By LAUREN HALLIGAN
Features Editor
The biggest annual Saint Rose festival, created specifically for students as a reward for an academic year well-accomplished, is fast-approaching.
“This Rose Rock will be different,” Myles Clendenin, the man in charge of planning the event, declared this January.
With just two months until the event and plans falling through in obtaining a headliner for the celebration, the list of 28 artists has been narrowed down to three.
After realizing that some artists were largely unattainable, in a Student Association meeting Feb. 13, representatives and members voted for the next top three artists from the larger list of 28 potentials.
The new top three consists of Ryan Cabrera, a 2000’s teen heart-throb who recently released a new single called “I See Love,” Chris Wallace, who was recognized as one of the top pop artists of 2012 for his radio hit “Remember When (Push Rewind),” and Jeremih, Def Jam artist who sings “Birthday Sex,” and the more recent “Down On Me,” which also features rapper 50 Cent.
The official headliner announcement will take place after spring break, most likely during a Student Association meeting, Clendenin said.
Rose Rock 2013, hosted by the College of Saint Rose Student Association is scheduled be held on Saturday, Apr. 27th on the Campus Quad.
Last summer, a Rose Rock 2013 Facebook page was created where students would have the opportunity to post the genres of music or certain artists they wanted to bring to campus the following spring, creating a list of 28 student-suggested and feasible artists to potentially play at Rose Rock. This list was then voted up on in a Blackboard poll last December to create a narrowed-down top 10 list.
Although it was understood that one of the artists on that list would be the Rose Rock 2013 headlining act, “Due to scheduling, none of the [artists] from that Top 10 Blackboard Rose Rock List were available for our event,” said Clendenin, Director of Social Activities of the Student Association.
“I mean these things happen,” he added.
The original list of potential performers at Rose Rock 2013 consisted of Vanessa Carlton, Secondhand Serenade, Hellogoodbye, New Found Glory, Augustana, New Boyz, Asher Roth, Kevin Rudolf, Mayday Parade, and Jeremih (who is still in the running).
While Mayday Parade will be in the midst of a U.S. tour this April, according to these artists official websites, Secondhand Serenade will be finishing a tour in March with nothing scheduled after. Hellogoodbye and New Found Glory have a few sparse performances, none of which are on Apr. 27, and Kevin Rudolf, Augustana, New Boyz, Asher Roth, Vanessa Carlton, and Jeremih all have no upcoming events.
Junior Erica Cotten, who’s attended the past two Rose Rocks, predicted back in January when she first glanced at the top 10 list, that “For every potential list of Rose Rock … I think that they put names out there that will win in votes, but will never actually come to Saint Rose because we’re such a small school.”
“I think our size kind of limits the amount of great experiences that can happen here,” said Cotten. “It kind of puts false hope on Rose Rock.”
Upset with what’s becoming of this year’s Rose Rock, “I previously said that I wouldn’t be holding my breath, and this has given me a real reason not to,” said Cotten. “I probably won’t end up going to Rose Rock, honestly.”
But not everyone believes Rose Rock needs a big named artist in order to make the event enjoyable.
“People need to realize that you can’t always get what you want,” said Blaise Bryant, junior communications major, using the iconic lyrics of the Rolling Stones.
“There are enough bands and artists here on campus and we as a college can give them a large-scale opportunity that is Rose Rock to promote the bands and artists,” said Bryant. “Why not promote our fellow student talent?”
As Bryant’s solution suggests, a demo-hearing event at which students can vote for which local artist they’d like to see play at Rose Rock as supporting acts will be held from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Thursday in the Main Lounge located in the EAC. All are invited to attend and vote for their favorite musicians to perform at the event.
MEISA will also be sponsoring a supporting artist for the event. However, the band they wish to sign is not willing to commit to playing the event before a
headlining act is established.
Currently, Saint Rose ska band The Meishlunday are the only confirmed band on the bill, in an automatic spot they won at Fancy Fest during the fall semester.
Although he’s run into some challenges in booking this large campus event, “I am still positive that Rose Rock will be an amazing event,” Clendenin said.
For updates on Rose Rock as the decisions unfold, check facebook.com/RoseRock2013.
