For anyone who knows anything about live music, the UB music fests of late haven't been anything to write home about. Not for rock fans anyway. While SA has done an adequate job, they have the potential and the funds to create something amazing.
We at The Spectrum are asking for a rock-centered musical festival to balance out the hip-hop-focused Fall Fest and Spring Fest from last year. The proposed lineup will include a range of emerging indie-rock bands mixed with some underground hip-hop.
Here are some ideas for what could top Spring Fests of the past.
SUNYpalooza.
Think Waynestock on North Campus. Aerosmith, Rip Taylor, and that naked Native American. Maybe not all that, but an outdoor festival would be a nice change of pace.
Though good weather can't be guaranteed, the lineup for SUNYpalooza would have some major benefits.
UB could bring in a full gamut of quality, affordable acts, with no particular headliner. Concertgoers could come and go as they please. Alt-rock's not your thing? Go back to your dorm, booze up, and come back around 7 p.m. when reggae-rapper Matisyahu takes the stage.
The environment would be chill, carefree and communal. There would be plenty of space to wander and mingle. Bands would hang out to see other bands, drunken freshmen would turn groupies overnight and everyone could stretch their legs on towels and lawn chairs in the open grass instead of being stuffed like sardines into the claustrophobic Alumni Arena.
The atrocious Alumni sound system makes getting good musicians almost pointless. We could instead hold the concert at Baird Point, where the outdoor acoustics would complement the bands onstage and make for better-sounding music. Sure, there's always the chance of rain and cold weather, but bad sound and a dismal atmosphere is guaranteed in Alumni.
Off to the sides, there could be climbing walls, mud pits for wrestling, inflated bubble rooms, and, ideally, 21+ beer tents.
Think big. Instead of this being just another show, this could be an event for everyone to remember, and one that would set a precedent for future UB Fests.
The line-up
There is no quintessential UB-sponsored Spring or Fall Fest that stands out from all others. Last year's Spring Fest with Snoop Dogg was, let's face it, a disaster. The only good reviews it received were from star-struck fawners still amazed that the D-O-Double-G would grace our school with his presence. And despite Kanye West's superb performance this past fall, that show was saved solely by its headliner.
Putting all of our funds into one big act is a dangerous gamble that is either hit or miss, especially in the rock world where there are so many distinct sub-categories. If we spread the wealth and got a number of distinct bands, we could meet the varied interests of our student population and in turn attract a larger crowd.
Unfortunately, the price estimates of the listed bands are not available for public consumption. However, it is reasonable to assume that proposed bands like Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Modest Mouse and K-Os will soak up less SA money than Kanye or Godsmack. They'll also draw in more of an audience than Hoobastank, that's for stankin' sure.
We don't want to just get our money's worth. We want a Spring Fest for the ages. Surely SA wants this Spring Fest to stand apart from the humdrum Fests of the past. Get some artists that still have a passion for performing and aren't just collecting checks.
