As Madison continues to build its brand at Indiana’s Music City, our festivals play a crucial role in the success of the effort. Our music events create visibility and impact far beyond our city limits, showcasing what is special and fun about our town to a larger outside audience. The annual MadHop Fest is a crown jewel in our music tourism identity.
“Well over half our ticket sales every year are to out-of-town music lovers,” explains Tony Novello, founder and primary driving force behind MadHop. “These are people who are drawn in by the promise of a memorable day of great music, but then they leave Madison with a broader appreciation for the entire town … the beauty, the friendliness, the energy. I think it’s pretty safe to say we’ve created hundreds of Madison superfans in the years we’ve been doing this, maybe even thousands.
“That’s what’s kind of different about our event from the typical big festivals down at Bicentennial Park. Ours is more intimate, and more integrated with the downtown identity of Madison. That’s very important to us, that we draw folks into the core shopping and dining district, not away from it. Our attendees get a more complete and satisfying experience of what it means to visit and enjoy our unique town.
“The special character of MadHop is both a blessing and a challenge,” continues Tony. “One of the main things people love about MadHop is the intimacy of the venues and their close proximity, all within easy walking distance of each other. But on the other hand, we do want to evolve and grow the festival. The question is how to do that without losing the magic!”
MadHop fans can rest assured that the core personality of the event remains the same. But there are some notable changes this year. “Probably the biggest change is we’ve gone from a one-day to a two-day format,” explains Tony. “We have 6 acts on Friday night, to go along with the 31 shows on Saturday. Another exciting addition is we have Mad Paddle Brewery back as a venue, which is a great place to see live music.
“Another adjustment we’ve made is putting some of the more popular bands on at two different times at different venues. People would often lament that with so much going on all at once, they couldn’t squeeze in all their favorites. With this new change, you’ll have two chances to catch Maria Carrelli or Laid Back Country Picker.
“I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention all the people who helped make this event happen. My friend Dan Williams, who I met through the old Whispering Beard festival in Friendship. Kevin and Lisa Watkins, and their daughter Jenna who did some of our T-shirt designs. Alex Helton, Jim Bartlett, and Melinda Acree … plus all the day-of volunteers who staff our gates and venues.
“The emotional response we get from people who attend and love our event is probably the most gratifying thing of all. I’ve worked on a lot of festivals in Madison, going all the way back to the RiverRoots days, and there’s something about our format and location that really strikes a nerve. People actually get a bit giddy sometimes, because there is so much packed into such a short and intense window. Our motto is ‘Best Day Ever!’, and it’s a promise we strive to keep.”
If you’d like to experience MadHop for yourself, tickets are available at MadTixEvents.com. You can also purchase merchandise on MadTix this year, and pick it up the day of the show.
HOT TIP OF THE WEEK:
The big news in Madison this weekend is the MadHop Music Festival, of course. If you are downtown Friday night or all day Saturday, it is literally impossible to avoid. Over a thousand wild-eyed music fans will be rushing (hopping?!) around the heart of Madison trying to see as many of the 35 bands as possible in basically an 8 hour window. If that sounds crazy, you’re right it is … in a good way. One special live music opportunity that jumps out from the calendar this week is at the Drake on Thursday. The BG Johnson Big Damn Band will be rehearsing on stage for their gig on Saturday at MadHop. But you can see how the sausage is made for free on Thursday night, while enjoying the friendly small pub atmosphere that The Drake is famous for. The other show that might be interesting is the New Orleans-based band Big Al and the Heavyweights playing at The Central. Pop in and check it out!
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