ATTENTION CONCERT GOERS...
Who has ever heard of the strange little acronym MACRoCk? Well, for those who have never heard or seen it, then you have been missing out on one of the best and most convenient music festivals in our area.
The Mid-Atlantic College Radio Conference (or MACRoCk for short) is a non profit organization that is based in Harrisonburg that holds a yearly weekend festival that promotes the independent music community. MACRoCk tried to project a message that music can thrive without bug corporation influence, and that the independent music scene is alive and well and give these bands a much larger audience then they would usually have.
In 1996, MACRoCk was created as a branch for WXJM, JMU's own amazing radio station. After ten years of partnership, MACRoCk left to become an organization of its own. The organization relies heavily on volunteers for the annual April festival, and on donations from the Harrisonburg and JMU community.
Every year, the festival has grown immensely, by picking up more bands, and getting more recognition and attendees. Because I am affiliated with WXJM, I have had the privilege to experience MACRoCk firsthand, and have volunteered the past two years. From an attendee's point of view, how MACRoCk operates is that it occurs the first weekend in April and is two full days of music and panels.
Patrons buy either a daily or weekend wristband which gives them unlimited access into the places where the bands are hosted, like the Artful Dodger, Clementine, Blue Nile, Court Square Theater, and Dave's.
Patrons buy either a daily or weekend wristband which gives them unlimited access into the places where the bands are hosted, like the Artful Dodger, Clementine, Blue Nile, Court Square Theater, and Dave's.
There have been hundreds of bands that have performed in the past like Algernon Cadawaller, Converge, Owen, US Christmas, Antlers, Screaming Females, Menzingers, and many more. Some of the more well-known bands that have performed are Animal Collective, Bouncing Souls, Dashboard Confessional, Dillinger Escape Plan, Coheed and Cambria, and Mastodon.
Besides the whole music and concert aspects, MACRoCk also hold panels on the second day of the festival that are enlightening and rewarding. A majority of the topics surround important issues currently happening within college radio and the independent music community.
Each panel tries to enlighten its audience to the underground world of college radio and how they play such a large role in promoting underrepresented music around the country. Without these stations, the music we listen to would be repetitive and mundane.
Each panel tries to enlighten its audience to the underground world of college radio and how they play such a large role in promoting underrepresented music around the country. Without these stations, the music we listen to would be repetitive and mundane.
MACRoCk this year is being held April 6th-7th and not much else is known so far about what bands will play or what the panel topics will be. If you really want to immerse yourself to a new world of music and just grow a new appreciation for independent bands and all their hard work, then you definitely need to check this out.
-MM
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