One Loyola band anticipates the thrill of playing at a major New Orleans music and art festival, Buku Fest.

Former Loyola student Duz Mancini and his bandmates, music industry business junior Lukas Cox and music industry business junior Adam Stewart make up the band Coyotes. The band has been navigating the New Orleans festival scene and worked their way up to the big leagues performing at Buku Fest 2013, held March 8 and 9.

Mancini handles the professional aspect of the band and also plays harmonica and guitar. The band’s music is somewhat unexpected compared to the usual electronic dance music played at the festival, according to Mancini.

“Our twangy, whiskey-soaked vocals give credence to the band’s alt-country American milieu,” Mancini said. “I feel humbled to be one of the first rock n’ roll artists to play in the flux of electronic dance music and hip-hop.”

Mancini said the band has been practicing four to five times a week, and they explain that they are excited to be performing their new single and to be taking their music to the next level in the spring.

“I’m really excited to be playing our song ‘Bird on a Wire’ because we just got wind we’ll be shooting our first music video ever to this song in the spring,” Mancini said. Festivals like Buku Fest bring about new opportunities for the band and allow them to judge their success, Mancini said.

“Sometimes you wonder if you’re doing well or not because it’s hard to look at your life through your own lens and recognize how far you’ve come,” Mancini said. “It’s definitely not our first major festival, but possibly the most anticipated play at a major festival so far.”

Buku Fest is returning to Mardi Gras World for the second year and will be featuring performances by STS9, Calvin Harris, Passion Pit and Kid Cudi, among others for the two-day festival.

The music and art project offers general admission tickets, as well as VIP access. VIP packages include passes for the S.S. Buku riverboat and private performances, among other benefits.

Alla El-Jaouhari, a finance junior, is excited to be going to Buku Fest again this year. He said he likes that the festival offers a variety of performers in one place.

“I went to Buku last year and got to see many artists that I have never seen before,” El-Jaouhari said. “I’m pretty excited to see Kendrick Lamar.”

El-Jaouhari said that the $150 price tag for weekend passes is not going to be a problem for him.

“I never actually had to buy my tickets,” El-Jaouhari said. “I have a friend who helped set up Buku and has a VIP pass waiting for me for when I show up.”

The Coyotes will be performing on Friday, March 8, and tickets are still available.

Lauren Hinojosa can be reached at [email protected]