Tundra Music Festival brings names, fame to IU

The excitement surrounding the announcement of artists performing at IU is arriving early this year in the form of the Tundra Music Festival, which will be the first of its kind – allowing students to have complete control of the events.

Tickets are now on sale for the first Tundra Music Festival, which is to take place Oct. 10 in the field behind the Foster Residence Center.

The festival, which is entirely run by IU students and alumni, will bring eight hours of performances for students to enjoy.

The various artists that will be making appearances include Jeremih, Jadakiss, Shwayze, DJ Class and DJ Srkibble with hosts DJ Zeke and Fatman Scoop.

The festival will also feature a DJ Dome where prominent artists such as DJ Trav from Chicago, Action Jackson from Indianapolis, OK DeeJays from Louisville and Sinclair Wheeler will perform.

“It is the biggest outdoor event to be held on campus,” said IU alumnus Jake Hoffberg, who is sales and marketing director for Fifth Agency. “It is the highest record of highly recognizable artists that will have come here.”

Fifth Agency, a talent and event production company, is partnering with IU’s Business Center in Entertainment Club and the Bloomington Artist Agency to produce this festival.

Among the perks of the festival, a select few attendees will be given the chance to have a private meet and greet with artist Jeremih.

Spots will be given away during the next few weeks through contests and online social networks.

One winner will also be drawn from the next 200 people to buy tickets.

Fifth Agency said it is expecting 4,000 to 5,000 students to attend the festival with a ratio of one security guard for every 100 students.

“We will be bringing over 3,000 feet of fencing. I mean, this thing is massive,” senior Russell Markus from Fifth Agency said.

The fencing will surround the entire “tundra” and will provide space for attendees to walk in between the main stage and DJ Dome.

Similar to Little 500, Fifth Agency founder and IU alumnus William Runzel said the concert will provide no seating and the audience will stand for the performances.

The creators said their intention is to have quality performances and affordable ticket prices for a music festival because they have been disappointed by the lack of quality
in performances and high ticket prices for mediocre opening acts and short-lived gigs in the past.

“We are providing a service for the student body,” Markus said.

Hoffberg said he thinks that kids feel “robbed” by some artist appearances in the past.
“They pay $20 to $40 dollars to see 50 minutes worth of music,” he said.

The idea for the festival also incorporates education. Fifth Agency and the BCEC have created an opportunity for students to learn about concert production, booking artists, promotions and public relations in a setting that extends beyond the lecture halls through a hands-on learning experience for students enrolled in Music Industry I or II, taught by local jazz artist Monika Herzig.

“The things that they aren’t going to teach in the classroom, those street smarts, the networking tactics, we are going to show you,” senior and BCEC President Brian Binkley said.

The guys also look forward to expanding these ideas to other universities.

In particular, Runzel added that a goal of Fifth Agency is to apply the idea of music festivals to curricula throughout the Big Ten.

“We put this show on with the students in mind to bring the best live music experience to the campus,” Hoffberg said.