While rumors have been circulating around campus for over a month now, the Rites of Spring organizers the Music Group have kept the line-up for their annual music festival (hosted right here on campus) a close secret… until now. Opting to release the information through Versus and InsideVandy.com, the Music Group, led by advisor Dwayne Elliot and student chairs Owen Canavan and Scott Krenitski, are proud to present to the students the full lineup for 2010.
Headlining this year’s festival are Ben Harper and Relentless7 and Drake. Harper, a perennial favorite amongst college-aged crowds, has been delighting audiences with his own brand of bluesy, folksy rock ‘n’ roll since he came onto the scene in 1994. A chameleon when it comes to style and sound (not to mention instrumentation as he is not just a proficient guitarist and singer but also plays drums, keys, and bass), Harper brings his more raw, rock-oriented sound to Vanderbilt with his newest backing band, Relentless7.
On the opposite side of the spectrum is up-and-coming rapper Drake, one of hip-hop’s fastest rising stars despite yet not even having released his debut album yet. On the merits of his mixtapes alone (featuring hit songs like “I Want This Forever” and “Best I Ever Had”), Drake has become one of the industry’s biggest names, collaborating with artists such as Kanye West, Jay-Z, mentor Lil Wayne, and many more.
“And everything is going to the beat…” Or at least everyone at Vandy will be when Massachusetts electronic band Passion Pit takes the stage in support of Drake and Harper this April. This band was the source of much of the hype surrounding the line-up, as they accidently posted a tour stop in Nashville on their Myspace page before abruptly taking it back off. Most notable for songs like “Little Secrets” and “Sleepyhead,” Passion Pit will bring an unrivaled energy to the festival.
Next up? French indie-rockers Phoenix fresh off their monster year. Having just won the Grammy Award for Best Alternative Rock Album, Phoenix's 2009 "Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart" was one of the year's greatest albums. With songs such as "1901" cropping up everywhere from car commercials to episodes of Entourage, Phoenix was one of the biggest surprises of the year.
Joining Passion Pit on the bill are rockers Cold War Kids, whose piano-fused indie rock is reminiscent of a quirkier version past Rites favorite Spoon but with more dynamic vocals and darker, more meaningful messages, incorporating philosophy, political references, and narratives into their songs. Also lending some indie-cred to the line-up is the Irish group Two Door Cinema Club, an electropop/rock band with a penchant for infectiously catchy songs.
Changing the pace a bit will be reggae rockers Sierra Leone’s Refugee All Stars. Comprised of musicians who fled the horrific violence of the civil war in their native Sierra Leone, the band was formed with the explicit purpose of keeping “spirits up and hopes alive” in the midst of a world of pain, suffering and turmoil.
The Music Group further branched out this year booking not one, not two, but three funk bands from around the world. Get your Southern, soul-fueled, STAX sounds from JJ Grey and Mofro, or get down and dirty with New Orleans’ favorite Trombone Shorty and Orleans Avenue. Not enough for you? Then join British band The New Mastersounds as they brings their fusion sound to the stage from across the Pond.
Rounding out the line-up (or at least the line-up as it now stands) is a collection of artists of all sounds and styles. Legendary hip-hop artist and beatboxer Doug E. Fresh, Nashville country artist Chris Hennessee, R&B soulstress Melanie Fiona, and Latin R&B/Jazz artist Salvador Santana (son of the famous Carlos Santana) will all take the stage this year.
Stay tuned for any line-up changes or additions as the weeks go by.
