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Juice Jam brings rap, indie rock and British underground to Skytop Field
By Melissa Daniels
Posted: 9/8/08, 1:27 AM EST Section: Feature
"They don't really play college shows a lot, so they got to see what it's like to have bunch of 20-something energetic, college kids to play to," he said.
Morgan Nowak, a sophomore aerospace engineering major, thought Bloc Party put on a great show. He said he was impressed by UU's capabilities in bringing quality acts.
"I think they (UU) do a pretty good job," he said. "I was surprised they could get Bloc Party."
Bertog said he knew it was a gamble to have a show with a rap artist and indie rock bands, but it turned out to be a successful combination.
"You don't need a top act or someone who's been on the Disney Channel to appear to the student body," he said.
University Union has often received complaints over the years for not having enough diversity in its program, or just making poor choices on whom to bring. But Bertog said this year's Juice Jam lineup was a step in the right direction for the organization since it reached two different types of music fans.
"We try to program with all of campus in mind," he said. "Now we'll try to find some artists that will appeal to a different group, and maybe a reach 2,000 kids who didn't show up today."
Sophomore communication design major Matt Smiroldo noted that the $10 ticket price for all three acts made the concert a bargain, with the bonus of having a diverse, relaxed crowd.
"(Juice Jam) is bigger than last year because of the multiple genres," he said. "Here, we have a mix. I like it. It's a step toward the future."
Adam Gould, who graduated from SU in 2005 and runs local concert venue Funk 'n Waffles, was equally happy to see all kinds of people having a good time, people who might otherwise not be at the same show.
"Music is just the universal language," he said. "You don't know have to know how to speak it or play it; everyone loves music. It's one way to bring everyone together and upgrade our entire social scene, to bring a lot more music."
mdanie01@syr.edu
Morgan Nowak, a sophomore aerospace engineering major, thought Bloc Party put on a great show. He said he was impressed by UU's capabilities in bringing quality acts.
"I think they (UU) do a pretty good job," he said. "I was surprised they could get Bloc Party."
Bertog said he knew it was a gamble to have a show with a rap artist and indie rock bands, but it turned out to be a successful combination.
"You don't need a top act or someone who's been on the Disney Channel to appear to the student body," he said.
University Union has often received complaints over the years for not having enough diversity in its program, or just making poor choices on whom to bring. But Bertog said this year's Juice Jam lineup was a step in the right direction for the organization since it reached two different types of music fans.
"We try to program with all of campus in mind," he said. "Now we'll try to find some artists that will appeal to a different group, and maybe a reach 2,000 kids who didn't show up today."
Sophomore communication design major Matt Smiroldo noted that the $10 ticket price for all three acts made the concert a bargain, with the bonus of having a diverse, relaxed crowd.
"(Juice Jam) is bigger than last year because of the multiple genres," he said. "Here, we have a mix. I like it. It's a step toward the future."
Adam Gould, who graduated from SU in 2005 and runs local concert venue Funk 'n Waffles, was equally happy to see all kinds of people having a good time, people who might otherwise not be at the same show.
"Music is just the universal language," he said. "You don't know have to know how to speak it or play it; everyone loves music. It's one way to bring everyone together and upgrade our entire social scene, to bring a lot more music."
mdanie01@syr.edu
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