On Sept. 25, the Student Association, along with the Alumni Association, will present the 10th Annual Bulldog Bash. The free concert will take place downtown and offer performances from a wide variety of entertainers.
Headlining the Bash is nationally known rock band Third Eye Blind. Also scheduled to perform are Jamie Davis and Soul Gravy, Sterling Y, The Flames, Red Hill City and Z-Flo.
Bulldog Bash co-coordinator Rob Triplett said the SA chose this year’s lineup with a strategy based off of polling, research and student responses from previous bashes.
“We have listened to feedback over the years and the common consensus has been to get a big national act and then showcase our locals,” he said.
Triplett said he thinks the 10th Annual Bulldog Bash will offer something special for students.
Third Eye Blind, known to their fans as 3EB, will take the main stage on University Drive at about 10:30 p.m. Third Eye Blind first gained notoriety in 1997 with the release of a debut album entitled Third Eye Blind that eventually went quadruple-platinum. The band’s first album contained the hit songs “The Graduate,” “Semi-Charmed Life” and “How’s It Gonna Be.” The band’s second album, entitled Blue, also went platinum and introduced another radio hit: “Never Let You Go.”
Triplett said the sound and success of the band’s most recent studio album, Ursa Major, made Third Eye Blind the perfect fit for this year’s bash.
“They are a fun, upbeat rock group that all ages can enjoy,” he said. “The ultimate goal for Bulldog Bash is to have a fun music festival atmosphere, and I think we succeeded this year.”
Student Association President Blake Jeter said he is especially excited to have Third Eye Blind perform in Starkville because its show will be the first stop on its new tour to promote Ursa Major.
“They were really big in the ’90s and this is their first album in six years, so a lot of people are watching them to see what happens,” he said. “They are also bringing their own opening act, but we don’t know who that will be yet.”
The bash is expected to draw more than 30,000 people to Starkville, and the planning of such a large event is rigorous and full of challenges.
Jeter said convincing nationally known bands to play in Starkville is not the main obstacle anymore, paying for them is. The SA spent the summer raising money to bring in the very best acts available.
“Third Eye Blind was excited about playing in Starkville. The biggest challenge is maximizing our budget to get the best talent,” Jeter said. “We have raised between $40,000 and $50,000 this year from local and corporate sponsors.”
The Alumni Association has acted as the title sponsor donating $10,000 for the second year in a row, helping revolutionize the bash and the talent it can support.
“The normal budget has been about $65,000, and this year the budget is $90,000,” Jeter said. “We worked really hard and raised 40 percent more money than in past years.”
With a bigger budget and the festival growing every year, Jeter said the SA wanted to find a way to use their big events to benefit a cause. The SA has partnered with local cell phone service providers to organize a text message donation event to benefit the local chapter of United Way. This will be the first time in Mississippi a text message fundraiser has ever taken place.
“During the concert, we’re going to ask the crowd to text NCMISS to United on their cell phones. It will send a message back to see if you want to donate to United Way, and if you want to, it will donate $5 which will show up on your cell phone bill,” Jeter said.
He said he hopes incorporating the fundraiser into the Bash will send a specific message about Mississippi State to other schools and communities.
“It’s a way for us to say that while our student body can get together and have a good time.” “We can also give back while we do it,” he said.
Senior accounting major Devon Boykin said he likes the fundraising idea and thinks the simplicity of it will encourage students to contribute to the cause.
“It’s an easy way to give back without going through the inconveniences of lines and paper work,” he said.
Senior elementary education major Ashleigh Ford said she will participate in the fundraiser the night of the concerts.
“It’s a great idea, and it’s for a great cause,” she said. “Besides you’re attending a show for free that you would normally spend a lot of money on for a ticket, so what’s $5 when it’s helping out our community?”