Binghamton Underground Music Presents has been steadily building an alternative music community in Binghamton over the past several years, bringing indie bands to perform on campus. Through this growing community, BUMP’s biggest show in its existence has come together.
Titus Andronicus, River City Extension and The Jean Jackets will be playing in the Old University Union’s Mandela Room on Thursday night. Rachel Casey, president of BUMP, believes the show is the most significant BUMP show to date, and the students were the driving force behind the show’s lineup.
“The thing I think is most significant about the show is that we sent out a survey to all of the people who are friends with the BUMP Facebook account, and Titus Andronicus got the most votes out of all the bands,” Casey said. “In fact, all three of the headliners that we have booked for the semester were all on the survey and all did decently well. We’re really listening to what the students want and catering to that.”
The combination of the three bands is expected to bring an intense atmosphere. Titus Andronicus is a five-piece punk band, River City Extension is an eight-piece band that, according to Casey, “bring an incredible fusion of Americana, folk, pop and punk,” and The Jean Jackets are a punk band that features Binghamton University student Christine Spilka. Titus Andronicus recently played Coachella. River City Extension just played Bamboozle and is set to play Bonnaroo and Warped Tour this summer.
The growing turnout at BUMP shows led to the doubling of BUMP’s budget for this year, which played a big factor in bringing the three New Jersey-based bands together. The show will have special meaning to Casey, who is a senior graduating this month and is also a New Jersey native.
“I kind of curated [the show] that way because I’m from New Jersey and I have a really deep connection with the music scene in New Jersey, particularly where I’m from. I’m from Asbury Park, which is where Bruce Springsteen … he kind of revitalized the area,” Casey said.
The swelling underground community has also caused a change from the norm in regards to BUMP’s choice of venue. This will be BUMP’s first show in the Mandela Room. Casey said BUMP has outgrown playing in classrooms and even the Undergrounds.
“Kaki King played on April 9 and that was in the Undergrounds,” Casey said. “It was packed wall to wall with people, and it took about 45 minutes to get everyone inside from the line that was out the door. We’ve never had anything like that before.”
Binghamton has hosted popular shows featuring the likes of Drake and Foo Fighters, while also hosting music at places like the Undergrounds that few people cared for. The previous lack of middle ground in booking shows on campus paved the way for BUMP to grow into what it is today.
“There was nothing really in between. I kind of wanted to bring that to campus,” Casey said. “My friend Ryan, he was a senior when I was a freshman, did the shows. There were a lot of bands that I wanted to bring to Binghamton, so he was like, ‘Why don’t you do this next year when I graduate?’ so I did, but I didn’t really know what I was doing. I kind of just figured it out.”
After a show has come and gone and seeing her efforts pay off when the students walk away satisfied, Casey can look back and feel accomplished.
“From the beginning stages of emailing the bands, trying to figure out a date that will work, booking a room, booking sound and having it all come together on the day of the show, seeing people come and enjoy it is the most rewarding thing,” Casey said.
The show is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. Thursday in the Mandela Room and admission is $5.