It may no longer be bitterly cold outdoors, but The Neighbourhood has had us singing along to the hauntingly catchy tune of their Billboard Hot 100 hit, “Sweater Weather,” for weeks now.
Due to the band’s sudden rise in popularity after releasing the song that had everyone wanting to snuggle up in a sweater, Mississippi State University’s Student Association in collaboration with Music Maker Productions selected The Neighbourhood as this year’s headliner for the Old Main Music Festival.
Brett Harris, SA President, said SA and MMP sought to decide on entertainment that would be well-liked by the community of Starkville, students and out-of-towners.
“We worked with Music Maker Productions to bring a band that would be popular with students as well as families,” he said. “Super Bulldog Weekend brings many families into town and we wanted to appeal to all audiences.”
Harris said the course of action associated with selecting a band is comprised of receiving quotes for bands from an agent and assembling an array of entertainment that will be enjoyable for all.
Sarah Margaret Hewes, Music Makers Productions student director, said MMP and the SA played a pivotal role in the long process of selecting a band. She explained the obstacles they faced this year due to another music festival taking place the same weekend as Super Bulldog Weekend.
“Along with the Student Association, we are involved in the entire process from choosing the artist to working the show itself. (The) band selection process is always a very lengthy process, and it wasn’t any different this year,” she said. “Coachella is the same weekend as SBW this year, so that took a lot of bands we were interested in off the table. We were very excited about the availability of The Neighbourhood and Eric Hutchinson for this year and are glad such a great lineup worked out.”
The Neighbourhood, comprised of lead singer Jesse Rutherford, guitarists Jeremy Freedman and Zach Abels, bassist Mikey Margot and drummer Bryan Sammis, was formed in Los Angeles in 2011. The band’s unique sound is a melody of indie rock, electronica and hip-hop, mixed with R&B vocal influences.
Logan Reeves, assistant director of research and development for the Student Association, said he is eager to see the recognized band in a city as small as Starkville.
“The Neighbourhood, with their edgy pop style, embodies the essence of our quaint southern town with songs such as ‘Sweater Weather’ and ‘Afraid,’” he said. “I am looking forward to this concert that Music Makers and SA is hosting.”
Hewes provided a general lineup of the night’s festivities, which includes a band hailing from Oxford, Miss., a popular country singer and, ultimately, The Neighbourhood.
“Music starts at 7 p.m. with a band from Oxford, MS called The Red Thangs, and then Eric Hutchinson goes on at 8 p.m., and The Neighbourhood will start around 9:30 p.m,” she said. “It’s going to be a wonderful night full of great live music, and I really encourage everyone to come to it and enjoy some incredible live music.”
This is Hewes’s last concert as a member of Music Makers Productions, and she believes music possesses a unique quality of making listeners join together and anticipates this show will do the same.
“Well it’s my last show as a Music Maker, so it’s a really special one for me, but at the same time I want students and attendees to get out of this show what I want them to get out of every show. I think that live music is incredibly powerful and does wonders when it comes to bringing people together and I would love for this show to do just that,” she said.
AK Miskelly, sophomore human science major, said she is curious to see how people react to the performance of a non-traditional band coming to campus, but she believes attendees will definitely be in for a great performance.
“The Neighbourhood is going to be an entertaining show to say the least. I feel as though I will be enthralled with their performance, considering the fact that this is an ‘alternative’ band coming to Starkville,” she said.
