Recently formed UTSA organization Rowdy Radio is making waves in the San Antonio community. On Saturday, April 11th, Rowdy Radio held their first annual music festival, Sol Fest, at Josabi’s Bar in Helotes. The festival ran from 3 p.m. – 1 a.m. and featured local artists, bands and rappers alike.

If you haven’t heard of Rowdy Radio, they are the organization on campus bringing you music 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Just six months old, the student-run organization already has an app for Android and iPhone up and running.

Rowdy Radio also has a live online stream that is open for music submissions from the public. The station plays different genres at different times of the day. Eight different radio shows have been airing this semester, including shows for news, sports and the nightshift hours.

Despite some challenges the group faced, Rowdy Radio members all took part in the event, helping out with sound checks, parking and any maintenance necessary to ensure the event would run smoothly.

Despite concerns about the rainy weather that hit the surrounding areas, Sol Fest managed to have a good turnout. Rowdy Radio made sure to book musicians that would result in a well-rounded line-up, with truly something for everyone.

Distinguished blues artists, Dos Blues, succeeded in bringing the crowd to their feet. The hip-hop artist Peanut Gallery hyped listeners with an energetic set, captivating lights and a fog machine. San Antonio natives Parallelephants brought the funk during an impressive performance later on in the night that earned them an encore. Listeners experienced a wide variety of music styles and some pretty incredible voices like soul singers Amea and Coco.

Sol Fest not only included music in the festivities, but also incorporated visual elements with San Antonio College students Austin Farar and Aaron Snyder making live art. The artists had some remarkable personalized prints for sale, again showcasing more of the talented people in the San Antonio community.

Josabi’s bar provided refreshments, while Gilbo’s Grill, a food truck parked outside, supplied the festival with food. Rowdy Radio had their own merchandise table that sold trendy Sol Fest items and signed posters of the night’s lineup.

Excitement was buzzing backstage with interviews and camera flashes between each of the featured artists’ sets. For those that didn’t get a chance to attend – the lineup, as well as the talented artists that performed – is on Rowdy Radio’s website. Many of the artists perform locally, making it easy to see them play live around San Antonio.

Videos to recap the event are available on the Sol Fest website, but the festival is not something to miss out on next year. Each year is predicted to getbigger and better, with new San Antonio artists and more spectators to join the fun.

Rowdy Radio will be working hard over the summer to plan more events, and next fall you’ll be able to catch them tailgating at UTSA football games. With their music library and fan-base constantly growing, Rowdy Radio expects new shows and new music.

Rowdy Radio has made a sudden appearance on campus, but they will remain on the airwaves for semesters to come.