WQAQ is embracing the motto “go big or go home” with their Festapalooza event this Friday. It’s not your run of the mill spring concert according to the music co-manager of WQAQ, junior Benjamin Goodheart.
“It’s our spring concert on a much larger scale. There will not only be bands, but local food vendors, local guitar vendors and we’re having raffles for free guitars,” he said.
Festapalooza will feature a seven-band line-up, including two Battle of the Bands winners, Great Caesar and The Midnighters. Four punk bands will perform, including Bomb The Music Industry!, The Front Bottoms, Titus Andronics and Connecticut’s own, The Guru, who recently played at Quinnipiac. Each band is diverse in sound but share one common thread.
“All of them are from the east coast tri-state area. Bomb [The Music Industry!] is from New York and The Front Bottoms and Titus Andronics are from Jersey,” said Goodheart, a New Jersey native. “It’s mostly punk, but The Guru is like psychedelic-surf rock and The Midnighters are more pop-rock,” he said.
According to Scott Wong, music co-manager of WQAQ, he and Goodheart made a spontaneous decision during winter break to have Festapalooza, and they have been planning ever since.
“We did it on a whim,” Wong said. “We started booking a bunch of bands and thought ‘woah, we need to make this a festival.’ I hope this gets a lot of attention, because if it gets more attention there will be more funding and it can be an annual event.”
The local food vendors will be Quinnipiac classics such as Ray and Mike’s Deli, Primo’s pizza and Griff’s Chicken Shack, along with newcomer Giant’s Dumpling.
And although Festapalooza was the collective brainchild of the WQAQ staff, they all still have their preferences.
“We pick bands that are relevant to all of our interests,” said Goodheart. “I’m excited to see Titus Andronics and Bomb The Music Industry!.”
Sophomore Samuel Snow, a member of WQAQ, has a particular favorite in mind.
“I guess I am the most pumped to see the Front Bottoms because I really like them, but haven’t gotten a chance to see them live yet.”
Wong, on the other hand, could not choose just one.
“Ah, that’s so hard. I am excited for all of the bands,” he said.
The ultimate goal of Festapalooza is to give students a chance to widen their musical perspective and to have fun doing it, Goodheart said.
“We just want a more accessible concert that encourages students to give these bands a chance or just check them out,” Senior Kyle Murphy, General Manager of WQAQ, said. “Also to support local businesses.”
Quick facts:
Where: Burt Kahn Court
When: April 20
Time: Doors- 5:30 p.m., show- 6:15 p.m.
Cost: $5 for non-students, free for students
