I feel bad. I do. Last year the Music Group brought us Lupe Fiasco to open for Lil’ Wayne. They brought us T.I. right before he went to prison (excellent). They brought us the Flaming Lips in the rain. So I feel bad expressing frustration with the announcement of O.A.R. with opening act Pitbull for this year’s Quake. Perhaps I’m ungrateful, spoiled sophomore. Or perhaps I’ve been looking around at the music coming to Nashville this fall:
This Monday: Metallica.
This Tuesday: Medeskim, Martin, and Wood.
September 17: The Derek Trucks Band.
September 25 and 26: Girl Talk and the Black Crowes on back to back nights.
October 8: Citizen Cope
Halloween night: STS9.
November 18: Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band
And sandwiched between Widespread Panic and the Allman Brothers at Riverfront Park (Wednesday) and Kings of Leon at the Sommet Center (Friday) we have Quake.
At this point I’ll comment on the apparent lack of strategy involved in the release date. I, like many of my friends, already have tickets to one, two, maybe three of the afore mentioned shows. I like O.A.R. fine, however disappointed I may be. But with the announcement of a fairly mediocre act compared to those around it this fall coming so late, I am much less inclined to spend more time and money on it when I’ve already committed to other events.
The disappointment is really in a lack of originality. I take it back, Pitbull and O.A.R. on the same bill is definitely original. Nashville is a progressing music town; it’s not all country any more. And Vandy is a college, yes, but like our host city’s taste so too should ours be evolving. A college band playing at college homecoming is, well, blah. Wayne and Lupe was original because it was so awesome, so ridiculous.
Again, maybe I am too hard on those responsible for this years Quake. Maybe only the Rolling Stones (please don’t pair them with Pitbull) would have been enough fireworks to stand out between Widespread and the Kings. For me, the over-the-hill college band and a mean dog aren’t gonna cut it. Oh well, at least our football opponent for the weekend is a pushover.
- ZDH
Avery Spofford is the features editor for the Hustler and Versus. She's a member of the Music Group and Pi Beta Phi sorority, and has worked at The Mercy Lounge and Cannery Ballroom, American Songwriter Magazine and Fueled By Ramen Records.
Chris McDonald is music editor for Versus magazine and a junior at Vandy. Outside of school, Chris also works as a writer for Ultimate-Guitar.com, writing music reviews, interviews, and general music news. 
