Syracuse-born band Ra Ra Riot to open Juice Jam 2008 Sept. 7 on SU campus, along with rapper Talib Kweli and headliner Bloc Party

Syracuse-born band Ra Ra Riot to open Juice Jam 2008 Sept. 7 on SU campus, along with rapper Talib Kweli and headliner Bloc PartyAugust 22, 2008Helen Koutsourades

Performing their first ever North American college show, the critically acclaimed English indie rock band Bloc Party heads this year’s lineup at Syracuse University’s fifth annual Juice Jam Festival on Sunday, Sept. 7, from noon- 6 p.m. at Skytop Field on South Campus. Joining Bloc Party are Talib Kweli and Ra Ra Riot. The music festival is open to SU and SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry students, faculty and staff only.

Tickets-$10 for SU and SUNY-ESF students with valid I.D. and $15 for faculty and staff-are on sale now at the Schine Student Center Box Office, (315) 443-4517.

Tickets will be required for admission. Transportation will be provided by free shuttle bus service from the College Place main bus stop to the festival venue.

“Juice Jam is annually an event designed to showcase SU’s ability to bring incredible entertainment and a wide range of student involvement to the campus student body,” says Executive Director of University Union Concerts Kelly Bertog. “This year’s music lineup, with Bloc Party leading and performing with their first ever debut at a North American college show, is only the tip of the iceberg of great entertainment that UU will continue to provide throughout the year.”

Representatives from a wide range of student organizations will be present at Juice Jam to provide information to students. Intended to strengthen the University’s tradition of outdoor musical events for students, Juice Jam is coordinated by University Union and co-sponsored by the Division of Student Affairs.

Bloc Party (http://www.myspace.com/blocparty, http://www.blocparty.com/) has rocked the top of music critics’ lists since their musical debut of “Silent Alarm” in 2005. The album appeared on the Album of the Year list of the British popular music magazine New Musical Express and was certified platinum, firmly establishing the band in the international music community. The digital version of Bloc Party’s new album, “Intimacy,” is available now, and the CD, with additional tracks, will be released Oct. 27. This year’s Juice Jam appearance marks the band’s first ever North American college show.

Talib Kweli (http://www.myspace.com/talibkweli, http://www.talibkweli.com/) is a Brooklyn native with one of the most critically successful rapping careers in the alternative hip-hop music industry. His latest solo album, “Eardrum,” was released in 2007 and debuted at #2 on the Billboard 200 chart. He has worked with influential music icons Mos Def and Kanye West, and has made appearances on “Chappelle’s Show” and MTV’s “Wild N’Out.”

Ra Ra Riot (http://www.myspace.com/rarariot, http://www.rarariot.com/) is a six-piece indie rock band that formed at SU in 2006. The group’s debut album “The Rhumb Line,” was released on Aug. 19 and earned four stars from RollingStone and an A- review from Entertainment Weekly, among other positive critiques, marking Ra Ra Riot as up-and-comers in the independent music world.

For more information on the Juice Jam Festival , contact Helen Koutsourades, public relations director for University Union Concerts, at (845) 494-0623 or Helen.koutsourades@gmail.com.