Student Musicians from Loyola, Xavier, Dillard and Tulane Band Together for Free Concert and Voter Registration Drive at The Broadside

NEW ORLEANS - Music students from four New Orleans universities will take the stage this Sunday at The Broadside for a free concert and to register voters for the 2024 presidential election.

The event, which takes place from 4-10 p.m., will feature seven musical artists on the main, outdoor stage at The Broadside, as well as other artists on the new, indoor stage, said Sig Greenebaum, co-founder of NOLAxNOLA, which is working to put together the concert and voter registration drive.

The event, called the NOLAxNOLA College Showcase, is being presented by College Communities of C.A.R.E., a collective of college students from the Greater New Orleans area who work together to address shared challenges.

Mia Borders, a prolific singer-songwriter in New Orleans, said Communities of C.A.R.E. contacted her to help them find a way to engage students across the city and incorporate music.

Borders, a Loyola alum and former faculty member at the school, will take part in a set at the concert with the Loyola All Stars, which is comprised of faculty and alumni. Other artists performing at the event include Kota Dosa, Apricot Jam, Sari Jordan, Lyle George, Planet of Little Green Men, Yung Delirious, $hamn, KP2 Wild, Sean Straynge, Carl Stanton, James Wyrtzen, Lyle Hutchins and Sadie Pine.

"I reached out to The Broadside to see if they'd be interested in hosting a voter registration drive-slash-concert for students, and they suggested we join forces with NOLAxNOLA for what was originally planned as a battle of the bands between Loyola and Tulane," Borders said. "Since New Orleans is home to so many colleges and universities, we decided to expand the event to include performers from Dillard and Xavier as well."

Headcount, which stages nonpartisan voter registration drives at concerts and other live events, will be on hand to register people to vote for the party of their choice,

Greenebaum said. The deadline to register to vote in the 2024 presidential election is Oct. 7.

According to Ballotpedia, Louisiana has one of the lowest voter turnout rates in the country. The voter turnout rate among people ages 18-29 is even lower, ranking 44th out of 50 states, according to CIRCLE, the Center for Information & Research on Civic Learning and Engagement at Tufts University.

"Young adults have a lot of power," Greenebaum said. "It's easy to say, I don't like any of the candidates. But it's important for them to participate in the future of this country because it's theirs."

Jonathan McHugh, Hilton-Baldridge Eminent Scholar/Chair in Music Industry Studies at Loyola, worked with Greenebaum and Borders to gather the student musicians and make the event a reality.

"We take any opportunity we get to have our students perform at a great venue like The Broadside," McHugh said. "I love the synergies of having all these students from other schools be a part of the larger music community that Loyola has, and that other schools do not."

The following organizations are sponsoring the event: Third Coast Entertainment, the Borders Foundation, Dillard University Center for Racial Justice, Ecology Brewing and Rock & Brews Restaurant.

About the College of Music and Media

The College of Music and Media is comprised of two schools - the School of Music and Theatre Professions and the School of Communication and Design. Students who choose to study in the college prepare for careers in music, theatre, music industry, design, fine art, filmmaking, strategy, mass media and more.

About NOLAxNOLA

NOLAxNOLA is dedicated to celebrating and preserving New Orleans's rich musical heritage while fostering the next generation of talent. Through various events and initiatives, NOLAxNOLA supports local artists and engages the community in the vibrant world of live music.