KNWD’s fifth annual musical festival DemonFest provides students with a fun event near the end of the semester while doubling as a showcase for local artists.
Beginning as a one-day festival, the event has switched between one and two days from year to year. The usual lineup includes bands from surrounding areas as supporting acts and more well-known artists as headliners.
Last year’s headliners, swmrs and 3OH!3, started a trend of having more mainstream artists as the main act. This year’s headliners are Big Freedia and Asher Roth, and the festival will return to its outdoor location April 20 on the Iberville Green, weather permitting.
Genres represented in DemonFest include pop, singer-songwriter, rock, rap and jazz.
Covering the singer-songwriter front is Downtown Wave who, until DemonFest, operated as an acoustic duo. They will expand and debut as a five-piece band at Friday’s festival. This band is notable for its contributions towards charity and philanthropy.
“We always donate 100 percent of tips collected at any of our shows to local charities and homeless shelters, so what we also really want to promote is generosity and kindness towards your fellow man,” the duo said via email. “Many of our songs have a socially conscious message to promote this philosophy and help people be aware of issues in our society.”
Downtown Wave’s single “Snake Bite” is available on major music streaming platforms.
Categorizing his sound as “electrifying soul-hop,” AF the Naysayer is also slated to perform Friday.
AF the Naysayer has collaborated with numerous musicians across New Orleans, leading him to become an ambassador for Red Bull Music Academy, founding a beat making talent showcase, “Dolo Jazz Suite,” and touring across the country.
Although this is a musical festival similar to others, supporting act St. Branham thinks there is more of a focus on the music and community booths than at other festivals.
“I feel like college venues have a lot more energy which makes it more fun,” St. Branham said.
Correction: A statement at the end of this article was removed for clarity.
