They say only the good die young. From the early '50s until its untimely "death" in the mid-70s, Joe College Day was the highlight of Duke University, bringing only top-name artists for an all-day music festival on campus. Unfortunately, the occasion is but a myth to current Duke University students in 2007, who know only of the Dionysian indulgence of LDOC and Tailgate. All that is going to change on Oct. 20, when the ghost of Joe College Day gets a shot at resurrection.
The return of Joe College Day is the brainchild of seniors and good friends Max Alexander and Max Entman. The duo had originally applied to become Major Attractions directors with the Duke University Union, where they pitched their plans. Their ideas didn't get them the job, but the Union did decide to give them cash to plan the large-scale music festival of their dreams. "The concept of the music festival is something now a culture all to itself. We think that Duke should take part in that culture if for no other reason than that it can be a really fun social activity for the students, faculty and the Duke community as a whole," Entman said.
The Maxes, who are both kids of Duke alumni, grew up on stories of the past prominence of Joe College Day. The concept of a festival and tales of the past inspired the duo to bring Joe College Day back.
"Our parents were Duke students in the late '60s and they told us that this was the event-it bested everything else the weekend of. There was nothing else like it," Entman said. "We're talking only the biggest artists of the era: The Beach Boys, the Grateful Dead, Miles Davis, Linda Ronstadt and Simon and Garfunkel. We thought to ourselves: Why does this amazing event no longer occur? There is absolutely no good and no acceptable reason. So we fixed the problem."
With with the blessings of the Union, the duo took on the painful process of planning the festival, which they say has been consuming their lives since Feb. of last year.
"We did all of the booking of the bands ourselves, which is an excruciatingly long process," Entman said.
This also meant promotion, the goal of which was to make sure "no one on this campus can say that they haven't heard about it." That mantra led to promotional tactics such as stickers, flyers and even Joe College condoms.
"Even if people freak out about it, they will at least know about Joe College Day," Alexander said. "Patience and diplomacy have been the keys to event planning on Duke's campus. It was a harrowing effort but when it goes off really well any of those people who have been critics or skeptics of our vision can suck real hard."
Alexander said that the diversity of musical performances aims to provide the festival's attendees with something for everybody. The headlining act, Gov't Mule boasts straight rock 'n' roll with the aid of Warren Haynes, former lead guitarist from the Allman Brothers Band. Their supporting act, Grace Potter and the Nocturnals, is an up-and-coming band from Vermont, with a frontwoman who rocks out on a Hammond organ. The rest of the acts provide everything from soul, hip-hop and traditional alt-rock. Extensive promotion has also resulted in a partnership with iTunesU, where Duke students can download free promo tracks from all of the bands on the Joe College website.
The Maxes have high hopes for their creation. "Joe College Day is one of those rare campus events that unites Duke around something that is not only about beer, which I think is very unique, and is about a cultural experience around a diverse array of music that everyone can enjoy," Entman said.
The duo make it clear that Joe College is not Tailgate and not LDOC, either.
"We want this to be a 'just come out with a six-pack and chill with your friends on the quad' event. Our concept is a guy sitting back in a lawn chair-it's a lost pleasure. So bring out your blanket, friends, a couple beers and throw back to Duke like it used to be in the '60s and '70s. We guarantee it will be a great time."
Alexander did voice some concerns about how the event will be received. "My recurring nightmare is just Duke students sitting out there, being stiff and not knowing what to do," he said. "But I know that deep inside every person there is a dirty, janky, granola-eating hippy that can just come out and let loose when you hear the music."
Joe College Day music festival is Saturday, Oct. 20 from 2:20 p.m. until midnight. For schedule, lineup, links to iTunesU and overall history of Joe College check out: http://www.duke.edu/web/joecollege.
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