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ORONO – The 30th annual Bumstock, seeking to return to its roots of local groups and smaller acts, was saved from some of its lowest attendance totals in nearly a decade by a Maine band some believe is on the verge of national stardom.
After averaging around 350 people for each performance at the two-day event in the University of Maine’s Concert Park on Friday and Saturday, it was Jeremiah Freed’s headline performance Saturday night that drew nearly 5,000 concertgoers. The big turnout saved the annual festival, said Maggie O’Brien, vice president of University of Maine Student Entertainment.
“This campus needed Jeremiah Freed bad,” O’Brien said shortly after the York-based band walked off the main stage Saturday night. “We could have been in some trouble and they pulled through for us and got the attendance way up there.”
Jeremiah Freed boosted the weekend total to around 7,000, officials said.
“I just came down to see Jeremiah Freed,” said Will Hughey, 19, of Jackman. “I didn’t know any of the other bands that were here this year.”
As Jeremiah Freed’s lead singer, 20-year-old Joe Smith, belted out the lyrics to the group’s nationally acclaimed single “Again,” the mosh pits, body surfers, and traditionally exuberant fans Bumstock has become known for appeared.
“The people up here have always been great to us, but I’m just beside myself that we had this kind of an impact on Bumstock,” Smith said after his group’s first-ever Bumstock performance.
Local artists such as University of Maine students Errick Green and Randall Walter liked the change back to homegrown talent, as it gave their hip-hop group, Against the Grain, an opportunity to perform in a large event. Nearly 200 people arrived to watch the local rap group perform Saturday afternoon.
“I like seeing the local groups get a chance,” Greene said. “It shows that music can be made anywhere and they don’t have to have a big name to do it right.”
Brandon Jones of Bangor liked the local touch as well, as it gave his group, Warmfront, the opportunity to perform in front of its largest crowd yet in its second public performance. Around 300 people were in attendance for their alternative stylings at the drug- and alcohol-free event.
“I think it’s good to have small bands because when they get big, people who came can say they saw them when,” Jones said. “But it’s good to have a big name to pull more people in with. You don’t want to be playing to air because nobody knows anyone who’s playing.”
Turmoil, controversy and chaos abounded this year for the school’s Student Entertainment board, O’Brien said, making the last-minute success for this year’s Bumstock all the more important.
Officials overspent by nearly $90,000 in 2001 in order to attract such mainstream acts as Three Doors Down and Reel Big Fish, O’Brien said. It was the fifth straight year budget problems overshadowed the event.
“It’s been rough as we’ve tried to straighten this mess out,” O’Brien said. “This was kind of a rebuilding year. Next year Bumstock will be even better.”
Adding to the confusion was the resignation of Bumstock director Nathan Shea two months before this year’s event.
Local police and university officials reported crime for this year’s Bumstock to be on pace with recent years, with a number of alcohol-related summonses for underage drinking, public intoxication, excessive party noise, drunken driving, criminal mischief and possession of marijuana, officials said.
Improvements in Bumstock will follow with increased planning and organization, O’Brien said.
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