Grab a blanket, soak up some sun and enjoy Loyola performers rocking out on stage this Sunday at the Fools of April Music Festival.
On Sunday, April 6, students can expect food, music performances, games, rock climbing and much more, from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. in the Peace and Residential Quads.
Loyola departments like intercollegiate athletics and wellness, music industry studies, and art and design partnered together with New Orleans Musicians Assistance Foundation, the Hearing Protection Project and Nola Sound to get the party started.
Mary Beth Maggio, music industry studies sophomore, is Crescent City Radio’s event planner and Nola Sound’s president. Her team agreed that April was the perfect month to launch their festival.
“I got the mental picture of sitting in the sun while enjoying music,” Maggio said.
Spenser Schott, music industry studies sophomore, is in charge of kick-starting the festivities with the Freaks of April pre-party held at Prytania Bar on April 3.
Like the Fools of April, The Freaks of April showcases Loyola performers.
Schott said the perfect trio of R&B, hip-hop and electronic DJ music came together with musical acts Mulherin, Shay Briggs and DJ Wax Crayon Sound System.
Extraordinary Professor of Music Industry Studies Elliott Adams goes by the stage name DJ Wax Crayon Sound System. Adams is a DJ who constantly changes his stage name, which makes his sound a mystery to the audience.
“You literally can’t find him anywhere on the Internet,” Schott said.
Shannon “Shay” Briggs, music industry studies senior, is a hip-hop performer known throughout the Loyola community.
Mulherin consists of music industry studies juniors, Parker and Marshall Mulherin, who bring an R&B style to the festival.
Parker Mulherin said that Crescent City Radio has recently gained more student involvement and notoriety around campus, especially with this upcoming festival.
“I think the idea of a student festival on campus is great,” Mulherin said.
He said he’s looking forward to seeing The Roses perform, because they are new to the music scene, just like he is.
“It will be very cool to see how they do,” Mulherin said.
Schott said she can’t wait to finally see The Wooden Wings perform.
“They always play in venues that I’m too young to go to,” Schott said.
The Wooden Wings member Molly Portier, A’13, said her band couldn’t be more excited to hit the stage.
“We couldn’t be more proud to be a part of a lineup that showcases such incredible Loyola talent for the first ever Fools of April Music Festival,” Portier said.
Schott said Crescent City Radio wanted to embrace the strangeness that separates Loyola from other universities “because everyone here is super weird.”
Rafael Rivero, music industry studies sophomore, said he will get a taste of behind the scenes action as he engineers the festival, while also managing to rock out on stage with his band, The Fake Carls.
Rivero also works for Nola Sound, training employees for potential gigs and was was recently promoted to chief technology officer.
“I’m in charge of the equipment and making sure it works,” Rivero said.
Maggio said the Loyola organization Hearing Protection Project is pushing its safe sound initiative by handing out free earplugs, meant to lower the sound of concerts without affecting the quality.
“These aren’t the earplugs that the library hands out,” Maggio said.
She said it’s no secret most people in New Orleans like going to concerts, but admits the sound is cranked up to unsafe levels which can cause hearing damage within five minutes. She said the group hopes to educate students with decibel readers and handouts.
“We hope to spread awareness to students so we’re not all deaf when we’re 30,” Maggio said.
Fools of April and Freaks of April bring together many facets of the Loyola community, including the art and design department.
Rivero said he’s been “obsessed” with the design of the Fools of April shirts, which were created by Cherie LeJeune, mass communication senior and design chief of The Maroon.
Maggio said Loyola is a family, and Crescent City Radio wanted each corner of the university to come together.
“We’re a really small school, and we’re trying to pull the DNA of Loyola and place it in one event,” Maggio said.
Maggio said Fools of April is geared to have students unwind and de-stress.
“Expect a laid back Sunday, bring a blanket, sit in the quad and enjoy the music,” Maggio said.
Diana Mirfiq can be reached at [email protected]
Harry Rosenberg, lead guitarist of The Wooden Wings, plays his guitar at a performance. The Wooden Wings, along with 10 other acts, will play at the Fools of April music festival on Sunday, April 6. (AAREN GORDON/ The Maroon)
