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by PHILLIP WYATT
Intern Lifestyles Reporter
A musical revolution promising diversity and change is being formed by a group of 50 Appalachian State University students.
The movement, the Boone Unlimited Music Project (B.U.M.P), is lead by president Brian M. Straub, junior music industry studies major.
“Several of us were thinking the music scene around here [is] unrepresentative of most of the campus’s musical interests,” Straub said.
Straub then approached Antonio Bly, B.U.M.P. advisor and assistant history professor, for support.
“Considering B.U.M.P. is committed to expanding the music scene
at Appalachian, and I am a musical person, I thought it would be a
great project to lend my name to,” Bly said.
He believes the organization “has the promise of giving new and
up-and-coming musicians and bands an opportunity to ‘break on through
to the other side.’”
B.U.M.P. aims to assemble all music and arts online and into one
location, becoming the ultimate source for all Boone performances.
BooneLive.com will be its official hub, launching Oct. 31.
The Web site will feature a database of user and performer
profiles, including the date and venue of an array of shows, and the
opportunity to purchase tickets are among the plans.
Straub hopes to include Appalachian events sponsored by
Appalachian Popular Programming Society, and with the help of
bandcamp.com, he hopes to stream and sell MP3s.
Currently awaiting club status, Straub met with two campus attorneys and presented his idea.
“They really like that we’re trying to connect all clubs on
campus together, working toward one goal,” he said. “Everything we’re
doing is for the general benefit for the town of Boone, the university
and students involved.”
B.U.M.P. strives to become a club simultaneously serving as a
limited liability, or outside company, and is seeking corporate
sponsorship for funding, targeting Google.com and Wave Energy Drink.
Straub eventually hopes to establish a venue for B.U.M.P. on
King Street where the Carmike Appalachian movie theater once existed.
“We’re providing ourselves a guarantee to have the means to go
as big as we need to,” Alex B. Snow, B.U.M.P. vice president and junior
English major said.
Straub plans to present a proposal to the property’s contractor for exclusive rights.
“The 700-person capacity venue is an “absolute key component to making Boone’s music scene national,” Straub said.
B.U.M.P. plans to utilize various venues before the completion
of the King Street project, expected sometime next year should
exclusive rights be granted.
The venues include Crossroads Coffee House, Whitewater Café, the
Summit Trail Solarium of Plemmons Student Union, Legends, Dragonfly
Theater & Pub and 641 RPM, a record store on King Street.
“This is a real grassroots movement,” Snow said.
To feature local artists, the group is also holding house parties at Snow’s home.
Approximately 50 people packed into the basement to hear The
Electric Major Sevens, Kids in the Sandbox and Micah before fall break.
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