As the academic year winds down, Quadstock remains one of Seattle University students’ most prominent escapes from the monotony of school. A day of music, celebration, food and friends, this year’s event is looking to find a balance between tradition and innovation.

Michael Jordan and the Bill of Funk

In past years, the Quadstock lineup has included the likes of Macklemore, Nirvana and Best Coast. This year brings artists like Saint Motel and DEV to the show as Student Events and Activities Council (SEAC) broadens its horizons and enlists musicians from cities outside of Seattle.

“We tried to go a different route this year,” said Desi Caswell, one of the co-chairs of Quadstock. “We feel like Quadstock in the past couple years has been focused on who’s big in Seattle. We really tried to step out of that direction, we went for bands who are rising.”

The music isn’t the only major shift in direction; Quadstock is also doing away with Domino’s, Dick’s and Subway for food this year. Instead, the event will feature Oma Bap, Byrek and Baguette and Mad Dawgs: food prepared at the event, not prepackaged like in previous years.

On top of the catering shift, this year’s patrons will notice more sponsorship from major corporations like Coca-Cola to help SEAC realize their aspiration of making this year’s event the biggest one yet.

Syripp will perform at Quadstock.

“Budgeting is really difficult, so trying to get sponsors in there adds more of a festival air to the concert,” said Marley Bredehoeft, the other Quadstock co-chair. “If you go to Coachella or Bumbershoot, you’re going to see sponsors there, so creating more of a festival atmosphere and getting a bit more recognition in there is really important.”

The biggest change, however, comes not from the main event, food or sponsorships, but from the early afternoon activities at the Union Green. In past years, only those with tickets in hand could enter, but this year the fences are coming down: it will be free for everyone.

“Instead of just being clubs, we’re also going to have Starbucks, Lyft and Zipcar,” Caswell said. “We’re going to have a gladiator joust and free ice tea and coffee.

Caswell said that more interactive and entertaining elements will be at the Union Green this year, which is in large part in thanks to many more organizations wanting to be involved in the event.

In addition to the headliners Quadstock will also feature the student band, Michael Jordan and the Bill of Funk (before you ask, there’s no hidden meaning behind the name), this year’s Battle of the Bands winners.

Seniors Randall Ersoz, Julian Hinojosa, Tommy Sandri, Danny Giroux, Jeremy Littman, Jack Lasley make up the band. According to them, they’re amped to perform what will probably be their swan song.

“Excited is a little bit of an understatement,” said Hinojosa, the band’s guitarist.

The band started playing for fun, according to Hinojosa. Their love of music is apparent, as they have recorded and produced their own music and published an EP on Soundcloud. But now that they are seniors, their direction is changing. “That’s why Quadstock is so important, it’s sort of our last hurrah,” Hinojosa said.

Ersoz, the band’s drummer, thinks that seeing his friends perform is reason enough to go to the show, but performing in it makes the experience so much better.

“It’s just so fun seeing your friends play music that you can get down to and jam to, it’s really fun. That’s why I’m excited,” Ersoz said.

Sophomore Xander Kipp (whose stage name is Syripp) will also be performing. After auditioning against other DJs, Kipp was selected as one of main stage performers. While music has always been a deep passion of his, Kipp thinks that this could be the start of something big.

“It’s very impractical, to some extent,” Kipp said. “The amount of time you have to put in to get a certain level where you get discovered and have your own following is a lot. I really want to do [it], but it’s more practical to spend my time studying biology and getting a degree instead of putting all my hopes into one thing. But if it sparks, that’d be super awesome.”

While he hasn’t locked down a setlist for the show, Kipp is confident in his abilities to read the crowd.

“I don’t prerecord my sets or anything like that, I just like to see what the vibes are in the audience,” Kipp said.

Tickets for the 27th Quadstock are now on sale at the CAC. Get yours and experience a brand new spirit for the famed Seattle U festival.

Scott may be reached at [email protected]