Island Party Brings Night of Music, Ministry to Campus

by Jodi Cunningham, student newswriter, (254) 710-1961

Brothers Under Christ fraternity (BYX) will host its eighth annual Island Party, a Christian concert festival, from 6 p.m. to midnight, April 20, at Fountain Mall on the Baylor University campus. This year's Island Party will feature the Dove award-winning band Switchfoot, along with four other bands and a fun night of food, games and rides.

Island Party will kick off with hamburgers, hot dogs, soft drinks and music. While there is no admission price, the purchase of a $10 Island Party shirt serves as an all-you-can-eat meal ticket throughout the evening.

San Diego-based Switchfoot will headline at Island Party. The Christian alternative rock group is known for its collection of Dove awards and for its selection as the 2005 Gospel Music Association's Artist of the Year. BYX was able to secure Switchfoot's performance at Island Party with the help of a generous gift from the Student Life Fund allocated by the Student Senate. Other sponsors of the event include the Baylor Bookstore, Cascade Energy, University Parks Apartments and Brothers Management. Switchfoot will take the stage at 10:30 p.m., preceded by fellow San Diego rock group Reeve Oliver.

In addition, three local bands have been chosen to open for Switchfoot based upon their performance at Shipwrecked, a battle between eight local and regional bands that was held on March 6. The winners of Shipwrecked were the John Boswell Band, Faith Dies Last and Kingsfall, and they will play at Island Party starting at 6 p.m.

Along with the bands, Island Party will include annual crowd favorites such as a Ferris wheel, cotton candy, popcorn, snow cones and outdoor games like Ultimate Frisbee and sand volleyball, all of which are free.

"Island Party not only provides an amazing evening of free entertainment from one of today's hottest bands, but also a great environment of Christian fellowship," said BYX
Island Party Chairman Trent Weaver. "Island Party is our way of sharing God's love and grace with anyone who wants to come."

Island Party is a national event that is featured on the majority of university campuses with a BYX chapter. The first Island Party was held in the late 1980s at the University of Texas, while the first Island Party at Baylor was held in the spring of 2000 and featured the David Crowder Band. Other bands that have been featured at Baylor's Island Parties include Bebo Norman, Matthew West, Ethan Durelle, Sanctus Real, Bright Sized Life, Jeremy Camp, House of Heroes and Destination Known.

For the third year in a row, BYX has partnered with the Office of Admission Services in order to create a model university event that potential students and their families may attend. Prospective students who have registered to attend Spring Premiere are encouraged to attend Island Party to see what campus life is like. In addition, the party will provide them with an opportunity to meet current Baylor students and faculty.

"I'm very excited that we can share this wonderful music with everyone this year," Weaver said while referring to Switchfoot, the biggest band Island Party has seen yet. "Switchfoot has become such an amazing band, and even as a mainstream rock band, they have kept with their Christian values and beliefs."

Island Party is free and open to the public. For more information on Island Party, contact Weaver at Trent_Weaver@baylor.edu or (254) 717-0220.