Downtown hosts fourth annual Davis Music Fest

From June 20 through June 22, the Davis Music Festival will take over downtown Davis with its fourth annual celebration.

Much like the popular Texas music festival South by Southwest (SXSW), the Davis Music Festival will host over 40 bands playing at eight venues scattered throughout the town.

Some of the participating venues include Little Prague, Sophia’s Thai Kitchen, Third Space Art Collective and Armadillo Music.

Danny Tomasello, the Davis Music Festival director, believes the SXSW model caters to all types of patrons.

“The nice part is that people can create their own schedules,” Tomasello said. “They can hunker down and settle in at a particular venue or they can walk around and go see a bunch of different acts.”

Along with a hangover brunch on Sunday, June 22, the festival will alsointegrate a new opening night into the schedule. Tomasello hopes to reach a different audience with the rock-centric kick off.

“Friday will be the opening night for the festival which will be split between Rock Band University and Third Space,” Tomasello said. “The music is a little edgier that night with a dedicated metal stage and some garage-noisey rock at Third Space.”

The event’s lineup boasts a combination of local bands such as The Bottom Dwellers and Big Sticky Mess, but also brings acts that “would normally skip Davis over on their tour from San Francisco to Portland,” Tomasello said.

John Vanderslice, an acclaimed San Francisco indie rock artist, reminisced on last year’s event and expressed his excitement for upcoming years in a recent phone interview.

“Playing there was so much fun. I mean, that’s really why I requested to do it again this year,” Vanderslice said. “Davis is a great town. It is a great place to go to and hang out in and it was just a lovely experience.”

The event aims to raise money for the arts and music in education. A large portion of profits will go to the Davis High School Blue and White Foundation and Davis School Arts Foundation.

“With budget cuts in schools today, it’s important to raise money to support music in schools. We really hope that people come out and support it,” Tomasello said.

While the event serves to benefit local schools, Lauren Cole Norton, the director of Third Space and former Davis Music Festival performer, believes it also helps local businesses.

“The intimacy of the smaller venue appeals to both performers and the audience,” Norton said. “It also gives business owners in Davis an opportunity to appreciate what a dynamic local performance scene can do for their bottom line.”

For more information on the festival visit www.davismusicfest.com or visit their Facebook page. John Vanderslice will play June 22 at WunderBar on G Street at 9:30 p.m.

COLEMAN PERKINS can be reached at arts@theaggie.org.