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Inside ‘Dores STUDENT BLOG

Rites of Spring: A Summary

Posted by on Wednesday, April 18, 2012 in College Life, Extracurriculars, General Information, Music, Nashville, Student Life, Traditions.

Tomorrow, Thursday April 19 – Saturday April 21 is Vanderbilt’s annual spring music festival, Rites of Spring. Unfortunately, as I am abroad, I am missing it…but for those of you who don’t know about it, here is the research my aching heart did to try and make up for what I’m missing.

History

“During the late 1960′s and early 1970′s Vanderbilt students, faculty, and administrators went to great lengths to increase the amount of contact the school had with the Nashville community. One example of this community outreach was the student-formed “Free University” which offered instruction to Nashville residents in topics ranging from short wave radio to the arts. The “open campus” policy also resulted in many Nashville residents taking part in Vanderbilt campus events such as the implementation of the Rites of Spring Music Festival in 1971.” — Rites of Spring Website: History

Rites of Spring logo.

Thursday April 19

Thursday night is a Battle of the Bands showcase of up-and-coming talent from Vanderbilt and beyond, battling for a spot to open the festival on Friday and Saturday night. These bands are for the most part Nashville/Vanderbilt-based and searching for some exposure during the festival.

  • 7:10 – The Bandoliers are a band that started in 2011 in a basement in Nashville and put themselves in the classic rock genre, and this is exactly what they sound like…and I mean this in a good way.
  • 7:30 – Archive Nights is an alternative/rock group that actually started at Vanderbilt in 2010. For flowing guitar riffs, lyrics that seem to be inspired by college life, and an overall gritty sound.
  • 7:50 – Caity Quinlan – Soft vocals accompanied by guitar.
  • 8:10 – Best Friend is a Nashville-based band with flowing lyrics and music that clearly place them in the indie rock genre.
  • 8:30 – Lockwood Barr is (Nashville-based, but what else is new?) centered around a female singer and plays feel-good pop country…so if that’s your poison, go crazy.
  • 8:50 – Marquee Mayfield – “Marquee Mayfield (formerly ReLapse), hails from Nashville, where frontman Andrew Glass continues to preach a gospel of acid-jazz, pop crossover with funky horns and groove heavy bass lines (from the website).”
  • 9:10 – The Birchtree Band – Another Vanderbilt-based band that specializes in folk country pop. If I liked country more, I might actually listen to them because their sound is clean and catchy.
  • 9:20 – The El Dorados – Oh my! These guys are based out of Des Moines, not Nashville! Rock-a-billy swing, anyone?

Friday April 20

Saturday April 21

Let me know how the festival is if you go, or if you like any of these bands! I love talking about music =)