WHRB Live Folk Orgy Sets Quad to Footstompin'

Bluegrass music, cotton candy and flying frisbees highlighted the first Spring Live Folk Orgy sponsored by the student radio station WHRB at the Radcliffe Quad yesterday.

More than 20 folk, country-western and jass musicians played to about 500 Harvard students and area residents who ate bagels and donuts, bought soft drinks or read political leaflets given out by students organizations in booths placed around the Quad.

Pamela M. Ruskin '79, coordinator of the music "orgy" and general manager of WHRB, said yesterday musicians were not paid for ther performances at the festival. The orgy was funded through soft drink and T-shirt sales at the festival, she added.

"Most of the musicians are really dedicated people, playing here for exposure or trying to revive interest in folk music," Ruskin said.

Jeffrey I. Bennett '78, a WHRB staff member, said yesterday the folk orgy was the station's first live broadcast.

Hannah Hastings, co-master of North House, said yesterday she loved the festival and hoped it would become an annual event.

Hastings and J. Woodland Hastings, master of North House, "have a lot of enthusiasm for the event," she said, adding "It's got to help the Quad image."

Alfredo J. Estrada '80 said yesterday he thought the festival was good publicity for the Quad, WHRB and folk music.

"It was too bad they didn't have this before rooming forms were passed in," Estrada said. "It would have really helped the Quad image."

Bigger and Better

The Orgy highlighted a ten day Quad Arts Festival that began Thursday with the opening of "I Capuletie Montecchi" at the Loeb Theater, Hastings said, adding she thought the festival was bigger and better than previous festivals.

Other events at the Arts festival include an Old English dance troupe on the Quad Wednesday, belly dancers on the steps of Moors Hall Friday, music for piano and winds in the Cabot living room Saturday, and the Silver Star Trinidad Steel Band on Moors steps Sunday.