Sloughfest 2025 brought the Augustana College campus to life once again, with music echoing across the football field and students showcasing their passion, creativity and stage presence on Saturday, May 3.
From jazz-funk grooves to indie anthems and rock ‘n’ roll classics, this year’s festival was a true celebration of student artistry and community spirit.
Junio Ian Empen took the stage with his band formed through the music fraternity Phi Mu Alpha.
“In our fraternity, a lot of us are part of the jazz program at Augustana,” Empen said. “Sloughfest was the perfect opportunity to come together and play.”
Their aim wasn’t just to recreate last year’s performance, but to take it to the next level, bigger, bolder, and even more memorable.
Last year, Phi Mu Alpha’s band, The Funktion: A Sinfonian Odyssey, had an earlier set time, resulting in a smaller crowd. But this year, the group stepped up their game with matching T-shirts, a new logo and a high-energy setlist featuring “Runaway Baby” by Bruno Mars, “25 or 6 to 4” by Chicago, and “In the Stone” by Earth, Wind & Fire.
“Auditioning for Sloughfest gave us a real boost in confidence,” Empen said. “Hearing encouragement from our peers was incredibly motivating.”
Senior Garrett McNelis performed for the second time this year with Pancake House, a band composed of members from the men’s volleyball team. Their set blended indie rock and indie pop, with plans to include an original song. McNelis, who’s been playing music since middle school thanks to his musician parents, brought a calm confidence to the stage.
One of the biggest challenges he faced this year was finding the right people to form a band with. Since they’re not part of the music department, it wasn’t easy to connect with musicians, especially someone who could play the drums.
But the difficulty didn’t stop there. It wasn’t just about technical skill; it was also about finding people with similar musical tastes, and more importantly, people he genuinely enjoyed playing with. Building that kind of chemistry takes time. In his case, it took nearly three years, a process of trial, patience and small steps that eventually led to something that worked.
“I know this is something I’m good at, so having that confidence is key to expressing yourself in the best way possible,” McNelis said. “Being surrounded by supportive and talented bandmates made the whole experience much smoother.”
Junior Miranda Tyda returned to Sloughfest with even more energy and excitement than in previous years with her band, Rocky Top.
“Any chance I get to perform, especially the music I love and grew up on, I take it,” Tyda said. “Being on a big stage in front of my peers gives me the exposure and joy I need as someone pursuing a career in performance.”
Rocky Top’s set focused on well-known rock covers, chosen to engage the audience and get them singing along.
“We know rock isn’t as popular as it used to be, but so many genres today were built on rock ‘n’ roll,” Tyda said. “We want people to feel that energy again.”
While the group’s passion was as strong as ever, scheduling rehearsals proved more difficult this year. One member is now an alum, and two others are no longer Augustana students.
“That meant we couldn’t rehearse together as often as we would’ve liked. The others came to campus just two days before the festival,” Tyda said.. “But we held each other accountable. We were prepared, confident and excited to perform, and I believe we delivered.”
Having attended all three years and performed in two, Miranda said she has watched Sloughfest grow as a space to celebrate talent.
“Every year, I see more people getting involved, whether as performers or just showing up to support their friends,” Tyda said. “That sense of community is what makes this event so special… Overall, the team behind Sloughfest does an incredible job. They work so hard to make this event what it is, and we’re all so grateful. I can’t wait to see how it keeps evolving in the years to come.”
