Meridians win opening slot at PPC’s Fall Fest

Fall Fest

Bigelow Boulevard

Noon

Pitt Program Council

Fall Fest is fast approaching and… Fall Fest

Bigelow Boulevard

Noon

Pitt Program Council

Fall Fest is fast approaching and with it, the Pitt Program Council’s Band Search has returned. PPC’s Band Search gives student bands with at least half of their members enrolled at Pitt the opportunity to open for big-name artists. Last year’s performers included Hawthorne Heights, Relient K, Emery, Plain White T’s and The Sleeping.

This year, The Meridians beat out other aspiring bands for the coveted opening slot and will open for indie-folk singer-songwriter Brandi Carlile Saturday at 1:15 p.m.

The four Pitt students that combine to form The Meridians are Chad Purnell on drums, Josh Momper on rhythm guitar and keyboards, Phil Norbeck on Bass and Erin Dragan on lead guitar and lead vocals.

Frontwoman Erin Dragan describes the band’s music as “straight ahead rock” primarily influenced by classic rock like Fleetwood Mac, the Gin Blossoms and Smashing Pumpkins. Dragan, Momper and Norbeck have been playing together for roughly a year, but drummer Purnell is a fairly recent addition to the band.

Songwriters Dragan and Momper decided to collaborate last summer and recruited good friends Norbeck and Nick Violette – later replaced by Purnell – to found The Meridians.

Carlile’s latest hit single, “The Story,” was featured on the TV drama, “Grey’s Anatomy.” Her newest album of the same title was released in April, and the University of Pittsburgh will be Carlile’s fourth stop on her 35-date fall tour.

“I’m really excited to be opening for her,” Dragan said of Carlile. “There’s a certain honesty in her voice. It’s got a kind of scratchy thing going on, but it’s clear enough that you can understand exactly what she’s saying.”

To enter the Band Search, bands were required to send in a demo CD to be judged by the Pitt Program Council members.

After The Meridians, The Saturn Five, Katie Geise and the Polygons, Beats ‘n’ Verbz and Soy Bomb were selected as the top five student bands at Pitt, students could vote for their favorite band on the wall of Pitt Program Council’s Facebook group. More than 200 votes poured in from last Friday until midnight on Tuesday when the voting closed. The Meridians pulled ahead of the second placeholders Katie Geise and the Polygons by roughly 50 votes last night to win the opening slot at Fall Fest.

The Meridians plays many shows around Oakland as well as in Ellwood City and Smallville. Dragan attributes the win to the band “networking the hell out it.” While many friends of Dragan, Momper, Norbeck and Purnell supported the band by voting, Dragan confessed that she was flattered by the amount of people the band didn’t know that voted for them.

“The best thing about our fan base is its diversity,” Dragan said. “We have fans of all ages and from all over Pitt.”

After opening for Carlile on Friday, they will open for fellow local singer-songwriter Ben Hackett on Sunday night at 7 at the Club Cafe.

The Meridians beat out all-girl, indie-pop band Katie Geise and the Polygons and last year’s winner, The Saturn Five. But if you’re still interested in checking out the second and third place winners, Katie Geise and the Polygons play house parties around campus and The Saturn Five is playing at Peter’s Pub in Oakland on Saturday, Oct. 13 for the release of its new CD, Stage One.