by MARY ELIZABETH ROBERTSON
Intern Lifestyles Reporter

Formally known as Battle of the Bands, the third annual MEISA (Music Entertainment Industry Student Association) Music Festival is offering local talent and drink specials all night at Geno’s Restaurant. The event begins Friday at 7 p.m.

“It’s an end of the year party to raise money for MEISA, Split Rail Records and Geno’s, not to mention recognition for 90.5 WASU,” Bobby G. Sain, senior music industries studies major said.

Appalachian alumna music industry studies major Alicia Torres, president of the Music Entertainment Industry Student Association in 2007, speaks at the 2007 MEISA Music Festival at Geno’s. This year’s festival will feature several bands Friday at 7 p.m. Photo by Alisha Park

Organized by Sain and Dan R. Millice, a senior music industry studies major, the festival will feature sounds from BPL, The Groovenauts and Doc Aquatic. Split Rail Records’ own Major Magick will also be present, and DJ “Lights Out” Ian Hayes will spin between sets.

“Geno’s plans on offering $2 Bud Lights and $4 well liquor drinks,” Millice said. “The High Country Inn will also offer a $49 discounted room rate if you mention MEISA’s name that night.”

Millice worked to contract local artists for the festival.

“I contacted all of the bands personally and basically told them what we were all about, and what my vision was for the event,” he said. “I told them that this year I wanted to scrap the idea of it being a competition and just host a throw down towards the end of the semester. I have friends in all of the bands and basically sold them on publicity.”

Campus radio station WASU is a sponsor of the event and will be streaming live feed of the festival, along with a new local promoter, Boone Unlimited Music Project (BUMP). BUMP is a promotions outlet for Boone.

“It’s a movement to increase the attention to the Boone music scene,” Brian M. Straub, sophomore music industries studies major and BUMP president said.

Using connections at other colleges, Straub hopes to pass the idea of a local promoter to other schools.

“It’s supposed to be a real-time running project, where students deal with real responsibilities of networking and workings of the music industry,” he said.

Split Rail Records is contributing to the event for the first time.

“We want [the event] to raise money for future bands, get more records and studio time. All costs are in association with signing an artist,” Sain said of the ticket sales.

“Geno’s holds 300 at capacity downstairs, where the festivities will be held. We plan on it being at capacity the whole time,” Millice said. “I am assuming mostly ASU students will be in attendance, but obviously this is an event for the entire town of Boone to share. We want to put our spin on the Boone music scene, so this thing is really to benefit the town.”

Tickets are $5 at the door, and no advance tickets are available. Individuals 18 and up are welcome.

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