This Saturday, the UW student radio station, WSUM, will host its annual all-day music festival Party In the Park. Starting at 11 a.m., James Madison Park will be filled with eager music enthusiasts there to enjoy 16 bands, 11 DJs, community performance groups and local vendors. There will be four stages to fill the demand of this year's lineup. The coveted headlining act is nationally renowned ...And You Will Know Us By the Trail of Dead.
\There are a lot of people that are really excited for Trail of Dead and I think the local bands we have are really amazing,"" said Beth Charpentier, who organized this year's festival. ""If people haven't heard of them yet, they will instantly become fans.""
This year's lineup includes a who's who of Madison music, with everything from bluegrass to Latin, while still pleasing the crowd with plenty of punk, ska and indie rock in addition to many touring bands.
""What I like about this year's lineup is that anybody who looks at a flyer will know at least one band on it,"" Charpentier said. ""I haven't handed a flyer to somebody and had them say I haven't ever heard of these bands.""
Mark Kuntz, trombonist for the Milwaukee ska band Something To Do, said his band was looking forward to playing the festival for the first time.
""We've heard nothing but good things about it so we're obviously excited,"" Kuntz said.
As Party in the Park's list of bands grows each year, so too does its dance stage.
""Over the years, the DJ stage has been smaller, but last year we had just as big of a sound system as the main stage,"" Stage Organizer Matt Tomkins said. ""It was seven o'clock and raining and we still had 400 people at the DJ stage dancing.""
Tomkins anticipates a large crowd at the tent once again this year with the headlining appearance of ""House Music Godfather"" Paul Johnson.
After the headliners finish playing around 8 p.m., there will still be hours worth of activities to check out.
The after-festival show, Party in the Dark, will double its size this year by simultaneously going on at two locations. Jam and electronica bands Tripod, The Celle Fantastik and Little Purple People will be playing the Portal Music Caf?? starting at 9 p.m. for a $4, 21 plus show, and the Memorial Union Terrace will host a free all-ages show starting at 8:30 p.m. Madison favorites The German Art Students, ska band Sunshine Policy and Eyebeams will take the stage along with the duo of Qwel (of Typical Cats) and the Chicago rap group Robust.
Rounding out the music-filled day, the Appleseed Cast will play an encore show at Union South's Club 770 for free at 9 p.m.
Rain or shine, this Saturday's Party in the Park and all related festivities promise to be an exciting event not to miss.
