Since 2010, Philly’s favorite alternative radio station has been hosting free concert series every summer with some of the top alternative artists in the game. Yes, that’s right: they’re completely free. The series offers concerts one Sunday a month from May to September, and all you have to do is download your free ticket when they become available online, before they run out. For college students tight on a budget and still living off their parents dime, what better way to spend a summer day than a free concert with great music?
Many college students go to these concerts because of the popular artists and free admission. Brittany Lam, a junior at Villanova University, has been attending these concerts for the past three years.
“Radio 104.5 is Philly’s alternative station so they make sure to get a lot of cool bands to play,” Lam said. “My favorite thing about these concerts is that they’re completely free, I’ve gotten to see some of my favorite bands alongside some of my favorite people for no cost. Plus they usually have free goodies!”
Before the concerts became wildly popular, they were held at the Piazza at Schmitz in Northern Liberties, a small, intimate outdoor venue that was a perfect spot for the average-sized crowd. As more local fans started hearing about the concerts and crowds expanded, in 2014, Radio 104.5 moved the block parties to Festival Pier, a significantly larger concert venue.
Since its expansion, even more fans have been able to obtain the free tickets because there is more space for bigger crowds at the new venue. This summer, the series boasted a popular lineup of alternative artists in their May, June, and July shows, including Nate Ruess, Catfish and the Bottlemen, Bad Suns, A Silent Film, Misterwives, Big Data, and New Politics.
The next concerts for this summer’s series will be held on August 2 and September 13, and you don’t want to miss these headliners!
Artists performing in the August show will include Matt And Kim, Atlas Genius, Wolf Alice and Saint Motel. Regular tickets are already out, but there are still several opportunities to win tickets!
To close off this summer’s series, the lineup for the September show is arguably the best. Fans can look forward to seeing Panic! At the Disco, Joywave, The Wombats and The Front Bottoms.
“Students should definitely take more advantage of these concerts,” Lam said. “They’re such a fun, cheap, easy way to spend a Sunday in the summer.”
Radio 104.5 will announce ticket giveaways on certain days of the week, but be sure to download them fast or they will run out, as space to the concerts is limited. Or, listen to Radio 104.5 to call in for ticket giveaways!
