The Reflector

Media Credit: Blake McCollum

Packed shoulder to shoulder, students squeezed into Starkville's Cotton District Friday night to hear '90s hits like "Jumper" and "Semi Charmed Life" at this year's Bulldog Bash. Third Eye Blind and local bands serenaded students until almost midnight. And it seemed, from the students' perspective, as though a piece of Bourbon Street had come to the Cotton District.

"I didn't really have any expectations," one passing student said. "I just wanted to hang out with my friends, but I was impressed with this year's line-up."

The music did not seem to attempt to cater to one group or another this year, but simply - as one student put - gave you something to nod your head to.

"The only drawback is, like always, there's never enough room to even breathe," the student said.

Starting at 5 p.m. with a pep rally, the District was already crowded.

At 7 p.m., the inflatables started to seem forlorn, and the music started at the second stage. Finally, about four hours of music, packed apartments and awkward crowd maneuvering later, the much-anticipated Third Eye Blind took the stage.

The crowd erupted into what can only be described as a musical frenzy when the first few familiar guitar riffs of "Jumper" began. After leaving - smelling like cigarettes, beer and '90s music - the evening could have been called a success. From the impressions of the attendees, the Student Association's increased budget was put to good use.

But not everyone was satisfied with the evening. Brandon Atwell, an Ole Miss student, felt the event could have been better organized.

"It seemed like to me a collegiate level carnival or fair," he said.

Freshman chemical engineering major Kate Bush said the event was pretty good, but felt the evening got pretty crazy toward the end.

"I wasn't expecting such large crowds," she said. "But I didn't mind them too much; it was like any other concert I've been to."

Bush said the sentiment that it was like any other concert held true for the bash as a whole.

"It was outside which was nice because you were free to move around and come back when you want," she said.

In comparison to last year's $60,000 budget and Gavinm DeGraw-styled performances, some students who attended the bash last year said they felt it was a vast improvement.

Student Association President Blake Jeter said he heard some reports of underage drinking and ambulances that needed to be called, but otherwise the event went great.

"[The Bash] couldn't have gone better - biggest one yet -- big crowd, new security; it was safer around the stage which made the police and administration happier," he said. "And the new purple building was awesome."

Jeter said the show might have changed the Third Eye Blind's opinion of the state.

"When they first got here [the band] was ragging on Mississippi, but by the time the show was over, they said it was one of the best shows they've had in a long time," he said.

From the student turnout, and general consensus among students, it was. Most of University Drive and Paige Streets were crowded while Third Eye Blind was on stage.

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