Published 2011-05-02T23:24:00Z”/>
PreviewNicole Walker
Reggae here, rock there, folk down the street and electronic a few blocks over – it’s a musical formula that may overlap the agendas of music fans and potentially mislead diehard fans of a particular genre.
Four separate venues will be overflowing with an assortment of styles by 16 performers hitting Chico’s stages for a night of musical mayhem Saturday during Wild Oak Music Group’s Chico Music Fest.
“It will definitely promote the local scene,” said Juan Gomez Jr., washtub bass player and vocalist in Brass Hysteria!, who will be performing in the reggae showcase at The Graduate. “Chico is this tiny town with a shitload of bands and a lot of diversity.”
Although Brass Hysteria! is in the reggae showcase, the band considers itself “hillbilly ska” and can play a set with just about anyone, guitarist Jeff Reiken said.
“By segregating the music, you separate the people,” he said. “Especially with a band like us. We don’t really fit into any category.”
Wild Oak is promoting the Music Fest as an all-ages event, but the show times do overlap with one another, so it’s impossible to listen to every performer, said Kelly Cronan, media relations for Wild Oak.
The festival will showcase the musical talent Chico has to offer, said Hypatia Runcie, bass player for That’s What She Said, in an email interview.
“It sounds like this is Wild Oak’s version of the CNR’s CAMMIES,” Runcie said. “I believe that there will be some music fans that want to hear what is coming out of Chico in every genre. However, I also believe that there will be a separation of fans by genre.”
Wild Oak’s mission for the Chico Music Fest is to appeal to everyone through the art of music for the fans’ enjoyment, Cronan said.
But segregating the genres, typecasting fans by their choice of music and creating time conflicts between the four events doesn’t allow potential fans the opportunity to experience all that the Chico music scene has to offer, Brass Hysteria! vocalist Rusty Johnson said.
“The beauty of the festival is that we have all types of music for all types of people,” Cronan said.
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<strong>Nicole Walker can be reached at</strong>
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