By RAY HENGST
Staff Writer
Convoy and Sugarcult will perform at the free, all-day Muirstock festival in the Muir quad Friday. The festival will also include mud wrestling, a free barbecue and “”essentially nonstop music for five hours,”” according to Muirstock Committee Co-Chair Seth Klonsky.
Reggae band Tribe of Judah, John Muir College rock band Straight No Chaser, ska band Skapegoat and a San Diego rock band called Larger Than Life will play, said Muirstock Committee Co-Chair Gabe Grossman.
“”We tried to get a diverse view of the rock world,”” Grossman said. “”Between Sugarcult and Convoy, there are more people who know the acts, so hopefully we’ll have a little larger turnout [than last year].””
About 1,000 people came to Muirstock 2001, according to Muirstock Committee Co-Chair Ruba Batniji.
Klonsky hopes this year’s attendance increases by at least 100.
“”We’re shooting for as many as can fit in Muir quad,”” Batniji said.
The committee had also planned to have a beer garden, but Vice Chancellor Joseph Watson turned the idea down due to the event’s close proximity to the Muir residence halls.
“”We thought [a beer garden] would be another way of sending a message to commuter students that their participation in student events is worthwhile,”” Klonsky said.
According to Grossman, the beer garden had won support from Muir college administrators, including the dean, assistant dean and college provost. Their support, Grossman said, was due to the consultation that the Muirstock Committee sought from campus police and City Events security company on how to safely run the beer garden.
“”We thought it was going to be a safe event,”” Grossman said. “”Unfortunately, [Watson] didn’t feel the same way.””
Watson was unavailable for comment.
“”[Muirstock] is going to kick off on Sun God lawn, with a mud wrestling competition between Muir College Council and Marshall’s college council,”” Klonsky said.
The competition will start at noon, followed by the free barbecue, an inflatable obstacle course, a giant slide and booths placed in the Muir quad at 2 p.m.
Klonsky said free massages would be offered around 4 p.m. and music would start between 4 p.m. and 4:30 p.m.
“”It starts off with a reggae band called Tribe of Judah,”” Grossman said.
Tribe of Judah, which has a 30-minute set, is followed by Straight No Chaser, Skapegoat, and Larger than Life, which each have 45-minute sets.
Sugarcult, which opens for Convoy, is a punk band from Southern California. The “”Van Wilder”” soundtrack includes some of Sugarcult’s songs. The band has gotten some air-play in San Diego, according to Grossman.
“”The headliner is Convoy, which is a band that formed in San Diego and got national air-play on ‘The Conan O’ Brian Show’,”” Grossman said.
Convoy is scheduled to play at 8:30 p.m. and has a 60-minute set.
Muirstock’s expenses are closer to $15,000 this year, Batniji and Grossman said. The largest single cost is for talent, with roughly $5,000 going to the bands, followed by $2,500 for security and $2,000 for staging, Grossman said.
Some organizers liken the event to a big birthday party.
“”[Muirstock] is a celebration of John Muir; his birthday is the 21st,”” Grossman said.
