By Kellen Quigley
Contributing writer
Justin Shuttleworth took the Rathskeller stage on Valentine’s Day. Armed only with a guitar, an iPad and a peddle board, Shuttleworth created a full concert experience comprised of his own songs, old and new, and covers of artists he admires.
Shuttleworth is a native of Hamburg and currently attends college in New York City. After graduation in May, he hopes to make performing his main career.
“Before the concert, I heard some of his songs on Spotify,” Brianna Kasperek, a junior journalism and mass communication major, said. “I would definitely go back on his Spotify profile and listen to more.”
Although he had never played at St. Bonaventure before, Shuttleworth performed with comfort and ease as he moved around the stage to the rhythms of the songs. His casual appearance—a pair of jeans and a plain shirt with a pocket—allowed the music to take center stage without distracting with his looks.
“He has a great voice,” Julia Rodriguez, a junior sociology major, said. “He reminds me of an up-and-coming Ed Sheeran.”
After playing three new songs that will appear on his next album, Shuttleworth performed some of his older songs from “Let Go,” his 2013 album and covers of tracks by other bands he enjoys.
“I think 1975 is just the best band of all time,” Shuttleworth said.
He also cited Young the Giant, 21 Pilots and Ed Sheeran as artists that inspired him throughout his music career.
It wasn’t long until many fans in the audience were tapping their toes and fingers along with every song. Shuttleworth happily talked with the members of the audience, even joking about the size and location of campus and asking what students did for fun.
Kirk Windus, a junior journalism and mass communication major, said he admired Shuttleworth’s playing more than anything.
“He was a pretty good guitarist, and he was doing cool things with the peddles,” Windus said.
Although Shuttleworth has performed all over the Buffalo area, he had never played south of Ellicottville before. For his first time in the area, Shuttleworth appeared on WSBU-FM, 88.3 The Buzz where he talked with Ryan McDonough, a junior journalism and mass communication major. The Buzz co-hosted and sponsored Shuttleworth’s appearance on campus with the Campus Activities Board.
“He’s just a regular hometown guy,” McDonough said. “I think he’s even better live. I would absolutely listen again.” McDonough said he listened to some of Shuttleworth’s songs before the show and was pleased with what he heard.
“I thought it went really well,” said Jackie Roberts, The Buzz station manager. “I never heard him in an intimate setting like this before.”
Roberts, a junior journalism and mass communication major, went to the same high school as Shuttleworth and had seen him perform before.
As much as everyone else enjoyed the concert, Shuttleworth was his biggest critic.
“I thought it started off strong,” Shuttleworth said, “but it got harder to sing as the night went on, because I’m just getting over a cold.”
Shuttleworth said he has a lot more shows lined up for the spring and hopes to do more recording later in the year. He added that he enjoyed his time at Bonaventure and would like to visit again.
“I think it was a good way to end Valentine’s Day,” Gabriella Tovar, a junior journalism and mass communication major, said. “He should come again next year and play more.”
quiglekm11@bonaventure.edu
