A Northeastern ‘creative force,’ whether on the concert stage or at the College of Engineering

As an assistant creative director at Northeastern, and as the lead of the displayers rock band, damian shiner both draws and sings.

The displayers visited campus recently to use the recording studio in Snell Library.

He “came out of the womb drawing, and came out of the womb singing.” 

As an assistant creative director at Northeastern and lead singer of the displayers rock band, damian israel shiner (a big fan of American modernist poet e.e. cummings and typography, hence the lowercase) doesn’t have to choose between the two artistic pursuits.

“I am a creative force,” shiner said. “Whether it’s me exercising that muscle through art and graphic design, or whether it’s exercising that muscle through music, it’s the same exercise for me.”

Shiner joined Northeastern in the summer of 2022, and leads the creative strategy for the marketing team at the College of Engineering. The art he produces in this role leans toward the visual.

But alongside percussionist Chris Harris and bassist Mike Stark, who both graduated from Northeastern with electrical engineering degrees in 1992 and then earned graduate degrees in 1994 and 1996, respectively, shiner goes musical. 

“We have the energy of The Killers, the integrity of Wilco and it’s as if Robert Smith of The Cure walked in to have a beer,” shiner said, describing the displayers’ sound. 

At gigs from local Boston breweries to The Whisky a Go Go on the Sunset Strip, the displayers perform original songs, ‘80s covers with their own added take, and “mash-ups” of multiple songs – for example, the Indigo Girls’ “Closer to Fine” and Green Day’s “Good Riddance (Time of Your Life).”

Shiner said the band’s goal, whatever the venue, remains the same: creating a connection, a community and a positive influence.

“Within any given show, the thing is ‘how can I make this feel like this is the most special thing you’ve done this week,’” shiner said. “It’s not just, ‘hey, come see us play.’ It’s a special moment that we’re all going to treasure.”

The setting for that moment has changed over the years for Stark and Harris, who got their start performing at fraternity parties as the band Xie, which was named after their lab teaching assistant. On Thursday, the two returned to the Boston campus to record several songs with shiner in a studio in Snell Library. 

“It’s really fun to play when everyone’s having a great time and they’re enjoying what you do, and so – at its best – that’s what a fraternity party is,” Harris said. “I’m also too old to play fraternity parties.”

“We now play more age-appropriate venues,” Stark interjected.

“But it’s still always great to find scenarios where people have as much fun as we did back then,” Harris continued.

As for making a positive impact, each week for years during the pandemic, shiner would broadcast himself as he played along with prerecorded footage of each of his bandmates performing songs. The #saturdayshortset livestream also had a donate button, and band members selected a service-oriented organization to support each week. The band raised more than $12,000 in direct donations to more than 130 organizations, shiner said.

“That was something I’m really thrilled that we did and that it panned out so well,” he added. 

Meanwhile, whether making visual art for work or making music for a live audience, shiner said he appreciated that he was able to take creative risks.

He added that he found it appropriate that he had developed this capacity – and this band – in connection with Northeastern.

“I don’t think it’s an accident that we share Northeastern roots,” shiner said. “I don’t know if it’s experiential learning or building things from scratch, but we have this long-term creative project and that mindset feels very Northeastern to me.”