The O-town Scene - Oneonta, NY
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Continued from Page 22 Since 2004, Pitbull has been bringing his unique brand of Latin-infused hip hop to the masses, fu- elling parties around the world. His 2009 album, “Rebelution,” included top hits such as “Krazy” (featuring Lil Jon) and “Hotel Room Service,” as well as “I Know You Want Me (Calle Ocho),” which reached the No. 2 position on the Hot 100 Billboard charts and was certified a double plati- num single. Pitbull has also been known to be a In 2006, the college students who Contributed Metal band Sword of Truth, comprised of current and former SUNY Oneonta students, earned the chance to open for Pitbull by winning a recent battle of the bands. featured artist on hit songs with other musicians. Most recently, his song with Jennifer Lopez, “On The Floor,” has become an international hit. Other hits Pitbull has been featured on include Enrique Iglesias’s “I Like It” and Usher’s “DJ Got Us Fallin’ In Love.” Pitbull has also received two Billboard Music Award nominations regarding his Latin music album, “Armando.” He is nominated for Top Latin Artist, and Top Latin Song for “Bon Bon.” “I have heard a lot of excitement around campus for Pitbull,” Freeland said. “And hip hop is new to the OH- Fest stage, so we’re really excited.” A portion of student activity fees each student at SUNY Oneonta and Hartwick pays as part of tuition helps fund OH-Fest so that the committee can afford to bring a big-name act like Pitbull to their college town. How did Oneonta college students book Pitbull? They used a company that acts as a mediary between booking agencies and concerts for colleges. Having a tribute band has become somewhat of a recent tradition to the OH-Fest main concert. Recent years have featured bands paying tribute to Bon Jovi, Queen and Journey, which have been well received by the One- onta community. Having played more than 700 shows since 2004, Who’s Bad has toured all over the world and earned the title of “The Ultimate Michael Jackson Tribute Band.” “Because the headlining [acts] are geared more towards the students, the tribute bands are more geared towards the community,” said Mi- chelle Tremblay, an OH-Fest commit- tee member from SUNY Oneonta. “Obviously, we try to pick acts that everyone can enjoy.” As for student band The Sword of Truth, the group earned a spot on the main stage by winning a battle of the bands competition a few weeks ago at SUNY Oneonta. Each of the mem- bers are either current or former SUNY Oneonta students, comprised of Max Waldt, Patrick Young, Zack Towne, Alex Koenig and Nick Suh- adolnik. They perform a hard-rock- ing, yet humorous brand of metal, influenced by Gwar and Dethklok. OH-Fest has become a symbol of unity in Oneonta. “Students from both schools worked together to put on a community event that gets everyone together,” Freeland said. Additionally, the town and many local businesses help each year to pro- vide the town with a popular event. Harcleroad sums up OH-Fest as, “a great opportunity for us to work to- gether to make a community celebra- tion occur that is truly for everyone in Oneonta.” _ Adam Sisenwein imagined producing an open-air concert in partnership with the city of Oneonta described their idea as far- reaching and idealistic. Their proposal for a town/gown get-together with a block party atmosphere met initially with skepticism but eventually with success. In the years since, OH-Fest has blossomed into the gathering that ushers in our local festival season. As May looms, temperatures hover near 60 degrees. Converging downtown and in Neahwa Park is a fantastic way for all of us to enjoy the warming weather along with plenty of music, craft vendors and delicious food. This Saturday, as students and neighborhood residents mingle on Main Street, we will see once more how Oneonta’s two colleges comple- ment each other and the city. At SUNY Oneonta, we are especial- ly proud of OH-Fest. Not only does it contribute to the vibrancy and unique- ness of Oneonta, it’s also remained true to its roots as equal parts cel- ebration and collaboration. Perhaps more so than any other springtime event, it reminds us of our dynamic and collective community in which we all have a stake and illustrates what’s possible in Oneonta. Dr. Nancy Kleniewski President of SUNY Oneonta One of many wel- come signs of spring is OH-Fest, a model partnership between the students of Hartwick College, SUNY Oneonta and the city of Oneonta. OH-Fest is more than a concert — it is a community-focused festival open to all, a celebration that helps to remind us of the positive influences and energy that college stu- dents bring to our vibrant community. Hartwick College values its relation- ship with the community — more than 420 employees make the city, town and region their home. We are proud of and greatly value the many ways that our students and employees make a positive, local impact. Our students are interns and community service volunteers, our employees volunteer in many local non-profits, and the college offers a broad range of educational and cultural opportunities that are open to the general public. All of these inter- actions build mutual understanding, and help Hartwick students imagine a future as part of our community. We have much to celebrate. On be- half of the students, faculty and staff of Hartwick College, thank you for your partnership as we work together to create an ever more welcoming Oneonta. Please join us as at OH-Fest 6 and enjoy one of the best com- munity events of the year. Dr. Margaret L. Drugovich President of Hartwick College April 28, 2011 O-Town Scene 23