Although it started out as an all-white, all-male military school, Texas A&M now has a somewhat equal distribution of men, women, military and non-military students and is becoming more culturally diverse.
The 125th Birthday Bash, will be held at Rudder Plaza and O.R. Simpson Drill Field from 6 p.m. to 3 a.m. Event organizers said they hope to celebrate how far A&M has come and also look to the future. In doing this, they kept in mind one of the imperatives of Vision 2020 — diversity.
A cultural and musical smorgasbord of bands will perform on two stages on the drill field.
Dave Salmon, assistant director for the Memorial Student Center (MSC) and an adviser for MSC Town Hall and MSC academic league, said the goal in booking the acts for the bash was to promote diversity.
“The forefront of mine and the students’ minds was to try to make as diverse a lineup as possible to have something for everyone,” Salmon said. “There will be everything from jazz to country, rock and blues, to salsa and merengue.”
Karan Chavis, an A&M graduate, who will open the Bash at 6 p.m., said she is looking forward to the show and to celebrating A&M.
“I’m an Ag, and it’s neat to be involved in something that gets people together and celebrates the University,” Chavis said.
Chavis performs jazz music and contemporary and original selections. However, Bash said the band will do a lot of rock and roll, and rhythm and blues. Chavis said her show will be high-energy and that she coordinated some special elements for the show, such as performing patriotic songs like “America the Beautiful” and a song she wrote to contribute to the birthday celebration called “125 years.”
Chavis said the celebration is an event students should not take for granted.
“There won’t be many other classes that will have the opportunity to experience something like this,” Chavis said. “It is a great opportunity for Ags to come together to celebrate where we’ve been and where we’re headed and to remember that we are all Ags.”
Chavis said she hopes to kick off the bash and get everyone excited about being there and celebrating A&M.
Thirteen acts are scheduled after Chavis. Salmon said that the main acts will be performing on one stage and that student acts will perform on a side stage in between the main acts so that hopefully, he said, there will be no downtime.
Two Spy, an area rock-and-roll band comprising A&M students will perform from 7:15 to 8 p.m.
Ryan McLawhon, a junior speech communications major, said Two Spy is looking forward to the opportunity to show support of A&M.
“Everyone should come out and support the local music and all the acts, and show their support for A&M and how long it’s been around,” McLawhon said.
The Ballet Folklorico Celestial, a student organization that promotes and encourages knowledge, appreciation and performance of Mexican Folk dance, will perform from 8:15 to 8:30 p.m.
Genafe Leon, vice president of the organization and a junior education major, said the group hopes the audience will come out and take advantage of the opportunity to see a high-energy performance. Leon said students will be exposed to dance and music they might be unfamiliar with.
“It’s an honor … to let students know there is an organization that does what Ballet Folklorico does,” Leon said.
Leon said the show will be different from what most audiences have ever seen and will consist of performances from Jalisco.
Jalisco is a state in Mexico where the Mexican hat dance and a lot of salsa and merengue originated.
“The show will be really different. If you are afraid of knives, don’t sit too close,” Leon said with a laugh.
Taking the stage after Ballet Folklorico Celestial is country singer John Ashford Miles.
Miles describes his music as from the heart and progressive country.
“Every song has a message and is definitely from the heart,” Miles said.
Miles said he plans to open the show with a moment of silence for Bonfire victims and for those lost in New York, Pennsylvania and Washington, D.C.
Miles said he encourages students to come out and have a good time.
“Take the night off to have some fun,” he said.
Grupo KaChe, a nine-member Latin-Tropical Band, will follow Miles.
Rudy Rincon, a member of KaChe, said the group is looking forward to coming back to the A&M campus.
“We love you guys,” he said. “We first performed here four years ago and the response was incredible. We have had such an acceptance from everybody.”
Rincon said KaChe’s goal is to get everybody to dance and to get away from their cares and worries. He said the show will be very light and energetic from the first beat until the end.
“It’s such powerful music,” Rincon said. “It doesn’t matter where you come from, you’ll enjoy it.”
Closing the show from 12:30 to 2:30 a.m. is the Austin-based rock band Last Free Exit.
J.T. Stewart, a guitar player and singer for the band, described the band’s music as “groovin’ rock ‘n’ roll and `great barefoot music.’ ”
Stewart said the band, who’s roots are in College Station, might have something planned in honor of A&M.
“There will be a little more maroon and a little more Aggie than usual at this show,” he said.
Last Free Exit and the other bands said they are very thankful for the opportunity to play on the A&M campus and want to thank the organizers of the Birthday Bash for including them.
Stewart said there are no excuses not to attend the Birthday Bash.
“The University and students pulled together to have this celebration; the University thought enough to fund it and the students put a lot of work into it. It is a high-quality event.”
Stewart said. “If not for any other reason, [you] don’t have school tomorrow, dammit, come on out!”