This Saturday, the fourth annual Freeman Spring Concert will feature four local bands and two bands that performed on the 2006 Warped Tour – Dropping Daylight and Amber Pacific.

Thomas Shaw, senior in mechanical engineering and president of the Freeman Alumni Committee, said the committee started with a short list of about 10 possible headliners.

“Amber Pacific and Dropping Daylight were both on the list from the start. We wanted another act, but it wasn’t in our funding,” he said.

In 2007, the Freeman Concert featured three nationally touring bands. The funding for this year’s concert was only 75 percent of what it was last year.

Sebastian Davin, vocalist and pianist for Minneapolis-based Dropping Daylight, said the rock band – with piano – has been on tour for the past three years.

Dropping Daylight performed in Ames about four years ago and has since performed with Amber Pacific on the Warped Tour in 2006, when they performed alongside Breaking Benjamin, Jason Mraz, Motion City Soundtrack and Flyleaf.

The concert begins at 4 p.m. Saturday and is expected to end around 11 p.m., but it will last until the final act finishes no matter what the time.

“Last year we scheduled Less Than Jake for an hour, but they ended up performing for nearly two-and-a-half,” said Nick Wineland, junior in communication studies and talent coordinator for the Freeman Alumni Committee. “There can never be a definite time for the concert to end.”

Shaw said last year’s crowd was the largest yet.

“In our very unscientific method, we came up with around 5,000 last year,” he said. “We don’t have any way of taking an authentic final count.”

Arranging a performance with a nationally touring band is a little more complicated than a local act, Shaw said.

“For local bands you can often go straight to the band members and ask them if they’d be willing to perform. With national bands you have to contact and deal with their booking agents. It takes more time,” he said.

The touring bands require equipment and performance items while the local names will bring their own equipment, Shaw said.

“The national names require a lot more work and preparation,” he said. “Usually we’ve had three nationally touring bands, but not this time.”

The committee is already beginning preparation for next year’s concert, Shaw said.

The fourth annual Freeman Spring Concert

When: 4 p.m. Saturday

Where: Forker Parking Lot

Cost: Free

Acts at the Freeman Spring Concert:

2008 Lineup

Jade Lea (from Ames)

The Vandon Arms (from Des Moines)

The Poison Control Center (from Ames)

Radio Moscow (from Ames)

Dropping Daylight (from

Minneapolis)

Amber Pacific (from Federal Way, Wash.)

2007 Lineup

Jokerband

Vains of Jenna

Kedda

Adelynne

A Static Lullaby

Less Than Jake

2006 Lineup

Stuck With Arthur

SweeAfton

The Envy Corps

Tub Ring

Lucky Boys Confusion

Plain White T’s