During my freshman year here at Clemson, our student body had bought enough tickets for the Up & Up Festival to come to our school. This Monster Energy-sponsored festival brought big-name EDM artists to Clemson and fostered a unique collaboration between these large names and our local artists.
I remember seeing the first Clemson Music Fest being promoted throughout campus and on social media. I thought it was such a good idea to engage with students and offer them a fun experience to see some of their favorite artists.
When the lineup was released for CMF last year, I was pleasantly surprised. They had an A-list rapper, T-Pain, coming to perform, with a supporting cast of Mt. Joy, Two Friends and The Fray. Although an odd mix of genres for a first-time music festival, I saw it as a promising lineup. The mix of genres would help organizers determine what to bring back next year based on attendance.
While I was unable to attend last year’s CMF, I heard mostly positive things from the student body. That’s why I expected a more curated lineup this year, with bigger names and a more specific focus on what kind of festival CMF wants to be. However, opening my phone to see Huddy as one of the advertised performers left me feeling confused and disappointed.
It’s important to note that the CMF team worked tirelessly to bring us this festival, and I am entirely grateful for it. However, that does not negate the step back in this year’s lineup compared to the first fest. I am not saying that the lineup is a step down from last year due to the fault of the artists. I know at least one song by most of these artists, and they are each very talented.
Rather, CMF needs to figure out its identity as a festival, and with this year’s mix of artists, CMF seems to be heading for a “something for everybody” goal. From rap to country to alternative — and even to Huddy — CMF seems to have it all. But to me, it almost feels empty. If I am a country fan, I am unlikely to show up to BigXthaPlug’s set. Or, I’ll go to get my money’s worth, and I probably won’t enjoy the music I’m hearing.
CMF seems to be a jack-of-all-trades but a master of none. In order to produce success year after year, CMF should try to curate itself and get its roots in a specific audience before it loses support from all of them.
