The first Friday of every month in downtown Phoenix is know for its bustling atmosphere around the Roosevelt Row district, but ASU's The Blaze Radio is offering an alternative this November with a charity music festival that offers an eclectic mix of genres and community for all.
For the past three years, the student-run organization has held a food drive with St. Vincent de Paul. However, the station has taken it to the next level this year with a 'Live & Local' charity music festival.
For only three cans of non-perishable food, students will be able to enjoy a night of great music and activities while giving back to the community. The band line-up features local artists such as Lord Phx, Sugahbeat, Laura Walsh, Janelle Loes, Soul Country and DJ Malcolm. For five cans, students will be entered into a drawing to win a meet-and-greet pass with the featured artists as well as a prize pack of giveaways.
Although The Blaze is the main host, other downtown organizations, such as Phoenix 50, ASU Programming and Activities Board, Undergraduate Student Government Downtown, have come together to make this the charity event of the weekend.
Sydney Glenn, The Blaze station manager and journalism senior, started the food drive when she was a sophomore and news director for the radio. She said that there wasn't a better way to leave her contribution to the drive other than planning a charity music festival.
"The first year was a huge success and we started out with our little mason jar and asked people to donate," Glenn said. "It has just grown into an amazing thing. We are so happy to make this a tradition."
Although The Blaze Radio hosts its annual music festival in the fall, this charity concert will give the stations' specialty shows a chance to feature the artists and genres that they love and share on air.
"We wanted to do something that made sure that they felt included too and and that their music is important to us," Glenn said. "We contacted some of our best and most popular specialty hosts and they reached out to their favorite local artists. Three of our local artists have donated their time to perform at the event."
3 cans. 6 local bands. One priceless night. We can't wait! RT if we'll see you at the festival! #LiveNLocal15 pic.twitter.com/68AFMXllwh
— KASC Blaze Radio (@BlazeRadioASU) November 2, 2015
Journalism junior Amanda Luberto has been The Blaze music director since fall 2014. She said although she enjoys the annual spring concert, it really only features the local alternative music scene.
"I wanted to really showcase the different genres of music the local music has," Luberto said. "So everybody is a little different. We have some country artists, some pop artists, a reggae artists, a hip-hop artist. There is something for everybody."
Public relations junior and The Blaze promotions manager Brianna Randazzo said there will be a lot of activities going on Friday night. She believes that the community will appreciate and be attracted to the music performed at the festival.
"We're hoping that a lot of students come out to the event so these artists can reach students as well," Randazzo said. "A lot of the artists go out and perform at 21-and-over venues so I think if they get a chance to expose their music to these students, that it will also help them out."
The charity concert will be held in downtown Phoenix's Civic Space park from 5 to 10 p.m. Friday.
Reach the reporter at rsantist@asu.edu or follow @ryanerica18 on Twitter.
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