Tuscapalooza has a little something for everyone

Where can one hear a jazz combo, an Irish folk band and a DJ on the same night, and at the same venue in Tuscaloosa? Only one place fits that bill - Tuscapalooza.

Taking its name from the popular Lollapalooza music festival in Chicago, Tuscapalooza, which begins at 3 p.m. today at the Bama Theatre, is a benefit concert that takes many of Tuscaloosa's original bands and puts them on two different stages for one day.

Tim Neunzig, station manager of 90.7 WVUA-FM, said he got the idea for the festival while attending a music festival in Athens, Ga., last summer called Athfest. Neunzig said he had the time of his life those few days there.

"Anyone from there knows that the music scene in Athens is out of this world," Neunzig said.

However, unlike Athfest, which lasts five days, Tuscapalooza will have all the bands play on the same night. With more than 20 bands playing at the festival, there was a little bit of difficulty in organizing the event, but everything is now up and running.

With the radio station's commitment to spreading original music at the University, Neunzig said it wasn't hard to fill up the roster.

"We have different contacts with different bands in the area," Neunzig said. "We're actually getting more requests to play in the festival after the deadline has already passed."

The roster includes several prominent bands from Tuscaloosa, such as Baak Gwai, The National Trust and Blaine Duncan and the Lookers, as well as new and emerging bands from the last year or so, such as The Universe, The Hypsys, Squirrelhouse, the Bonky Bonks and Mr. Satan's Terribly Awesome Band.

With so much diversity in genre and style, Neunzig said this is sure to be a good night.

"This has been a very good experience," Neunzig said.

Along with Tuscaloosa natives and college students, Neunzig said there has been a special effort to reach high school students with this festival. One reason is Neunzig's own high school experiences in Tuscaloosa.

"I grew up here, so I know how little there is to do here in Tuscaloosa," Neunzig said.

Neunzig said he won't pick favorites when it comes to local bands he wants to see, but there are a few that he is looking forward to seeing more than others.

"I'm looking forward to the bands that I have not seen yet," Neunzig said.

Such bands include Uri, an electronic DJ; PH Delicious, which is made up of doctoral students; and many others that may sound unfamiliar to a UA student.

"Some of these bands are bands that you might catch at an open-mic night or something," Neunzig said.

One reason for so many bands playing throughout the day is to give as many performers as possible a chance to get their music out to the crowd - something that doesn't normally happen for a typical band.

"It would have taken a year to catch them otherwise," Neunzig said.

One band that will be playing is Tuscaloosa favorite Baak Gwai, which in Cantonese means "white trash." Adam Pate, bass guitarist for the band, said he is looking forward to all the bands that will be playing.

"It's going to be a good showcase," Pate said. "Four of these bands, I've never even heard of."

Since Baak Gwai first started back in 2004, they have seen many musicians explode and fizzle in the Tuscaloosa music scene. Somehow, though, they are still optimistic about what is going on here now.

"There's a lot more diversity now," Pate said. "Tuscaloosa is starting to pick up more original music."

Some bands Pate is personally looking forward to seeing are Skullduggery, Universe and the Druid City Rockers.

Reed Watson, drummer for the National Trust, said this festival is a good way to show there really is a music scene in Tuscaloosa.

"There's a scene here, but I don't think enough people know about it," Watson said.

Watson, a senior majoring in journalism, actually took time off from school due to the band's schedule. He also hosts "Midnight Snack" on Wednesdays from 10 p.m. to midnight for the radio station. Watson said he will be at the festival for the long haul.

"I'm going to try to see every band that plays," Watson said. "I just want to absorb the culture."

Tuscapalooza will start at 3 p.m. with Sons of Thunder and run until 3 a.m. with Crunkasaurus Sex. It will be held at the Bama Theatre on Greensboro Avenue. A schedule, including band times, can be found on the radio station Web site at www.thecapstone.ua.edu. Tickets are $10 and can be bought at www.crimsonartstickets.com. This is an all-ages show.