Contact: Carl Smith
STARKVILLE, Miss.—Concertgoers will enjoy singer-songwriter Briston Maroney’s ’90s folk- and indie rock-infused sound as the Tennessee-based musician headlines this year’s Old Main Music Festival on April 26 at 9 p.m. at Mississippi State’s amphitheater. Lee Hall’s Bettersworth Auditorium will serve as the venue in case of rain.
Noted for the “distinct energy of his sound, anchored in strikingly poetic lyricism” by Boston University’s WTBU Radio, Maroney has about 2.6 million monthly listeners on Spotify, and his song “Freakin’ Out On the Interstate” has more than 215 million streams on the platform.
Maroney first gained national attention almost a decade ago when he performed on an episode of “American Idol” and advanced as a semi-finalist on the competitive-singing TV show. After independently releasing two EPs in 2015 and 2017 and following those up with major-label EPs in 2018 and 2019, his first full-length album “Sunflower” debuted in 2021 on Atlantic Records. The follow-up record “Ultrapure” was released last year.
Joining Maroney are The Mississippi Shakedown, a garage rock band inspired by Southern blues, and a to-be-confirmed regional act. Music on the mainstage will begin at 6:45 p.m. The Old Main Music Festival will culminate in a fireworks show following Maroney’s performance. Earplugs will be available at the Music Makers Production information booth.
Along with non-stop music that begins on the local stage, food trucks and an art market with about 25 vendors open at 2 p.m. The 2024 IFC Cookoff also takes place at 2 p.m. Tickets to the cookoff, which supports Bully’s Pantry, are $3 and will be sold on site while supplies last. Families and children should visit the Kid Zone, which will feature games, an inflatable and face painting.
The day-long event is free and open to the public. For more information, contact Music Makers Productions at msummp@gmail.com or call 662-325-2930. MSU’s Center for Student Activities is at 662-325-2930.
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