The concept of making a bomb something good is definitely foreign to most. However music business freshman Frank Bombaci took on the challenge after being assigned a senior project in high school.
“When I was 16 my dad threw me a birthday party called ‘Club Bomb.’ It was then when I thought of the concept of using my name as a brand,” he said. “Everyone had such a good time that I thought, ‘who knew the word bomb could be such a positive thing?'”
This branding of his name would create the name for 2009 B.O.M.B. fest, a Connecticut musical festival Bombaci organized, and an acronym for Bring Our Music Back.
This year Bombaci and his father, along with the connections he has made at Loyola, will hold the second Bomb fest May 30 at Durham Field in Durham, Conn. The show will have headliners such as Lupe Fiasco, Girl Talk, Of Montreal, Brand New, Mute Math and The Cool Kids, as well as about 20 other up-and-coming bands.
However, last year’s fest did not come without road bumps along the way.
“The first festival did not have the turn out I expected,” he said. “However, all the locals told me how much they enjoyed the fest and how much they looked forward to the next one,” he said.
The feedback from those who attended and Bombaci’s want to share music was what lead to the 2010 festival and the idea to have a 2011 B.O.M.B. fest in New Orleans.
“This year we have set up a better marketing strategy and have had more press releases, and street teams,” said Bombaci. “However if we only have 100 people I would still want them to experience the music and have a good time.”
The Connecticut B.O.M.B. fest is estimated to have a turnout of about 1000-1200 people and sell tickets all across the nation as well as various promos shows around the nation — one of which is set to happen at the Howlin’ Wolf Friday, April 16 with headliners Thrice and Manchester Orchestra.
“It’s about giving back, the music industry has gone so corporate and I want to give back to people through the music,” he said.
The festival donates about 70 percent of the proceeds from the show to charities such as Connecticut Children’s Hospital, The Whole in the Wall Gang and YPI Summer Camp, an arts and music camp in Connecticut.
“I initially wanted to have a New Orleans B.O.M.B. fest this April, but we got behind on marketing so the date was put off to September 2011,” he said.
New Orleans will not be seeing B.OM.B. fest until next year, but Bombaci said the event will be held in an amusement park setting with free rides and hopefully with just as many big-name headliners as the Connecticut festival.
“To not do something in this city is pathetic,” he said. “I feel like New Orleans is begging for more music and I just want to share the music with everyone.”
Raven Crane can be reached at [email protected]
