Jam Fest: History and 2006 Schedule
1968 — a year remembered for violence and
confusion. The party that was 1967 had ended, and the LSD-induced cloud of love and idealism slowly dissipated into the smog of continuing problems at home and abroad. Americans could no longer ignore the terrible consequences of the
escalating violence in Vietnam, as protests ignited at college campuses across the country. 1968 also witnessed the assassinations of Robert Kennedy and Martin Luther King, Jr. There were political riots at the Democratic National Convention in Chicago and race riots in Washington D.C.
But at Wiess College, another historic event overshadowed the political chaos of 1968: the very first Jamfest. Apparently Wiessmen have always been preoccupied with having a good time.
“Why worry too much about politics?” some late 1960s Rice student may have said. “Dude, let’s buy a couple of kegs, sit outside in the sun and listen to some music.”
Today marks the 38th Jamfest. Over the years, it has become a Rice institution — a staple of spring semester. It has only been called off once, and that was because of rain.
This year’s Jamfest continues the tradition of bringing live music to Rice — and, for that matter, the tradition of supporting the brand of Rice musicians not often found in the Shepherd School. There are plenty of bands on campus but not many opportunities to plug in and rock out. Jamfest provides a mic and a stage — Rice bands only have to bring their instruments, their voices and their talent.
Of course, Jamfest 2006 will feature a number of acts from beyond the hedges. The eye-makeup-wearing members of Houston’s Makeshifte headline the show, and a couple other area bands — including Another Day, the side project of a DJ at radio station KTBZ, and rockers The Last Place You Look.
Like most things Wiess, there is no theme to Jamfest. The music represents a variety of styles and will appeal to a variety of different tastes. For students looking from a break from the papers, problem sets and exams that come hand in hand with the end of classes, Jamfest arrives just in time.
There will be T-shirts. There will be food. There probably will not be a riot, and the weatherman says it is not going to rain.
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Sports
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Opinion
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- College expansion must maintain individuality
- Commencement deserves student speaker
- Letters to the editor
- Rice research trumps red-state ridiculousness
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