Swamp Records anticipates hitting a capacity of 600 people at the third-annual Swamp Records Showcase on Friday.
The showcase starts at 7 p.m. and ends at midnight. The event will be free and open to the public at The Jam, located at 817 W. University Ave.
The president of Swamp Records, Reid Casey, said the main goal of Swamp Records is to give members of the team hands-on experience with the music industry and with artists on the rise.
The event will feature well-known Florida artists like Magic City Hippies, Flat Land and SALES. The performers who participate in the event are mostly indie soul, indie funk or electronic.
Breana Auberry and Rachel Ring founded Swamp Records in the Fall of 2013.
It began its operation under Student Government Productions at UF. After Swamp Records had its first showcase in the Spring, Swamp Records and SGP agreed to have Swamp Records go in its own direction, although SGP still provides funding for the showcase.
Casey said the team that helps manage Swamp Records includes an events and branding committee, which handles public relations, and a business committee, which manages sponsorships and artist teams.
Each band or artist Swamp Records verbally commits to is assigned a personal artist team member or a band mentor, Casey said. The vision is to bridge the gap between UF and the Gainesville music scene to make it more cohesive.
“The most fulfilling part about being president of Swamp Records is being able to see students connect with these bands,” Casey said.
Fae Nageon de Lestang is the violinist and lead singer of the band Flat Land, which has been making music for more than four years.
She said the band tours regularly around the Southeast and has played at local venues in Gainesville. The group also performed at the Okeechobee Music & Arts Festival.
“We have played for crowds of over 1,000,” she said. “We try not to make the size affect the way we play. We try to play with the same amount of heart.”
She said she loves playing at The Jam, and the best part about being able to play at music festivals is learning about new music.
“I think whenever you’re at a festival, you get an opportunity to learn about music you had no idea existed,” de Lestang said.
