As the temperatures began to plummet and the excitement of Halloween came to a close, the sun shone warmly on the quad once more as Fall Fest stepped up and brought back the enthusiasm of everyone falling into the end-of-fall beginning-of-winter slump. 

The annual outdoor concert presented by Quinnipiac University’s Student Programming Board and student-run radio station WQAQ 98.1 FM was full of excitement, relaxation, and friendship. As the leaves fell, spirits rose, it was just what we all needed to push through the two long weeks before Thanksgiving break.

The trees may be dying but the quad has never felt more alive!

Lined up along the quad were food trucks, lawn games, inflatables, and merch tables as far as the eye could see. Students poured through Boomer’s inflatable mouth, eager to enter and see what Fall Fest had to offer. 

Though the activities spread out across the quad were amusing on their own, this year boasted a “punch card” system to give attendees the chance to win an adorable Fall Fest themed crewneck. To earn punches, students would choose an activity on the quad, and have a staff member sign their initials on the punch card after completing said activity. Every activity had to be completed in order to complete the punch card and redeem it for a crewneck. It was a smashing success, with both punch cards and crewnecks running out within the first hour and a half of the festival’s opening.

While everyone was busy filling out their punch cards and taking advantage of everything the quad had to offer, I had the amazing opportunity to sit down and interview this year’s headliner, Peach Tree Rascals. Along with two wonderful members of the Quinnipiac Chronicle and Q30 Television, we got to inquire about the origin of Peach Tree Rascals’ name, the band’s favorite memories from their recent tour in Asia, what it’s like to be in a band with all of your best friends, and more.

—-

How did you come up with the name “Peach Tree Rascals”?

Issac: “We came up with our band name by throwing things at the wall two weeks before we released our first song. We were just trying to figure out a name. George, our creative director back home, came up with Peach Tree Village. I did not like Peach- I did not like Village so I replaced it with Rascals, and then we ran with it. We grew into it.”

How do you think performing for a college audience is going to be different than performing for a regular crowd?

Issac: “It’s really different because it feels like when we go on stage we’re kind of like- we gotta win over the crowd because not necessarily everybody’s familiar or privy to us. It’s kind of fun because- it’s obviously really fun when everybody knows all the words and it’s like the crowd- everyone came for you. But it’s also fun, and kind of like a sport, or a challenge, to get on stage and warm the crowd up and by the end of the show have everyone happy.”

What aspect of being a part of a collaborative group do you attribute most to your success?

Joseph: “I think all of us- we just all grew up together so we’re all best friends since high school, so I think just having that close relationship before the music, and then bringing that into the music, it just builds for success.”

If the band was an ice cream flavor, what would it be and why?

Issac: “Neapolitan, we got a little pink, a little chocolate, a little vanilla-”

Tarrek: “Mint chocolate chip.”

Dominic: “Definitely throwing mint chocolate chip in the mix.”

Issac: “They’re saying that because a bad ice cream flavor-”

Tarrek: “It’s a good ice cream flavor!”

Dominic: “It’s amazing it’s the best!”

Tarrek: “It’s fresh, it’s a fresh flavor.”

Joseph: “It tastes like toothpaste.”

Tarrek: “It’s minty fresh, and it has chocolate chips in it!”

Issac: “I’m in a band full of liars.”

What do you hope audiences take away from your performance?

Tarrek: “I hope they leave feeling better, if they weren’t feeling good, like feeling better, lighter, happier, than they did before they came to the show. That’s kind of the point of the energy we like to bring, so people leave all their worries and problems and stresses behind and they just enjoy the moment and jump around, scream, just let it all out.”

What was the most memorable part of your tour in Asia?

Issac: “Jakarta, Indonesia. The festival we played, we had our best festival slot ever which was like seven or eight p.m. so it was dark, and there’s like ten to fourteen thousand people and the energy was insane and it was the best concert experience I’ve ever had in my life- in any country or any continent.”

What can we expect from you guys in the next few months?

Issac: “Silence. And then once January comes around, boom boom boom boom. There’s a lot of music, a lot of visuals, consistent- January, February, March, April, May, June, July, August, October, November, September, December- ”

Tarrek: “Pretty much this year is like a rebuilding- kind of like- you know, getting ourselves regrouped, our team outside of us, and going through ups and downs so we’re just trying to get ourselves back on track and ahead of the game so that next year-”

“2024 is the one!”

—-

With only 20 minutes before Peach Tree Rascals were set to take the stage, there were already students camped out on blankets across the quad awaiting the performance. As PTR finished up their first few songs, most of the crowd seemed content with staying seated on the grass and relaxing as they enjoyed the set. PTR, however, was determined to get as many people up and dancing as possible. 

Performing hits like “Change My Mind,” “I’m Sorry,” and “Fumari,” the feel-good energy was undeniable, and absolutely contagious. The band radiated enthusiasm as they danced around the stage and came down to the barricade to interact with the audience. After each song more and more people came up to join the ever-growing crowd at the barricade. Seeing everyone let loose and dance together regardless if they knew the songs or not, was refreshing. For that hour it felt like there was a sense of camaraderie between everyone, and the only thing on the crowd’s mind was to have fun, which is what Fall Fest is all about!

Approaching the end of PTR’s performance, the band thanked everyone and made their exit … without playing their smash hit “Mariposa”. Except this was all a part of their plan to trick the attendees into thinking they were not going to perform it. But as the crowd cheered and cheered for PTR to take the stage once more and perform their beloved hit, they complied, bringing the highest energy of the afternoon with them.

In the midst of wrapping up and thanking the audience again, PTR announced that they would be spending time at the merch table in just a few minutes. Every single person immediately ran across the quad towards the merch table, in hopes of being able to meet the artist that captured everyone’s hearts. Seeing everyone so excited to chat and take pictures with PTR warmed my heart; almost everyone walked away with little plush peaches to remember the lively day.

This year’s Fall Fest was an undeniable success, which personally leaves me even more excited for 2024’s Wake The Giant coming up in the spring!