Following the Maroon and White game, Old Main opened Saturday night with Hobo Hippie’s cover of “Superstitious.”
This was Hobo Hippie’s first time to play at Old Main as a band.
Jason Box, the band’s drummer and vocalist, said winning the Battle of the Bands and being allowed to play for Old Main was great for the band as a whole.
“There are a lot of good bands out there,” he said. “It’s an honor for us to be a part of [Old Main].”
Box said the band appreciates all the local support the members have gotten from Starkville.
“We hope to become a household name around Starkville,” he said. “We enjoy playing here.”
After Hobo Hippie performed, Megan McCormick, who has been opening for Amos Lee at several venues, took the stage.
McCormick said touring is a great way to be exposed to different types of people.
“I want [the audience] to feel like they’ve heard something new,” she said. “I hope to be compelling enough that they want to hear more.”
Lee followed McCormick and played with two other members from his band.
Gabe Posadas, a sophomore biological science major, said he liked hearing Amos Lee because it was a good change of music.
“I like Amos Lee’s folk-music feel,” he said. “It was a good contrast to Trey Songz.”
Rap artist Songz followed Lee and closed the night.
Music Makers student director Philip Vanderleest said the festival went flawlessly.
“For me personally, setting up [for the show] by going from an empty stage to lights, a roof and everything is very fulfilling,” he said. “Meeting the people and hearing the stories of their experiences is really interesting.”
Samantha Musil, assistant director of the Colvard Student Union and adviser to Campus Activities Board and Music Makers, said Old Main is an amazing opportunity for MSU students.
“I don’t know if [the students] know how lucky they are to experience this on campus for free,” she said. “Their fellow students put a lot of work into the concert for everyone else to enjoy. Not every campus gets to do things like this.”
DeJanae Banks, CAB student director, said the committee, made up of CAB, Student Association and Music Maker Productions, has worked hard to find different acts everyone can enjoy. She also said this year’s festival was unique because it contains four acts instead of the usual three.
“I’m glad we’ve had a lot of people [attend the festival]. It’s something fun and free to do,” she said. “There isn’t a better way to end a beautiful Saturday after a football game than a free concert.”
SA Vice President Rhett Hobart said the event enhances the atmosphere of MSU and is a great experience for students, alumni and potential students.
“Seeing the amphitheater’s crowd packed shoulder-to-shoulder and the fans excited makes [the hard work worthwhile] because this is what the event is all about,” he said.
SA President Thomas Sellers said he heard a lot of people were really excited about the individual acts. He said the Old Main committee chose to do a double-headliner show so students could get two acts for one.
“We love to do [these kinds of events]. SA loves being involved in [Old Main] and bringing acts to campus so the student body can enjoy them,” he said.