Techfest, the campus student music festival put on by the Entertainment Committee (EC), is an annual tradition at Stevens that has existed for over ten years. It is an incredibly popular event on campus featuring free food, giveaways, student performers, and a headliner act.; This year’s director, Mollie Good, describes it as “a student music festival, where an artist is brought on campus, free of charge to Stevens students.” The Stute spoke with Good to learn more about this year’s offerings and what students can look forward to.
This year, in perfect harmony with the glow theme, the headliner for Techfest is the rock group Neon Trees. Many current undergraduates will know their hits well, as the group was first established in 2005, and some of the band’s best-known songs reached the height of their popularity in the early 2010s. Everybody knows the words to 2011’s “Everybody Talks,” which is part of the reason they were chosen as the headliner. Their single “Animal” went double platinum after its release in 2010, and they have repeatedly charted on the Billboard Hot 100. According to Good, EC began their selection process in the “Fall 2023 semester, [when] a survey was distributed out to the whole student body, where people voted for their top artists that were provided on the survey. Neon Trees was one of the most voted-for bands! From there, I started the process to see if they could come to campus.”
Neon Trees is an incredibly popular campus act. They played at Dartmouth College last year and are scheduled to perform at Binghamton University in a few weeks. Contracting such a well-known band was no easy feat. Good shared that since her first communication with their agent in October, she has worked with the Office of Student Life to run background checks, send offers, and negotiate contracts. The contract was ultimately signed in February. Regarding the process, Good said, “It was a lot of work but worth all of it, and I am super excited that they are coming to campus!”
Adding to the excitement of Techfest is the opportunity for student-run bands to compete for the coveted opening slots. Six bands duked it out at the highly anticipated Battle of the Bands, run by the EC, Stevens Underground Music Awareness Committee (SUMAC), the Audio Engineering Club (AEC), Castle Point Radio (WCPR), and Stevens Women in Music (SWIM) and the top three bands vied for votes from attendees. This year’s three winning bands, in no particular order, are Future Nostalgia, a Folk/Indie band that started in February of this year and consisting of Liam Cunningham, Sia Quinn, Sam Ferro, Sophia Zahran, and Conlan Hurley; Midnight Drive, a rock band that was started in March this year and consisting of Sam Ferro, Jake Paccione, Pat Cortelli, and Drayton Barrand; and the Vibrotones, an Indie Rock band that has existed since 2021 and consists of Jack Hamilton, Jack Keelan, Matt Testa, and Jeremy Orienza. Look out for our article next week to learn more about these openers!
As the anticipation builds for Techfest 2024, undergraduate and graduate students can look forward to an unforgettable night of music and other activities. With Neon Trees headlining and an impressive lineup of student openers, this year’s event promises to celebrate talent and creativity. Mark your calendars for April 20, get ready to glow with excitement, and make memories that will last a lifetime.
