On Wednesday, April 14, Point Park University hosted “Let’s Go! Fest,” a live performance featuring the band I Can Make a Mess like Nobody’s Business, which is one of several side projects by Ace Enders of five-piece pop-rock group The Early November.  Co-headlining the show was 27-year-old Anthony Raneri of Bayside, performing his solo acoustic set. The show also featured special guest appearances by Ohio-based piano-rock group Dolson and a pop-rock group from Tennessee named Android Planet.
There were over 100 students in attendance in the GRW Theater for “Let’s Go! Fest,” many of which were Point Park students, but there were also many fans in attendance that were not university students. The event was advertised in the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review and Alternative Press, combined with digital promotion strategies, which is what ultimately helped promoters to reach non-Point Park students.The show was organized by WPPJ and Drusky Entertainment, a local promoter that has had over 13 years of experience in booking national acts in Pittsburgh, and was sponsored by the Student Activities Office. According to one of the show’s coordinators and WPPJ General Manager Anthony Costulas, they wanted to get bands that “have some of the biggest followings, put on a decent show and that have some of the coolest fans.”  According to Costulas, the bands were “very highly recommended by Drusky Entertainment.” Shows like “Let’s Go! Fest” are not only “beneficial to the university, but to the students as well,” Costulas said.Costulas said their mission with shows like these is to “put Point Park University on the map.” He also explained the excitement of live music on a college campus and how essential it is to campus life. The show’s coordinators and promoters are not the only ones who feel live music is a positive aspect that should continue to take place on campus in the future.Dolson, one of the show’s openers, has been playing together with the current line-up for roughly six to eight months, and “Let’s Go! Fest” marked their first show in Pittsburgh. “Playing at a college is totally different than playing at a bar or club,” JCK, guitarist and vocalist for Dolson, said. “It’s a much more personal atmosphere. The experience has been really awesome and everyone has shown us a great deal of hospitality.”Although Bayside was initially contacted to play the show, they were unable to play due to scheduled recording sessions for their upcoming album. Since the 10-year pop-punk veterans were unable to make an appearance, lead vocalist and rhythm guitarist Anthony Raneri performed his solo acoustic set.   “It’s a lot harder to create a mood in a place like this, but it was a good time,” Raneri said. “The kids are really cool; I dig the clubs out here.” The show met positive feedback from performers and fans.”I think it’s cool that they’re putting on shows like this,” Steve LaRussa, a sophomore broadcasting major, said. “It saves a lot of money. It’s a lot better than going to the Rex [Theater] in the South Side or Mr. Smalls [Funhouse] in Millvale. It’s just as good, if not better, to see them on a college campus.” Although the cover charge was $10 for non-Point Park students and free to Point Park students, the show brought in more than $400. According to Costulas, proceeds will benefit the Early Learning Institute, an Allegheny County program that offers early childhood learning.