HPU Fest

March 31, 2007
Howard Payne University recently hosted HPU Fest for the twelfth year in a row with 275-300 people in attendance. Held Saturday, March 31st and sponsored by the Student Activities Council (SAC), HPU Fest is an all-day Christian music festival featuring bands that employ a variety of musical styles.
A great activity for students and families alike, HPU Fest is a free event held beneath the J.

Howard Hodge Bell Towers on the Howard Payne University campus. Nine bands performed throughout the day. While the main attraction was the musical performers, Fest-goers were also enticed by the SAC-sponsored Chili Cook-off and other events and goodies provided by various student organizations.

Chili Cook-off honors went to Phi Kappa Chi for hottest, Chi Alpha Omega for most original, and Sigma Alpha Iota for best tasting.
The headlining performers for HPU Fest this year were Rob Blackledge and Andy Davis. Rob and Andy both attended Belmont University in Nashville, Tennessee.

Andy began writing songs while in college, and had his first opportunity to perform when he was invited to open for performer and friend Dave Barnes. Rob was a member of the band Benefits of Leisure during college, making a record and touring the Southeast. He then decided to focus primarily on acoustic music and joined up with Andy to record their combined c.

d. Fine China EP, which will be released in winter 2007.
Hip-hop artist Verbs also performed on the HPU Fest stage.

According to his website, VERBS is a true hip-hop storyteller sporting a narrative rap style that tackles issues in a problem-conflict, solution-resolution manner. He has opened for artists such as Jay-Z, Outkast, and De La Soul. Jackson Waters, the band that classifies their music as life rock, performed from 8:00 to 9:00 p.

m. They have opened for Christian artists including Big Daddy Weave, Thousand Foot Krutch, and Bebo Norman and recently released their debut album Come Undone. Other Artists gracing the HPU Fest stage with their creative presence included Usual Suspects, Ghetto Saint, Beyond Riches, Anthony James, Everyday People, and Lindsey Kane.