This year’s Juice Jam is sure to give everyone the energy boost needed to tackle the rest of the school year.

The opening weekend event, now in its third year, is a way to welcome all students, new and old, to Syracuse University. Occurring this upcoming Saturday in the Standart parking lot, Juice Jam combines multiple big-name musical acts with different forms of entertainment to fully integrate anyone who is still in a summer daze back to SU.

‘Juice Jam is a big, fun event for all students to interact with each other; it’s an opening party for the year,’ said Adam Gorode, executive director of University Union Concerts and a senior music industry major. ‘People are going to walk in and say ‘Whoa, that’s a lot going on.”

Juice Jam, one of the major concerts that happen throughout the academic year, is headlining Dashboard Confessional, an indie-pop group known for its emotional songs about relationships and breakups. Made famous from its heartbreak anthem ‘Screaming Infidelities,’ ‘Hands Down’ and ‘Vindicated,’ a hit off the Spider Man 2 soundtrack, the band is sure to draw a crowd, Gorode said.

Yet, surprisingly, the two warm-up bands seem to be causing the most stir around campus. Robert Randolph and the Family Band, an act that unusually combines steel guitar with southern gospel rock, and Ozomatli, a Latin/Spanish group which incorporates harmonic melodies and hip-hop lines into their songs, are notorious for how good their live shows can be.

‘For day concerts, people are definitely gonna want to rock, not hold hands,’ said Liam Farrell, a sophomore music industry major. ‘I like Dashboard, and I’ll be glad to hear them, but I’m not as excited as I am about the other two bands.’

Due to the success of last year’s Juice Jam, the number of tickets available has increased from 3,000 to 5,000, allowing more students to join in on the festivities. And even those who are not fans of the music are encouraged to attend, due to the fact that there will be a plethora of events taking place away from the stage. There will be even more inflatable attractions than last year, such as jousting and sumo wrestling, to entertain both participants and spectators. Also, nearly double the amount of student organizations from last year will be setting up booths, each with their own information and free giveaways.

‘It’s a great way to fundraise and increase membership,’ said Rebecca Zeller, finance director for UU Concert Board and a senior music industry major.

Ticket price for the event is $7, and they can be picked up at the Schine Box Office. While the cost has increased from last year, the whole day will be well worth it; just seeing all three concerts for that price is a steal, said Gorode.

‘You can only go to the mall so many times; it’s a change in scene,’ Zeller said. ‘Seven dollars is what, two drinks? People spend much more than that at the bars at night. This is $7 for six hours of fun; it’s a bargain.’

It seems UU is pulling out all the stops on Juice Jam, making it an event not to be missed, as well as a good start to what seems to be a promising new school year.

‘If you like music, if you like socializing, if you like games, if you like and want a good time, it’s worth going,’ Gorode said. ‘It’s going to be a memory of college, and college is all about memories. You may not remember everything that happens in class, but you will remember events like these.’

Published on August 31, 2005 at 12:00 pm