ACRN week kicks into action
By Kait Barnes, Staff Writer
April 15, 2007 | 8:40 p.m.
The All Campus Radio Network, better known as ACRN, kicks off its 36th year with a nine-day celebration filled with music, dance parties and other events, leading up to the grand opening of its new studios.
ACRN has been a presence on the Ohio University campus in many forms for almost four decades. Ashley Sheehan, ACRN’s public relations director, describes it as “OU’s only student-run radio station,” meaning that all of the positions, from the DJs to the music director, are filled by students instead of various faculty advisors.
ACRN just moved from the RTV building to the new Baker Center. The move not only means nicer offices, but a brand new studio from which to run their live internet broadcasts. The grand opening of these new studios also gave ACRN a reason to celebrate, and that’s what they’re doing from April 12-21 with ACRN week.
The celebration kicked off on April 12 with a free show at Baker Theater, featuring Magnolia Electric Company playing with Athens favorite Southeast Engine and the Illinois act Shipwreck. The show was followed by a space-themed dance party at the Union.
This Saturday, April 14, played host to perhaps the most exciting and possibly best-attended event of the week. ACRN Popfest, featuring Margot & the Nuclear So-and-So’s, danceable indie crew Koufax, party band Fizzagig and many others. The Popfest featured a diverse line-up of bands and appealed to fans of many music genres. It’s the second time Margot & the Nuclear So-and-So’s had a show at Ohio University, and their second appearance in four months proves that ACRN establishes a good relationship with the bands they hire for performances.
When asked how ACRN manages to book so many acts -- many of them national -- Sheehan credited Brian Ostrander, ACRN’s promotions director. Sheehan describes Ostrander as the reason bands are coming to Athens, pointing out his tireless effort and amazing ability to network. This is to the benefit of all OU students, as well as the members of ACRN. After all, ACRN Popfest, like all of the other shows the organization has hosted at Baker Center, is free to students and to the public.
The following day, ACRN is hosted John Vanderslice, St. Vincent and Athens-based singer-songwriter Adam Torres at the Union. With headliner Vanderslice, a man who plays both electronic and acoustic rock, the line-up was capable of pleasing all of Athens’ indie rock fans.
Tomorrow, ACRN is opening up their new studios all day for tours. Anyone interested in audio production and broadcast news would be doing themselves a favor by making their way over to Baker 329 that day for a free tour. In addition to the tour, they are selling some killer ACRN paraphernalia, including 35th year anniversary pint glasses for $7 and t-shirts for $5.
Tuesday, April 16, Baker Theater will be taken over by free rock ‘n' roll movies from 3 p.m. to 1 a.m. “Spinal Tap,” “Almost Famous” and “Wayne’s World” are the movies set to be shown, along with a few surprises to be picked by ACRN’s listeners. Fans of music-oriented films can vote for which movie they want played along the trio of legends already set to show on ACRN.com.
On Wednesday, April 17, Howard Hall Park will be taken over by a genre of music not normally represented at Ohio University. The Hip Hop Expo features various elements of hip hop, ranging from dance to art. The expo includes a troop of B-Girls from Columbus, music spun by local disc jockey DJ Barticus, local MCs and local graffiti artists. Sheehan says that many of ACRN’s members are huge hip hop fans and they play a lot of hip hop in their broadcasts, bringing exposure to underground and local artists.
ACRN Week concludes April 21 with the Grand Opening Celebration, with an open reception that goes on from 5 to 6 p.m. at Baker Center, followed by a dedication to founding faculty member Archie Greer and a ribbon cutting ceremony on the second and third floor of the student center.
Other events going on during ACRN week are an uptown car parade, a promotional table with lots of free goodies and a coffeehouse concert on Thursday featuring Jake Householder and the ubiquitous Adam Torres.
Since about 1971, ACRN's presence has been growing on campus, now being bigger than ever. With this increased presence, they strive to make students aware of the alternative media outlets at OU. ACRN also wants to make Athens a destination for bands to stop at on their tours. The station is made for and by OU students, and with such efforts as ACRN week, this organization is bringing college rock back to where it belongs: the college campus.
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If you want to get involved with ACRN, visit ACRN, find the section in which you're interested and simply e-mail that section's director. ACRN can get you involved right away.