Because the average concert tour does not pass through Baton Rouge, fans must travel at least an hour to see their favorite groups.
For some, the drive to New Orleans or Lafayette is not far to see one show. However, there are the select few who feel that one show is simply not enough.
Tommy Hughes, an ISDS senior, is a huge fan of Smashing Pumpkins and Zwan. He and six of his friends saw Smashing Pumpkins in Houston early in the summer of 2000.
They also drove to Chicago later in the same year to see the Pumpkins’ farewell concert.
Hughes said they actually went there without having bought tickets.
Luckily they heard an announcement on the local radio station that the box office was releasing a few more tickets.
Hughes said they rushed to the phone to call Ticketmaster immediately. Amazingly, they managed to get great seats, right next to the stage.
Hughes also confessed he and his friends could not pack as much as they needed because the trip was very spontaneous.
Also certain members of the group had not told their parents where they were going.
Hughes said when they left Baton Rouge that December, it was quite warm outside, but as they were passing through Missouri they realized just how cold their trip was going to be.
Two summers later in 2003, Hughes and his friends traveled to Houston and St. Louis to see Zwan, the band Billy Corgan formed in 2001, after the Pumpkins’ break-up.
Hughes said he and his friends stayed in discount hotel rooms on the Houston trip and split gas bills to minimize the cost of their trips. During the Chicago trip, Hughes said he and his friends did not sleep much.
They switched off drivers all through the night on the way there and back.
Hughes said he and his friends are fans of the whole bands, not just certain members.
“I like Billy a lot and all, but I wouldn’t have gone on these trips if the music wasn’t great…Billy Corgan obviously has a lot to do with that, but I like the entire bands,” Hughes said.
Chris DeJohn, Baton Rouge resident and owner of BeBop Music Shop, is a fan of the band Phish and also a follower of the Grateful Dead.
In 1994 and 1995, DeJohn, traveled fromAtlanta to St Louis to experience five Grateful Dead shows.
DeJohn also took a road trip during 1995 and 1996 to see four Phish shows.
He went to New Orleans, Atlanta, North Carolina, and Virginia.
DeJohn said he was able to stay at campgrounds where other ‘Dead heads’ were staying.
He took full advantage of the situation by selling grilled cheese sandwiches and sodas for $1 each in order to pay for his trip.
Both Hughes and DeJohn said they love to sight- see while they are on the road.
Hughes enjoyed hiking the Appalachian Trail on his way back through Georgia, and DeJohn spent time making some new friends at the campgrounds where he was staying.
Many LSU students said they would travel a few hours just to see a good concert.
When asked how far they would go to see their favorite band, some students said they would go almost anywhere.
Ashely Miller, a sophomore English major, said “I’ve gone to Alabama before to see Rubyhorse and Flickerstick.”
Political Science sophomore Ross Aymani and his girlfriend said they would travel about 300 to 400 miles to see a concert.
Josh Duffy, a sophomore music student confessed “Last fall, I went to Dallas, missed two tests, and lowered my gpa just to see ‘Destiny’s Child.'”
Alicia Maurer, a junior German major, said “Living in Baton Rouge, I would travel across the country because trips are always fun and all you have to do is get on I10 and drive.”
Some students may feel that a road trip is a bad idea and they may not have the money to pull it off.
But Hughes said it was worth it.
“It was stupid, but I’m glad we did it,” he said.