Blues-infused indie rock group Cold War Kids will headline Fall Fest, the Program Board announced Thursday.
The choice is a departure from previous years, when electronic dance and hip-hop artists such as DJ Diplo and Timeflies have celebrated the start of the academic year.
Cold War Kids is best known for the 2007 single “Hang Me Up to Dry,” and is set to release a new album this October.
Program Board Executive Chair Liz Moses said the organization was looking to book a different kind of music act after Timeflies drew a smaller crowd last year compared to previous festivals.
“It’s a little bit of a test drive. We’re trying some new things and seeing how students react to it,” Moses said.
Moses declined to provide the cost of this year’s performance. Booking agency Pretty Polly Productions, which specializes in college campus shows, reported that signing Cold War Kids costs between $35,000 and $50,000. Last year, booking Timeflies was estimated to cost $35,000.
Soul-funk artist Moses Sumney, an up-and-coming solo artist who has built up most of his audience on Soundcloud and through a recent SXSW performance, will take the stage as the opening act.
Before Sumney, student band Bencoolen, another indie rock group that played the Black Cat in April, will perform as Fall Fest’s first-ever student opener.
It will mark the second time student talent has opened for a University-wide concert, following DJ Haile Supreme, who was a senior at GW when he dropped beats before Jay Sean at last year’s Spring Fling. Moses said Program Board hopes to highlight student talent more at its events, an effort that will continue when a GW’s Got Talent winner opens for Spring Fling in 2015.
This year also marks the first time in recent years that the student organization fair has moved from its spot in University Yard to H Street and Kogan Plaza. The fair will begin at 1 p.m. and end at 3 p.m., before the performances.
Students can also head over to University Yard early to grab the popular free tank tops, ride a mechanical bull and win prizes from various sponsors, including a chance to score free tickets from the 9:30 Club. Taste of GWorld will also offer samples from vendors like Whole Foods, FreshFarm Markets and Bobby’s Burger Palace.
This post was updated to reflect the following correction:
The Hatchet incorrectly spelled the name of the student band. It is Bencoolen, not Ben Coolen. We regret this error.
