The First Annual Antipop Music Festival aims to increase appreciation for music that is not well-known in south Louisiana.
The new student organization, founded by former LSU student Chris Gomez this spring, wants to “raise awareness to new and different styles of music; music that is not represented by the major record labels,” the organization’s Web site said.
“We want to help expose local talented DJ’s and musicians,” Gomez said. “We also want to erase the negative electronic music stereotype created by the rave scene.”
Gomez, a self-proclaimed passionate fan of “house” music, said when he started creating the coalition, he “really just wanted to throw a party on campus.”
Now that the organization’s purpose is becoming more well-known and people are becoming interested, Gomez said there is an opportunity to bring a more open-minded perspective to music.
“There is a lack of appreciation for electronic music in the United States and in southern Louisiana specifically,” Gomez said.
There is no progression in the types of music students listen to, Gomez said. He wants to see students give new music a chance.
The recently founded Antipop Music Coalition will host its first ever music festival today on the Parade Ground. It will kick off at 3:30 p.m. and last until midnight.
“If people come out there and like the music, that is great. If they come out and decide they don’t like it, that’s cool too; at least they gave it a chance,” Gomez said.
Gomez said he is hoping there will be a higher turnout of people because of the LSU/Georgia football game Saturday.
The organization wants to appeal to a broad audience. There will be performances from bands Lingus, Secret Black Society and The Mike Foster Project. There also will be a variety of different disc jockeys, including Danny Moore and Dave Burst, five house music DJ’s from The Mosiqua Crew and three hip-hop DJ’s.
Everyone playing at the event is playing for free, Gomez said. The organization is receiving help from LSU student volunteers, as well as from the University, which is helping pay for security, Gomez said.
Ruth Bowman, an associate professor of Speech Communication, is the adviser to the Antipop Music Coalition.
“She is very supportive of what we are doing,” Gomez said.
The organization currently has 20 members, most of whom are female, “which is kind of surprising,” Gomez said.
“We hope to have around 50 members by the end of the semester,” Gomez said.
Alexis Carville, the current president of the Antipop Music Coalition, said she plans to continue planning concerts, and she hopes to have another concert by the end of the semester.
Carville said she plans to continue “throwing parties” and get a large member base.
“I would like to see the organization form at other schools also,” Carville said.
Tulane, the University of New Orleans and other schools in New Orleans would probably have a good following because of the higher popularity of the music there, Carville said.
The organization wants to work with other student organizations to help get credibility and to coordinate putting together more events, Carville said.
“We are more of a social organization,” Gomez said.
The coalition has had three meetings so far. At meetings members discuss ideas and decide on what they can do that would be best for the community and what steps they can take to do future music events right, Gomez said.