested “Stay With Me,” a single the band released in January 2023, and just moments later, they obliged.

For The Accountant and All Thumbs’ last song, they invited Nancy Dunkle back on stage to perform “Living Up” from their latest EP. They matched each other’s energy extremely well, resulting in a fabulous grand finale. Overall, the evening was filled with great music and even better vibes. The Student Association organized an incredible event for a great cause.