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Free festival also provides a learning experience for music business students, chair says.
By Tyrin Bradley
sacranger@student.alamo.edu
The Longwith Radio, Television and Film Building has been abuzz as music business students and faculty prepare for Fredstock 2015.
The fifth annual music festival will be noon-6 p.m. May 2 at Lot 7, Courtland Place and Main Avenue.
Hosted by this college’s music business department, Fredstock is a free and family-friendly event named after the late Fred Weiss, founder of this college’s music business department.
“Fred is the guy that started up the music business program 10 years ago,” said music business Chair Donnie Meals. “Unfortunately, he passed away in 2008.”
When Meals took over the music business program, he created Fredstock.
“I thought it would be cool to have this concert and name it after him,” Meals said.
However, there is more to Fredstock than meets the eye. Some music business students actually get a grade for their participation in planning the festival.
“It’s actually the final technical hands-on exam for my live music and talent management class,” Meals said. “It’s the culmination of what we’ve talked about all semester long.”
Fredstock also is an avenue for music business students to exercise their promotional skills.
“Besides it being a school function, it’s really a promotional thing,” Meals said. “We’re not out to make money. We are out to promote the music business program.”
The proceeds benefit the music business program’s budget for next year’s Fredstock.
Spectators can expect live blues and folk rock performances from Jimmie Spacek and the WestSide Horns, Los #3 Dinners, Granvil Poynter, Ruben V and Eddie Palanco and the All Nighters.
Food carts will line Courtland Place, along with arts and crafts vendors.
In 2010 the first Fredstock was shut down because of an accumulated rainfall of 13 inches, Meals said.
Since then, the music business program has invested in festival tents to accommodate for inclement weather.
“We have a covered stage. We have (a large number) of square feet in a covered area. If it doesn’t rain, it makes for nice shade,” Meals said.
Representatives from this college’s radio station, KSYM 90.1 FM, also will participate to provide T-shirts, hats and Koozies for those who donated $35, $45 or $5 to KSYM’s annual pledge drive. The drive has raised $40,692 of donations made at the station and about $10,000 online, said John Onderdonk, KSYM’s faculty adviser and general manager.
For more information, call the music business program at 210-486-1380 or visit www.fredstocksatx.com.
