Northgate Music Festival returns with refreshing revisions

Roby Fitzhenry, Bryan-based creative director and co-owner of Always Creative, brings new style to time-honored event

By: Stephen Shepperd

Posted: 8/20/08

It has been nearly 18 months since the residents on Church Avenue and First Street have had their homes shaken by the live music from Northgate. The vacation from electric riffs and pounding snares is over now that the Northgate Music Festival is back with its 10th installment.

With the festival's return, fans of 2007's performances will be met with some of its most diverse acts to date, in addition to a new philosophy.

"The whole goal is a lot different than it has been," said Roby Fitzhenry, the creative director of Always Creative. "It's about changing the culture more than the concert."

Always Creative is a brand and Internet development company that was hired by festival organizers to rekindle its identity.

"It had a bad reputation before, so we had to look at every aspect and evaluate how to move it forward," Fitzhenry said. "It's not about Northgate Music Festival in general. It's about the revitalization of a local music scene."

The festival is usually in March or April but will be Friday and Saturday to avoid Chilifest and Parents Weekend.

"We wanted to try something different," Fitzhenry said. "We've been on blogs, message boards and Facebook asking people who their favorite bands were."

This approach carried into the way artists were booked. Along with bands applying to be a part of the series of concerts, suggestions from the public were taken into account. One act booked solely on suggestions is Arkansas indie rock band Deas Vail.

"What's crazy is I had never heard of them. Somebody on the boards said, 'What about Deas Vail?' After we took a listen, we got in touch with them and managed to book them."

Bands Alpha Rev and Sounds on the Radio were also signed through word of mouth.

The festival will feature some of its biggest artists to date, notably Saturday night's headliner The Toadies. The reformed band finished a busy summer with an appearance at Lollapalooza, embarking on a nationwide tour and releasing their first studio album in seven years.

"I really feel that $15 is worth it for Saturday's main stage alone," Fitzhenry said. "All the other bands are just a bonus."

Friday night's headliner, What Made Milwaukee Famous, brings an impressive resume including a Lollapalooza appearance. Having opened for Arcade Fire, Smashing Pumpkins and Snow Patrol, the Austin natives are the first band not signed to a record label to play on the Austin City Limits television show in 32 years.

While bands will come from all over Texas and the U.S., many artists are from the Bryan-College Station area like Clairmont, Atarimatt, Flawless Escape, BONNIEblue, Bulletproof Brown, great unwashed luminaries and The Wesley Hanna Band. The inclusion of local bands is a goal set by Roby Fitzhenry and Always Creative to get more live music for future Festivals.

"The mindset has switched from just trying to sell tickets to actually wanting the local music culture to grow," he said. "We want people to realize it's not about making money."

The Northgate Music Festival is aiming to impress. The schedule incorporates all genres and, with the addition of bands like As Cities Burn and Driver F, it will be nearly impossible to walk away from the weekend without seeing a band to your liking.

Are you ready to rock?

Tickets are $15 total when purchased prior to the event or $15 a night when purchased at the gates. For a complete list of bands and schedules of performances, go to http://www.northgatemusicfest.com.