Multi-Platinum rock group Puddle of Mudd will perform this Saturday in the Alex Box parking lot in support of the second MTV 2003 Homecoming Tour.
The concert performance begins at 2 p.m. and will coincide with MTV’s “Homecoming Weekend” broadcast that will air Oct. 18 at noon.
But, according to Joe Armenia, vice-president of promotions for MTV and MTV2, the Puddle of Mudd concert will not be a part of the on-air broadcast. He said the concert is a way to bring the theme of the broadcast to a campus environment.
The tour was supposed to stop at the University last year, but according to Music & Mayhem chairman Landon Franklin, bad weather prevented that performance.
“We are psyched that we can do this because [Puddle of Mudd] are a big band and they are getting ready to release a big record,” Armenia said. “As far as free concerts go, it doesn’t get any better than this,”
According to Armenia, the weekend TV special will include MTV VJs and some special guests going back to school to visit their alma maters.
Last week, MTV went to the Tulane University homecoming football game to film a performance by hip-hop group, OutKast.
The tour also includes the Southern hip-hop collective Nappy Roots, but each act will hit separate college campuses in the southern U.S.
Armenia said MTV has been part of college music tours before, namely the Spring MTV Campus Invasion Tour, and wanted to do a tour for the Fall.
He said Homecoming at university campuses was the perfect fit.
Franklin said the Puddle of Mudd performance will not replace the previously scheduled University homecoming concert on Oct. 30 with New Orleans rock band Better Than Ezra.
A press release reported concert attendees will also have the opportunity to win free prizes and meet the band.
Franklin said the concert is only taking a small amount of money from Music & Mayhem’s semester budget and encourages students to participate in the event.
“We can get a lot out of this event if we get the student turn out,” Franklin said. “It would build our reputation and relationship with MTV so we could land bigger events that they offer. Last week Tulane had OutKast. We really need a good crowd.”