WQAQ will host its annual Spring Concert Saturday, March 24 at 7 p.m. in Alumni Hall. It will feature: Boston-based band The Receiving End of Sirens (TREOS), Men Women and Children, Brazil and the Stone Quarries, this year’s winner of the WQAQ Battle of the Bands.
After a sold out show last year, the annual concert has a lot to live up to.
“We’d like to say we’re going to outdo last year and I think we have a good chance of doing that,” said Jerome Palmeri, co-music director for WQAQ. “But it is definitely a possibility; we have really great bands this year.”
On the show’s successful turnout last year, he admits: “We knew the success last year was due to the crowd that came from out-of-state and wanted to see the bands that played.”
For many fans, this will be the only opportunity to see TREOS until their upcoming tour in May.
“TREOS has a big following out-of-state and the fact they’re playing a single show will make people want to see them more,” Palmeri said.
A unique aspect of the annual concert is the opening act: a Quinnipiac-based band. Michael Castro, guitarist and vocalist for the Stone Quarries, thinks it is a chance to expose more people to his band.
“We’re really excited to open for the spring concert because it’s a great opportunity to open for a nationally touring act,” Castro said. “It’s a good way to open up our music to a bigger fan base because there will be more people coming to this concert to watch us.”
Palmeri describes the show as “a really great concert for free, which you won’t get anywhere.”
The atmosphere provided by the bands and fans is contagious. “One thing about QAQ events is the fact that QAQ is so welcoming to anyone who wants to come, so having a big concert is a great way to have fun and meet new people,” Palmeri said.
DJ Bernat, co-music director for WQAQ, who once drove three hours to see Brazil play live, described their live performance as “a lot of fun and a lot of crowd interaction. They get really into it and have a great time.”
Furthermore, Palmeri added that this is the first show Brazil has played in Connecticut in a few years.
The concert is free for people Quinnipiac IDs and $5 for others. Tickets will go on sale in the student center at least a week in advance.