Vanderbilt Rites of Spring
April 16, 2009 2:00 pm - April 18, 2009 11:59 pm
America/Los Angeles
United States
36° 8' 45.6864" N, 86° 48' 10.6452" W
Vanderbilt’s Rites of Spring concert, or “Rites” as VU students like to call it, is an annual concert series hosted on campus to celebrate…you guessed it…the start of spring.
It is hosted on Alumni Lawn which also plays host to Vanderbilt Graduation and other large events. It is the perfect area because it is in the center of campus and surrounded by picturesque trees. In the past, Rites has hosted big name bands creating an excuse for students to have a 3-day party instead of studying for finals.
It draws a huge crowd
College students from surrounding schools come from a several hours radius to attend the weekend of fun at Vandy. Many of the outsiders are kids who grew up in Nashville and have been going to the concert for years now. For others, they are just in search of the biggest party in the South East and this definitely makes their list.
In 2008 the lineup included: Spoon, Lil Jon, Feist, Old Crow Medicine Show, Colbie Caillet, The Avett Brothers, and Lady Antebellum. They played to a packed lawn and endured some terrible rain.
Last year the tickets went on sale during the first week of March and the prices skew in favor of the Vandy students. It only costs them $15 for the weekend, but it costs a guest anywhere from $35 for a day to $55 for the weekend. Tickets will be available through Ticketmaster or you can by them on-campus at the Sarratt Box Office which is located close to the Lawn.
Here are two videos to show what the atmosphere is like:
Unlike some of its SEC conference peers Vandy doesn’t have a dry campus rule. Students are allowed to bring in coolers of beer which makes this event about 100 times more fun than comparable concerts at other schools. With as much beer as you can drink, being surrounded by beautiful co-eds, and listening to a live show in Music City it is no wonder that Rites is the perfect way to kick off the spring.
The Latest update regarding the lineup:
WHAT: Rites of Spring Music Festival at Vanderbilt University
WHEN: Friday, April 17 and Saturday, April 18, 2008
WHERE: Alumni Lawn – Vanderbilt University Campus
TIME: 3:00 pm Friday; 3:00 pm Saturday – Gates Open
TICKETS: $20 – Vanderbilt Student Tickets (One Ticket Per Student) $45 – General Public Weekend Pass – Purchased in Advance; $55 – General Public Weekend Pass–Purchased Day of Show
A Vanderbilt University tradition for more than 30 years, the annual outdoor festival will take place on Friday, April 17th and Saturday, April 18th. The talent for this year’s festival includes: The Flaming Lips, N.E.R.D., Q-Tip, Santigold, Okkervil River, Black Joe Louis and the Honeybears and Grand Ole Party with more to be announced soon.
By AB
