Contact: Morgan Tubbs
STARKVILLE, Miss.--The Eli Young Band, a Texas-based country outfit, is the new headline group Nov. 2 for Mississippi State's annual Bulldog Bash.
Sponsored by the university Student Association, Bash is an annual free musical event held near campus in Starkville's historic Cotton District.
The four-member band joins singer-songwriter Andy Grammer and country act Gloriana in helping university students, fans and others ramp up excitement for the Bulldogs' much-anticipated home football game with the Texas A&M University Aggies.
Kick-off time is 11 a.m. for the televised game the following day at Davis Wade Stadium at Scott Field.
Bash festivities get under way at 3 p.m. with the Fanfare, a market showcase of local vendors, followed by the 6 p.m. True Maroon Dawg Rally sponsored by the MSU Alumni Association.
Neon Trees, the previously announced headline band, recently cancelled its fall tour after citing "personal circumstances."
Corinth-based rockers Surviving Allison, winners of MSU's recent Plazapalooza: A Battle of the Bands, will open the show. MSU Music Makers Productions also is sponsoring DJ Archnemesis to perform between sets.
"We are very excited about Bulldog Bash 2012," said event co-director Chris Scholes.
"The Bash is an opportunity to reach out to and unite with the Starkville community, as well as to the surrounding areas.
"The line-up that we have selected for this year's event will appeal to many different groups, which is something that is very exciting to us," the Germantown, Tenn., senior added.
Senior Sara Vance of St. Johns, Fla., the other co-director, said organizers worked hard this year "to bring Bulldog Bash back to its roots as a music festival.
"With three Top 100 artists playing, we think this year's event will create a great atmosphere in the Cotton District," she added.
For more event information and a complete schedule, visit www.msubulldogbash.org.