Aggie Radio hosts first concert of semester: Big Agg Show
Last Thursday, Aggie Radio hosted Utah State University’s annual Big Agg Show, featuring local pop and alternative artists, on the Quad as part of the university’s Weeks of Welcome activities.
The Big Agg Show has a rich history at USU. One of the first shows ever hosted by Aggie Radio, it has been held annually for over 10 years. The show is USU’s parody of the Big Ass Show, a popular rock festival held in Salt Lake City.
“The Big Agg Show has, in my opinion, always become one of those historic moments that a lot of students remember as their first Utah State experience,” said student media advisor Nate Laursen.
Before becoming the big names they are today, alt/rock bands The Backseat Lovers and The National Parks got their start performing at Big Agg Show on the Quad, right here at Utah State.
Headlining this year’s event was local band Dad Bod, following performances from Cardinal Bloom, Kipper Snack, Beeson, Sky Olson and Cactus Tree. Sky Olson and Cardinal Bloom have both previously played at Logan City Limits, the end-of-year concert hosted by Aggie Radio. The other four acts performed for the first time at an Aggie Radio-hosted event.
Dad Bod consists of six members: Michael, Matthew and Marcus Marinos, as well as Russ Allphin, Jonny Seegmiller and Michael Morgan. They first started jamming together with a keyboard, a guitar and a drum set purchased on Facebook Marketplace.
The band name originates from the dad bod joke that circled the internet in 2015.
“It for some reason stuck, so we just went with it,” lead singer Michael Marinos said. “It was like a joke that turned into something we now can’t change. I feel like people immediately react as soon as you tell them.”
Big Thief, The Beatles and Randy Newman have been recent inspirations for their music. Their songwriting process typically starts with one person writing a progression or a bassline and goes from there.
Dad Bod currently has their music on Spotify and Apple Music. Their most recent album, “Pastels,” was released in 2021.
Being on tour helped helped the band prepare for the Big Agg Show. Marinos said since they have been playing so much on tour, they had time to fine tune their set.
Opening for Dad Bod was Utah-based band Cardinal Bloom.
Cardinal Bloom draws musical inspiration from Dr. Dog, The Beatles, John Mayer, Pink Floyd, Tame Impala, Young the Giant and Bon Iver. The band will be releasing their next single to music streaming platforms on Friday, Sept. 9.
“We’re really excited to play the Big Agg Show,” said lead guitarist and vocalist Joey St. John. “I went to school at Utah State, and I remember I went to the Big Agg Show as a freshman. I thought it was just the coolest thing, and I barely knew how to play guitar, and I never would’ve thought years later we’d be playing it.”
Pop artist and college student Jane Beeson is another of the five artists who played at the concert. She has been playing guitar and making music since she was 12.
Beeson has a few singles out on streaming services, including songs “Pink Light” and “Syrup.”
She gave a word of advice to those currently working toward a music career.
“You should learn how to take credit for what you’ve done, while also honoring the people around you, and those things aren’t mutually exclusive,” Beeson said. “I feel that a big theme in my life lately has been owning the work I’ve put into my music and what I’ve done to get myself here, and not attributing my success to outside factors.”
The Aggie Radio station manager and main organizer of the show, Audrey Flood, broke down the process of planning and organizing a school-wide event of this magnitude. Flood and Laursen have worked together, attending shows throughout Utah and scouting for artists that would cater well to student music tastes at USU.
“The purpose of the Big Agg Show is — we are very focused on promoting the local music in the valley,” Flood said. “We work really hard for this show, especially at the beginning of the year, so people can get exposure to these artists. You always hear about people on the Top 40 chart, but there is really great music right in the valley.”