Wynn McDonald
For more than two decades, Bellarmine students looked forward to the annual Hillside concert at the end of every school year. Recurring each April from 1995 to 2018, the series drew notable acts including Maroon 5, Phillip Phillips, 21 Pilots, Jesse McCartney, MKTO, Sarah Bereilles, Widespread Panic, and most recently, “The Voice” winner Cassadee Pope. Last year, the concert was suspended while its organizers considered new strategies to combat declining attendance and financial losses.
In three months’ time, Hillside is scheduled to make its return to campus—but the specifics of the act remain a mystery.
According to an Instagram poll run by the Bellarmine Activities Council (BAC) last week, the top options for this year’s concert include the indie pop band COIN, rapper Jack Harlow, and a popular speaking act such as actor Josh Peck or The Bachelor Live!
Sophomore Dalila Bevab, who is coordinating the event for BAC along with sophomore Kamryn Horne, confirmed this list, saying the choice will be made based on results of the poll, presuming a deal can be reached with the performer—with help from the BAC’s middle agent, Jeff Hyman.
“This [concert] is my baby, from the very beginning, [but] it’s a very long process,” Bevab said. “People think that you just reach out to a performer and it’s finished… It’s all about the money.”
After last year’s Hillside hiatus, there was speculation as to whether the money saved with the change could allow BAC to attract more popular acts to campus in the future. However, there are several obstacles that make it difficult to draw big names to the university setting, according to BU Assistant Director of Campus Traditions Bryan Hamann.
“The music industry doesn’t see the college market as incredibly profitable,” Hamann said. “It’s viewed more as a private concert, so they end up having to charge a lot more because of that… people are usually very surprised to say, ‘I paid $20 for a ticket at the Louisville Palace, [and] I’m gonna have to pay $50 for a ticket if I want to see them here?’”
The option with the most local appeal at a reasonable price could be Harlow, an up-and-coming act who is a Louisville native.
Born and raised in the Highlands, Harlow attended Atherton High School. He got his start rapping at local bars and music venues in Louisville and created his own independent record label, Private Garden, all before graduating from high school in 2016.
Within a year, he played at major music festivals including Bonnaroo, South by Southwest and Forecastle. In 2019, Harlow collaborated with fellow Louisville native Bryson Tiller on the hit single “Thru The Night,” which also features on his latest album, Confetti.
“I think people would be more connected to him,” Bevab said of Harlow. “We’re all kind of proud of him [because] he’s our hometown boy. I think hometown shows are pretty special.”
One of his fans on campus is sophomore Ethan Purdy, a Louisville native who first heard his music in 2017 and has followed him ever since.
“He’d put on a good show since he’s from the Highlands, and I would love it,” Purdy said. “I think there would be a pretty good crowd since he’s starting to become a big name.”
Although initial conversations are ongoing with multiple artists, including Harlow, the final decision must be made with approval from university Vice President of Student Affairs Helen-Grace Ryan.
“I think campus traditions are exceptionally important,” Ryan said. “Traditions help anchor a student to a place; they help anchor a community together. It’s part of the culture of a place.”
Hamann and BAC work year-round in efforts to maintain that culture, and Hillside is no exception.
“We need to recognize that our students are constantly changing and evolving,” Hamann said. “We need to make sure that we’re [doing] what our student body is interested in doing.”
And as for Hillside, is the once-dependable campus tradition now on shaky ground? “Our goal is still to make it a larger experience,” Hamann said.
After five months of brainstorming, conversations and surveying students, the plans for that experience are starting to take shape—and one advantage of missing out on high-profile acts is that it allows them to focus on the experiential aspect of the event. Bevab and Horne said their goal is to create a festival atmosphere for the show in the vein of Coachella or Forecastle, weather permitting.
“We want to make it like a festival,” Bevab said. “[And getting] artists on the lower end of our budget gives us more money to work with to make it fun.”
To complete the effect, the Hillside festival is expected to have food trucks, photo opportunities, and a VIP area, among other new features. Thanks to the university’s updated alcohol policy, beer and other drinks will be available for purchase by students 21 years or older.
“I just want everyone to have fun and be laid back,” Horne said. “It should be the calm before the finals week storm.”
As the date of the show creeps closer, publicity should pick up, with the official announcement of the performer expected to come in late February. BAC advises students to be on the lookout for contests and promotional opportunities with prizes like front-row access and meet-and-greet passes.
Going forward, Hillside is likely to remain a biennial tradition, occurring only on even years. But for this year’s underclassmen, that means an introduction to the newest evolution of a quintessential Bellarmine experience.