“Festival 101” – WCU Students take classroom ideas into the real world of festival planning

The Gorges Music Park in Lake Toxaway, NC will play host to the second annual Roxaway Music Festival, taking place September 22-23, 2006. Sponsored this year by Terrapin Beer, The Homegrown Music Network, Starlight Studios and Last Minute Productions, Roxaway boasts more than just a strong local lineup and affordable ticket price (advance tickets are only $30); in fact, The Roxaway Music Festival is brought to you by six Western Carolina University students dubbed, appropriately, “Six String Entertainment.” The students of Six String are currently earning degrees in areas such as Entrepreneurship, Marketing and Public Relations, and what better way to exercise those muscles than by planning a music festival, notoriously one of the trickiest and toughest events to bring to fruition? Thus, Six String Entertainment, LLC and The Roxaway Music Festival were born. But don’t expect your average college garage bands at Roxaway. Six String have cobbled together the best of Asheville’s local talent, featuring The Afromotive, SeepeopleS, Mother Vinegar, Dirty 5 Thirty, After Dark and 10 more acts ranging from acoustic bluegrass to DJs to rock and roll. SeepeopleS’ bandleader Will Bradford notes, “I’m so excited to play Roxaway. There is such an easy flow and transfer of energy from the stage to the audience at these intimate events, and it creates a recipe that is simply ripe for having one of those ‘moments’ we all love and always remember.” Founder and fearless leader of Six String, Andrew Hoover-now a senior at WCU-mentions his motives for creating Roxaway: “This concert is a showcase for the area’s best musicians and a great way for the students involved to gain a better understanding of their respective field of study and enjoy the overall festival experience.” The students plan and execute all aspects of the festival, from booking to contract negotiation to dealing with health and insurance inspectors. Educational Supervisor Dr. Frank Lockwood adds, “Lessons learned from last year’s concert have helped the student-owners of Six String Entertainment LLC present another great concert.”Also working with Hoove is David Moore, VP in Charge of Marketing. Moore is marketing major as well as Hoover’s “right-hand” man. According to Moore, the reason for his level of involvement is “the level of experience one receives from real-world experience.” “It’s great when I can take all that I have learned in the classroom and make it for to create something fun for everyone to enjoy,” says Moore.Along with Moore and Hoover, two more Western students are making Roxaway happen. Eric Reed is VP in charge of event logistics, and Meghan Adams is publicist. Presale tickets for the 2-day festival, available at www.roxaway.com, are $30, which includes both days of music, fee parking and car side camping. Five dollars of every ticket sold is given to R.E.A.C.H; a local facility that assists battered women. However, after presale, the price of admission rises to $40 for the weekend at the gate, and Saturday only passes are $35 before 6pm and $25 after 6pm. Located only 45 miles from both Asheville and Western Carolina University, the school will offer a shuttle to students to take them back and forth to the festival grounds. On-site amenities include everything you’d expect from a top-notch festival, including food and beverage vendors, medic tents and merch vendors. Roxaway gets kicked off at 6pm on Friday the 22nd with Cullowhee’s own Buck Naked. This will mark the one year anniversary for the band that opened for Kenny Wayne Shepard last semester.Affordable, unique and distinctively home grown, The Roxaway Music Festival is an event not to be missed in this summer’s endless sea of festivals. More information can be found at www.roxaway.com.

Confirmed Lineup:

The AfromotiveSeepeopleSMother VinegarDirty 5 ThirtyAfter DarkBuck NakedFriends and FiendsCircatreeDokTariDJ IrieIdeal WayBlondeyed BlueyRock in the GrassCooking with QuantaAll-Star Super Jam